Rule-based Design Analysis and Structural Rationalization Study of Ralph Symonds Laminated Timber Arches.

As the demand for steel increased to supply military construction during World War II, Australian engineers began to push timber capacity for long-span structures, one of which led to the emerging use of glue-laminated timber-bending in the post-war period. This article analyses the laminated timber arches of three Ralph Symonds factories in Sydney, the ground-breaking laminated timber projects in Australia between the 1940s and 1960s. The study interprets the design reasoning behind timber-arch application and the structural reasoning behind timber bending using daylight simulation, structural simulation, and rule-based design analysis. The method used to formulate the rules is outlined and demonstrated. The study clarifies that Symonds's timber-arch designs evolved not only to accommodate space for medium to large-scale manufacturing activities but also to optimize economic, climatic, and structural constraints. The rule-based analysis reveals a consistent design logic applied across different factories, foregrounding Ralph Symonds's signature design language in laminated-timber arches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]