Overview
Background
Dr Felix Wiesner is an Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia and an Honorary Fellow in the School of Civil Engineering at The University of Queensland and works as part of the National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life. He was appointed at UQ as a Lecturer in Timber Engineering in 2019 to lead research projects focused on enhancing the fire performance of timber using treatments and modification techniques. His background is in structural fire engineering and the fire safety of timber structures, specifically engineered timber structures. His field of expertise are the critical evaluation of load bearing capacity of building elements in fire and the assessment of safety implications arising from the use of engineered timber as structural members in tall buildings or structures with extraordinary architectural features.
Dr Wiesner completed his Master of Engineering in Structural and Fire Safety Engineering at The University of Edinburgh from 2010 to 2015 before he successfully completed his doctoral studies on the structural behaviour of cross-laminated timber in fire between 2015 and 2019. During his undergraduate and postgraduate work, he closely worked with Arup on multiple projects regarding the fire safety of timber buildings and the effect of localised fires in large open spaces. He actively participated in the European COST Action FP 1404 for the Fire Safe Use of Bio-Based Building Products between 2016 and 2019, representing the UK as a Management Committee member. He significantly contributed to the success of the Fires in Tall Timber Structures: Large-scale Tests in Support of Tall Timber Construction project at the BRE in the UK and also worked as a member of the global Fire Safe Use of Wood research collaboration.
Availability
- Dr Felix Wiesner is:
- Not available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Masters (Coursework) of Engineering, University of Edinburgh
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Edinburgh
- Postgraduate Diploma in Data Science, Harvard University
Research interests
-
Flammability of native timber species
-
Effect of treatment and modification methods on the ignition and extinction characteristics of timber products
Research impacts
Dr Wiesner's research works towards the safe use of timber in buildings and infrastructure. This research is of importance to enable a better utilisation of timber resources in Australia and thereby reduce the carbon footprint of the construction industry and foster a homegrown circular economy of sustainable building products. The research of treatment and modification methods as well as the targeted selection of species is critical to safely build in bushfire affected areas. This work is closely coordinated with the National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life to ensure that the design life of timber structures can be optimised and quantified with respect to fire safety and durability against attack from fungi, termites and other destructive agents.
One of Dr Wiesner's key areas of expertise is the design of bespoke experiments and novel use of technology to illuminate fire safety problems. During his time at the University of Edinburgh he developed a robot for the fast and reliable drilling of fine holes into timber to enable better instrumentation. This technology was subsequently exported and improved to be used at The University of Queensland. In addition he has consistently advertised the use of image analysis for the analysis and control of fire safety experiments, including his contribution to an award winning new methodology for the assessment of intumescent paint expansion in fires.
Works
Search Professor Felix Wiesner’s works on UQ eSpace
2018
Conference Publication
Thermal and flexural behaviour of laminated bamboo exposed to severe radiant heating
Bartlett, Alastair I., Chapman, Alfred, Roberts, Calum, Wiesner, Felix, Hadden, Rory M. and Bisby, Luke A. (2018). Thermal and flexural behaviour of laminated bamboo exposed to severe radiant heating. 2018 World Conference on Timber Engineering, WCTE 2018, Seoul, Korea, 20-23 August 2018. Seoul, Korea: World Conference on Timber Engineering (WCTE).
2018
Conference Publication
Rolling shear capacity of CLT at elevated temperature
Wiesner, Felix, Bell, Darren, Chaumont, Louis, Bisby, Luke and Deeny, Susan (2018). Rolling shear capacity of CLT at elevated temperature. World Conference on Timber Engineering, Seoul, Korea, 20-23 August 2018. World Conference on Timber Engineering (WCTE).
2017
Journal Article
Structural response of cross-laminated timber compression elements exposed to fire
Wiesner, Felix, Randmael, Fredrik, Wan, Wing, Bisby, Luke and Hadden, Rory M. (2017). Structural response of cross-laminated timber compression elements exposed to fire. Fire Safety Journal, 91, 56-67. doi: 10.1016/j.firesaf.2017.05.010
2017
Journal Article
Auto-extinction of engineered timber: application to compartment fires with exposed timber surfaces
Bartlett, Alastair I., Hadden, Rory M., Hidalgo, Juan P., Santamaria, Simón, Wiesner, Felix, Bisby, Luke A., Deeny, Susan and Lane, Barbara (2017). Auto-extinction of engineered timber: application to compartment fires with exposed timber surfaces. Fire Safety Journal, 91, 407-413. doi: 10.1016/j.firesaf.2017.03.050
2017
Conference Publication
Structural steel columns subjected to localised fires
Wiesner, Felix, Peters, Grant, Bisby, Luke and Hadden, Rory (2017). Structural steel columns subjected to localised fires. IFireSS, Naples, Italy, 7-9 June 2017. Naples, Italy: University of Naples Federico II.
2017
Conference Publication
Effects of exposed cross laminated timber on compartment fire dynamics
Hadden, Rory M., Bartlett, Alastair I., Hidalgo, Juan P., Santamaria, Simón, Wiesner, Felix, Bisby, Luke A., Deeny, Susan and Lane, Barbara (2017). Effects of exposed cross laminated timber on compartment fire dynamics. 12th International Symposium of Fire Safety Science, Lund, Sweden, 12-16 June 2017. Kidlington, Oxford United Kingdom: Pergamon Press. doi: 10.1016/j.firesaf.2017.03.074
2016
Conference Publication
Needs for total fire engineering of mass timber buildings
Bartlett, Alastair, Wiesner, Felix, Hadden, Rory, Bisby, Luke, Lane, Barbara, Lawrence, Andrew, Palma, Pedro and Frangi, Andrea (2016). Needs for total fire engineering of mass timber buildings. World Conference on Timber Engineering, WCTE 2016, Vienna, Austria, 22-25 August 2016. Vienna, Austria: Vienna University of Technology.
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Felix Wiesner is:
- Not available for supervision
Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Framework to model the rate of external fire spread rates in facades consisting of combustible cladding
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Juan Hidalgo Medina, Associate Professor David Lange
-
Doctor Philosophy
Scientific basis for the use of fire-safe intumescent coatings used in mass timber structures
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Mr Jeronimo Carrascal Tirado, Dr Anwar Orabi
-
Doctor Philosophy
Mass Timber Behaviour in Fire
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor David Lange
-
Doctor Philosophy
Development of novel preservative-treated timbers and their performance on self-sustaining smouldering
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Luis Yerman
-
Doctor Philosophy
Assessment of smouldering in engineered and CCA treated timber products
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Juan Hidalgo Medina, Dr Luis Yerman
Completed supervision
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
A Methodology for Preliminary Designs of Structural Elements in Tall Timber Buildings
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Matthew Mason
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Solid-phase temperature analysis and correction for multi-scale fire experimentation
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Juan Hidalgo Medina, Associate Professor Jiwon Kim
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Felix Wiesner directly for media enquiries about:
- compartment fires
- engineered timber
- fire resistance
- fire safety
- structural engineering
- structural fire safety
- timber
Need help?
For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team: