20172025

Research activity per year

Personal profile

Artistic and research interests

As a professor of practice in industrial wood construction, Steven Collins is committed to developing scientific knowledge and fostering innovation, which benefit the wood construction industry. His research focuses on the mechanical behavior of structural timber and on characterizing material properties of underutilized wood resources. He is drawn to this field by the enduring appeal of wood, a natural material whose mechanical performance—refined over millennia—makes it uniquely suited for sustainable structural applications.

He has been deeply involved in hands-on laboratory work, conducting both destructive and non-destructive testing. By applying statistical analysis, he explores the relationships between material growth characteristics and mechanical properties to develop predictive models for wood materials, with an emphasis on quantifying uncertainty.

His research at Aalto University continues with the aim of improving the efficiency and reliability of wood construction and of finding value-added solutions that help make wood a crucial material in our transforming society.

Summary of Research Focus:

  • Species-specific timber behavior (particularly birch): modelling, testing, and variance analysis
  • Non-destructive testing techniques: laser scattering and grain orientation analysis, digital image correlation
  • Statistical and Bayesian approaches: probabilistic modelling for material properties
  • Timber finger joint mechanics: mechanical characterization of engineered connections
  • Wood processing techniques: densification and chemical treatment to enhance timber performance

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
  • SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production

Education/Academic qualification

Doctoral degree, Engineering and Technology, Aalto University

Award Date: 30 Dec 2022

Master's degree, Natural Sciences, University of Helsinki

Award Date: 16 Mar 2016

Bachelor's degree, Engineering and Technology, Carleton University

Award Date: 1 Apr 2010

Keywords

  • Timber Engineering
  • Structural Reliability
  • Sustainability

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