Metsä Wood and Partners Design Hybrid Sandwich Wall Element, Combining Concrete with Kerto LVL

Metsä Wood and its partners have developed a hybrid sandwich wall element that they believe will renew offsite construction. The innovation combines concrete with Kerto LVL (laminated veneer lumber). The lighter weight of the hybrid sandwich wall elements proved to be a valuable benefit in the first construction project at Metsä Fiber’s Rauma sawmill.

In the production of a hybrid sandwich wall element, a Kerto LVL panel forms the load-bearing core. This is followed by an insulation layer and reinforced concrete façade.

“The assembly of the hybrid sandwich wall elements has been similar to the usual concrete sandwich elements,” said Petri Puputti, construction manager at Skanska. “We were able to use a lighter crane in the assembly as the hybrid sandwich wall elements are lighter than traditional sandwich elements. Their lighter weight can bring savings in a large construction project.”

Ilkka Romo, director of the productivity and quality unit at Skanska, added that “The hybrid sandwich element is a great start, and the Rauma sawmill project has provided us with useful first-hand information about their use in construction. It seems to fit well with our technical needs. Our co-operation with Metsä Wood and Metsä Fibre has started well thanks to the expertise of these two companies.”