Disproportionate Collapse Resistance of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) Buildings

Buildings designed and constructed with a relatively young construction material - cross laminated
timber (CLT) are increasingly popular. CLT buildings contribute to the Net Zero commitment by 2050
- reducing the carbon footprint in the building sector, offer comfortable living spaces, are built faster
and more economically than using any other construction material.
Current design guidelines on disproportionate collapse resistance of timber buildings adapt existing
research on concrete and steel buildings without considering the inherent material properties of
timber. Disproportionate collapse is a structural collapse where an initial local failure (e.g. loss of a
column or a wall) causes a chain type damage disproportionate to the initial cause (e.g. collapse of
structural bays). Timber is a light-weight material, its mechanical properties depend on dynamic
effects and its failure mechanisms are usually brittle (non-ductile). An additional layer of complexity
comprises consideration of high material variability of timber.
The aim of the project is to study the collapse resistance of CLT buildings accounting for the ductility,
rotational capacity and strength of the connections, membrane action of the CLT floor and
mechanical properties.
A validation and integration design approach will be adopted for the experimental and numerical
work, aiming at establishing design guidelines on the design against disproportionate collapse of CLT
buildings. Experiments ranging from connection to component and system level will adopt novel
measurement techniques enabling an accurate calibration of numerical models.