Timber buildings are increasing in their dimensions. Structural robustness is imperative for all buildings and specifically important for tall buildings. Lives can be saved if disproportionate collapse can be avoided after a catastrophic event (e.g. accident, terrorism). The literature about robustness is comprehensive concerning concrete and steel buildings, but is rather limited regarding timber. This paper reviews robustness in general and robustness of timber buildings in particular. Robustness is an intrinsic structural property, enhancing global tolerance to local failures, regardless of the cause. A deterministic approach to assess robustness is to remove certain loadbearing elements from the structure and compare the consequences to given limits. Design methods for robustness may be direct by assessing effects of local failure, or indirect by following guidelines. For robust timber buildings, the connections are the key aspects. Usually, metal connectors may provide the required joint ductility. For robust light timber-frame construction, rim beams may be designed. For timber posts and beams and cross laminated timber, guidance regarding robustness is scarce, but in some aspects they seem to be similar to steel frames and precast concrete. Future research should assess the capacity of connections, and evaluate the adequacy of seismic connectors for robust timber buildings.
Multi-storey cross-laminated timber (CLT) buildings are a comparatively recent construction type. Knowledge concerning the performance of CLT buildings regarding the prevention of disproportionate collapse after unforeseeable events (e.g. accidents or acts of terrorism) is not as refined as that for concrete and steel buildings. In particular, alternative load paths (ALPs) after the removal of a wall panel in platform-framed variants have not yet been studied in detail. The goal of this work was therefore to study ALPs in CLT buildings. An eight-storey bay of an existing building was evaluated by conducting a non-linear static pushdown analysis in a finite element analysis on three representative storeys. The analyses accounted for single fastener behaviour, timber crushing, friction, brittle failure and large deformations. The force–deformation behaviours elicited under the pushdown analyses were subsequently inserted in a simplified dynamic model to evaluate the transient response of the entire bay. Four ALPs were identified in this case – shear resistance in the floor panels, arching action of the walls, catenary action in the floor panels and hanging action from the roof. The dynamic analysis did not show a collapse, unless the inter-compartment stiffness was significantly reduced. The resistance mechanisms are described in this paper, which may provide information for improved building design.
With an increasing number of storeys, timber buildings require closer attention to structural robustness. If a building can survive unforeseen events (e.g. accidents, terrorism), lives can be saved. The literature appears to be rather limited concerning robustness of timber buildings. This paper aims to give a brief review on robustness in general and design guidelines for timber in specific. The results indicate that connection design is a key aspect for robustness. Like in seismic design, by using the ductile capacity of connectors, the brittleness of timber can be controlled. For light timber-frame buildings, more guidelines exist than for posts and beams and cross-laminated timber, which both seem to be similar to steel frames and precast concrete respectively regarding robustness.
Cross laminated timber (CLT) is a wood panelling building system that is used in construction, e.g. for floors, walls and beams. Because of the increased use of CLT, it is important to have accurate simulation models. CLT systems are simulated with one-dimensional and two-dimensional (2D) methods because they are fast and deliver practical results. However, because non-edge-glued panels cannot be modelled under 2D, these results may differ from more accurate calculations in three dimensions (3D). In this investigation, CLT panels with different width-to-thickness ratios for the boards have been simulated using the finite element method. The size of the CLT-panels was 3.0 m × 3.9 m and they had three and five laminate layers oriented 0°-90°-0°and 0°-90°-0°-90°-0°. The thicknesses of the boards were 33.33, 40.0, and 46.5 mm. The CLT panel deformation was compared by using a distributed out-of-plane load. Results showed that panels with narrow boards were less stiff than wide boards for the four-sided support setup. The results also showed that 2D models underestimate the displacement when compared to 3D models. By adjusting the stiffness factor k88, the 2D model displacement became more comparable to the 3D model.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.