Abstract
Currently, no appropriate standard exists that describes how to determine the in-plane shear stiffness for cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels, meaning that, there is a lack of appropriate and reliable test methods. In this paper, two gross shear test methods are evaluated: a picture frame test and a diagonal compression test, which are intended to measure the shear stiffness of a whole CLT panel. This evaluation aimed to compare the shear modulus, the amount of compression/tension in the diagonal directions of the panels and the deformations of both sides of the panels. The picture frame test and diagonal compression test provides a bi- and uniaxial pre-stress, respectively. A total of 30 non-edge glued CLT panels were tested, 17 3-layer and 13 5-layer panels. The shear modulus for the 3- and 5-layer non-edge-glued panels were measured as 418 and 466 MPa, respectively, in the picture frame test. In the diagonal compression test, the shear modulus was measured to substantially higher values of 530 and 626 MPa for the 3- and 5-layer panels, respectively. In the picture frame test, panels were equally stretched along one of the diagonals as they were compressed along the other diagonal, which was not the case for panels in the diagonal compression test. The test results also showed that measuring only one side incurs a risk of over- or under-estimating the in-plane shear modulus. Compared with results from the literature, the picture frame test seems to be a more reliable test method than the diagonal compression test.
Highlights
Cross-laminated timber (CLT) was introduced to central Europe more than two decades ago
The primary aim of this paper is to investigate whether these two test methods result in equal and reliable values for the in-plane shear modulus
Use of the picture frame test resulted in a uniform deformation of the CLT panels in the active and passive directions as intended
Summary
Cross-laminated timber (CLT) was introduced to central Europe more than two decades ago. CLT is a laminar plate-like structural element, typically consisting of three to seven layers. Each layer is composed of boards placed side by side, and these layers are usually arranged perpendicular to each other [1]. CLT elements are commonly used for floors, loaded perpendicular to their plane (plate action), and for. 66 Page 2 of 12 diaphragms and shear walls, loaded in-plane (panel action) CLT can be used as a stand-alone structural element with high strength and stiffness properties. The properties of the final product depend on the strength and stiffness of the input material, the number and thickness of the layers and their arrangement [1]. The derivation of design parameters and test configurations for correctly determining these parameters is an important issue [3]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
