This paper presents the preliminary design of a rocking Cross-laminated Timber (CLT) wall using a displacement-based design procedure. The CLT wall was designed to meet three performance expectations: immediate occupancy (IO), life safety (LS), and collapse prevention (CP). Each performance expectation is defined in terms of an inter-story drift limit with a predefined non-exceedance probability at a given hazard level. U-shape flexural plates were used to connect the vertical joint between the CLT panels to obtain a ductile behavior and adequate energy dissipation during seismic motion. A design method for ensuring self-centering mechanism is also presented.
This paper describes experiments conducted to develop a resilient lateral force resisting wall system that combines cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels with vertical post-tensioning (PT) to provide post-event re-centering. Supplemental mild steel U-shaped flexural plate devices (UFPs) are intended to yield under cyclic loading while the PT and CLT components remain undamaged until large inter-story drifts are experienced by the wall. The experiments were designed to explore various limit states for self-centering CLT (SC-CLT) walls, including their dependence on design variables and their impact on performance, and to investigate strength and stiffness degradation at large interstory drifts. It was found that the SC-CLT walls were able to re-center even after large drift cycles and the crushing of the CLT material was the governing limit sate for most specimens. A hierarchy of desirable limit states was identified consisting of UFP yielding, CLT splitting, PT yielding, and CLT crushing.
This article presents recent research on the seismic resistance of coupled post-tensioned timber walls for use in multi-story buildings. The walls are constructed from laminated veneer lumber (LVL), post-tensioned with unbonded vertical tendons, and coupled together with mild steel U-shaped flexural plates (UFPs) as energy dissipating elements. The timber wall design follows the same principles as used for post-tensioned precast concrete wall systems, using U-shaped plates to obtain a “hybrid” system, where energy is dissipated through yielding of the plates, while the vertical post-tensioning provides the restoring force. In this project, the same principles are applied to timber coupled walls. A series of quasi-static cyclic and pseudo-dynamic tests have been carried out to verify the applicability of the concept and the feasibility of the construction technology in timber buildings. The U-shaped plates showed stable energy dissipation characteristics and, in combination with the post-tensioning, desirable re-centering hysteretic behavior typically referred to as “flag-shape”. Because of the simplicity of these elements and the low cost of implementation, they have good prospects for practical application.
New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering Conference
Research Status
Complete
Notes
March 21-23, 2014, Auckland, New Zealand
Summary
The paper presents the design and construction detailing of the quasi-static testing of two post-tensioned timber wall systems: a single (more traditional) wall system and a new configuration comprising of a column-wall-column coupled system (CWC). The latter allows avoiding displacement incompatibilities issues between the wall and the diaphragm by using the boundary columns as supports.
Different reinforcement configurations were taken into account for both the wall systems; the walls were subjected to different initial post-tensioning stress levels, and different dissipater options were considered: both internal and external replaceable mild steel tension-compression yield fuses, and U-shape Flexural Plates (UFPs) were used for the single wall and the CWC solutions respectively.
The experimental results showed the high-performance of both post-tensioned timber wall systems with negligible level of structural damage in the wall element and residual displacements and high level of dissipation.
Seismically resilient, lateral systems for tall timber buildings can be created by combining cross laminated timber (CLT) panels with post-tensioned (PT) self-centering technology. The concept features a system of stacked CLT walls where particular stories are equipped to rock against the above and below floor diaphragms through PT connections and are supplemented with mild steel U-shaped flexural plate energy dissipation devices (UFPs). Experiments were conducted to better understand rocking CLT wall behavior and seismic performance. The testing program consisted of five single wall tests with varying PT areas, initial tensioning force, CLT panel composition, and rocking surface and one coupled wall test with UFPs as the coupling devices. The walls were tested with a quasi-static reverse-cyclic load protocol. The experimental results showed a ductile response and good energy dissipation qualities. To evaluate the feasibility and performance of the rocking CLT wall system, prototype designs were developed for 8 to 14 story buildings in Seattle using a performance-based seismic design procedure. Performance was assessed using numerical simulations performed in OpenSees for ground motions representing a range of seismic hazards. The results were used to validate the performance-based seismic design procedure for tall timber buildings with rocking CLT walls.
New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering Conference
Research Status
Complete
Notes
April 26-28, 2013, Wellington, New Zealand
Summary
This paper describes options for seismic design of pre-fabricated timber core-wall systems, used as stairwells and lift shafts for lateral load resistance in multi-storey timber buildings. The use of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) panels for multi-storey timber buildings is gaining popularity throughout the world, especially for residential construction. This paper describes the possible use of CLT core-walls for seismic resistance in open-plan commercial office buildings in New Zealand. Previous experimental testing at the University of Canterbury has been done on the in-plane behaviour of single and coupled Pres-Lam post-tensioned timber walls. However there has been very little research done on the behaviour of timber walls that are orthogonal to each other and no research into CLT walls in the post-tensioned Pres-Lam system. This paper describes the proposed test regime and design detailing of two half-scale two-storey CLT stairwells to be tested under a bi-directional quasi-static loading. The test specimens will include a half-flight stair case with landings within the stairwell. The “High seismic option” consists of post-tensioned CLT walls coupled with energy dissipating U-shaped Flexural Plates (UFP) attached between wall panels and square hollow section steel columns at the corner junctions. An alternative “Low seismic option” uses the same post-tensioned CLT panels, with no corner columns or UFPs. The panels will be connected by screws to provide a semi-rigid connection, allowing relative movement between the panels producing some level of energy dissipation.
This thesis discusses the results of experimental tests on two post-tensioned timber core-walls, tested under bi-directional quasi-static seismic loading. The half-scale two-storey test specimens included a stair with half-flight landings. Multi-storey timber structures are becoming increasingly desirable for architects and building owners due to their aesthetic and environmental benefits. In addition, there is increasing public pressure to have low damage structural systems with minimal business interruption after a moderate to severe seismic event. Timber has been used extensively for low-rise residential structures in the past, but has been utilised much less for multi-storey structures, traditionally limited to residential type building layouts which use light timber framing and include many walls to form a lateral load resisting system. This is undesirable for multi-storey commercial buildings which need large open spaces providing building owners with versatility in their desired floor plan. The use of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) panels for multi-storey timber buildings is gaining popularity throughout the world, especially for residential construction. Previous experimental testing has been done on the in-plane behaviour of single and coupled post-tensioned timber walls at the University of Canterbury and elsewhere. However, there has been very little research done on the 3D behaviour of timber walls that are orthogonal to each other and no research to date into post-tensioned CLT walls. The “high seismic option” consisted of full height post-tensioned CLT walls coupled with energy dissipating U-shaped Flexural Plates (UFPs) attached at the vertical joints between coupled wall panels and between wall panels and the steel corner columns. An alternative “low seismic option” consisted of post-tensioned CLT panels connected by screws, to provide a semi-rigid connection, allowing relative movement between the panels, producing some level of frictional energy dissipation.