Auburn University’s (AU) School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences (SFWS) in Alabama actively works to increase awareness of the benefits of CLT along with hybrid systems for more widespread adoption in multiple building segments. AU’s two-year project proposal outlines a plan that will establish a preliminary design for the usage of a timber-steel composite system, utilizing CLT or laminated veneer lumber (LVL), as an option that will replace reinforced concrete slabs to improve the structural performance for buildings six stories or more.
Advanced sustainable lateral load resisting systems that combine ductile and recyclable materials offer a viable solution to resist seismic load effects in environmentally responsible ways. This paper presents the seismic response of a post-tensioned timber-steel hybrid braced frame. This hybrid system combines glulam frame with steel braces to improve lateral stiffness while providing self-centreing capability under seismic loads. The proposed system is first presented. A detailed numerical model of the proposed system is then developed with emphasis on the connections and inelastic response of bracing members. Various types of braced frames including diagonal, cross and chevron configurations are numerically examined to assess the viability of the proposed concept and to confirm the efficiency of the system. A summary of initial findings is presented to demonstrate usefulness of the hybrid system. The results demonstrate that the proposed system increases overall lateral stiffness and ductility while still being able to achieve self-centring. Some additional information on connection details are provided for implementation in practical structures. The braced-frame solution is expected to widen options for lateral load resisting systems for mid-to-high-rise buildings.
This paper examines CLT-steel hybrid systems at three, six, and nine storey heights to
increase seismic force resistance compared to a plain wood system. CLT panels are used as
infill in a steel moment frame combining the ductility of a steel moment frame system with a
stiffness and light weight of CLT panels. This system allows for the combination of high
strength and ductility of steel with high stiffness and light weight of timber. This thesis
examines the seismic response of this type of hybrid seismic force resisting system (SFRS) in
regions with moderate to high seismic hazard indices. A detailed non-linear model of a 2D
infilled frame system and compared to the behavior of a similar plain steel frame at each
height.
Parametric analysis was performed determining the effect of the panels and the connection
configuration, steel frame design, and panel configuration in a multi-bay system. Static
pushover loading was applied alongside semi-static cyclic loading to allow a basis of
comparison to future experimental tests. Dynamic analysis using ten ground motions linearly
scaled to the uniform hazard spectra for Vancouver, Canada with a return period of 2% in 50
years as, 10% in 50 years, and 50% in 50 years to examine the effect of infill panels on the
interstorey drift of the three, six, and nine storey. The ultimate and yield strength and drift
capacity are determined and used to determine the overstrength and ductility factors as
described in the National Building Code of Canada 2010.
This paper presents a finite element modeling case study of three different designs of hybrid timber-steel 6-story buildings. One of the buildings is composed by steel frames and timber diaphragms while the other two cases consist of the initial design with timber shear walls added in different dispositions, one with outer walls and the other...
The focus of this research is the connection between steel frame and the infill wall. Over 100 conventional bracket-type connections with various combinations of bracket and fasteners with cross-laminated timber were tested, investigated and assessed for damage under seismic loading protocols for a hybrid application. An energy-based formulation according to Krätzig was applied to calculate the development of the damage index, and the resulting index was validated with visual observation. Six of the connections were modeled in OpenSees. For the modeling, a CUREE-10 parameter model was chosen to reproduce the test curves. The load-displacement results from both test and model were analyzed; the first method according to ASTM standards, where the envelope curve of the hysteretic results are considered and plotted in an equivalent energy elastic-plastic curve (EEEP). The second analyzing method used, was Krätzig’s damage accumulation model. Throughout all six combinations and both loading directions (parallel- and perpendicular-to-the-grain) a major difference was found in the analyzing methods. The EEEP curve roughly approximates the performance but with the damage accumulation method showed that analysis of the subsequent cycles is required to better reflect the empirical performance of the connections. To avoid the extensive destruction of a bracket type connection after completion of seismic loadings, a new approach was chosen. It was found that a tube connection can obtain comparably similar strength results as a conventional bracket connection. The computed mechanical properties of bracket-type and tube-type connections were compared and evaluated. The new tube connection showed great potential for future timber-steel hybrid structures and their connecting challenge. A total of 27 connection assemblies were tested under quasi-static monotonic and reversed cyclic loads. The tube connections showed two major differences when compared to traditional bracket connections: i) the completely linear elastic behaviour at the beginning, and ii) the continued load increase after yielding. Both phenomena are founded in the geometry of that connector effectively making the novel connector a very promising alternative.
International Specialty Conference on Behaviour of Steel Structures in Seismic Areas
Research Status
Complete
Notes
January 9-11, 2012, Santiago, Chile
Summary
A steel-wood hybrid system furnishes not only aesthetically pleasing and sustainable hybrid structures but is superior in seismic applications due to the light weight, high resistance, and adjustable ductility. Such hybrid structural systems are not covered by any material and structural design standards that hinder the general implementation. For light structures, a builder’s guide to hybrid wood and steel connection details already exists in North America. Despite the obvious advantages, however, today’s applications of steel-wood hybrid structures have been limited. Rare hybrid buildings with a concentrically braced frame used for lateral load resistance with a glulam timber floor slab have been built as prototypes. The use of glulam floor slab led to a substantially reduced self-weight, compared with the reinforced concrete slab option. The lighter structure behaves superior in seismic events and has made wind loads the governing design case. The next generation steel-wood hybrid structures should optimally utilize each material. This paper describes a research program of the next generation wood-steel hybrid structures should optimally utilize each material. In detail the following development issues will be addressed: innovative hybrid steel-wood building systems, technical tools to predict structural responses of hybrid systems, design principles underpinning the definition of key code provisions related to strength and serviceability performance of hybrid buildings. It will be highlighted that potential structural problems at the design stage result from material incompatibilities. The constitutive properties of each material, hybrid-material, and joint properties reported in the literature will be used, or supplemented by findings from experimental work.
This study proposes an iterative direct displacement based design method for a novel steel-timber hybrid structure. The hybrid structure incorporates Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) shear panels as an infill in steel moment resisting frames. The proposed design method is applied to design 3-, 6-, and 9-story hybrid buildings with three bays and CLT infilled middle bay. Nonlinear time history analysis, using twenty earthquake ground motion records, is carried out to validate the performance of the design method. The results indicate that the proposed method effectively controls the displacements due to seismic excitation of the hybrid structure.
The advantages of using timber as the primary construction material in mid- and high-rise buildings are undisputed. Timber is sustainable, renewable, and has a very good strength-toweight ratio, which makes it an efficient building material. However, perceived shortcomings with respect to its ductility and system level behavior; along with lack of appropriate design guidance currently limits the use of timber in taller structures. Overcoming these obstacles will allow timber, and its wood product derivatives, to further expand into the multi-storey construction sector - most likely in hybrid-type structures.
The -Finding the Forest Through the Trees (FFTT) system is an innovative timber-steel hybrid system that may allow high-rise timber construction, even in highly seismic regions. The FFTT system utilizes engineered timber products to resist gravity and lateral loads with interconnecting steel members to provide the necessary ductility and predictability for seismic demands.
For a novel hybrid system, such as the FFTT, to gain recognition, experimental data must be gathered and supported by computational modeling and analysis in order to prove its component- and system-level performance. This thesis presents research utilizing nonlinear dynamic analysis of finite element (FE) models of the FFTT system, with properties calibrated to physical component tests, to capture the response under significant wind and seismic loads. From the results presented herein, it appears that the FFTT system can meet the design performance requirements required for seismic loading; however, due to its relatively low weight, may be susceptible to wind induced vibrations. All results are based on Vancouver, BC loading as specified by 2010 the National Building Code of Canada.
This thesis discusses a novel timber-steel core wall system for use in multi-storey buildings in high seismic regions. This hybrid system combines Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) panels with steel plates and connections to provide the required strength and ductility to core walled buildings. The system is first derived from first principles and validated in SAP2000. In order to assess the feasibility of the system it is implemented in the design of a 7-storey building based off an already built concrete benchmark building. The design is carried out following the equivalent static force procedure (ESFP) outlined by the National Building Code of Canada for Vancouver, BC. To evaluate the design bi-directional nonlinear time history analysis (NLTHA) is carried out on the building using a set of 10 ground motions based on a conditional mean spectrum. To improve the applicability of the hybrid system an energy based design methodology is proposed to design the timber-core walled building. The methodology is proposed as it does not rely on empirical formulas and force modification factors to determine the final design of the structure. NLTHA is carried out on the proposed methodology using 10 ground motions to evaluate the suitability of the method and the results are discussed and compared to the ESFP results.
This paper summarises the experimental and numerical investigation conducted on the main connection of a novel steel-timber hybrid system called FFTT. The component behaviour of the hybrid system was investigated using quasi-static monotonic and reversed cyclic tests. Different steel profiles (wide flange I-sections and hollow rectangular sections) and embedment approaches for the steel profiles (partial and full embedment) were tested. The results demonstrated that when using an appropriate connection layout, the desired strong-column weak-beam failure mechanism was initiated and excessive wood crushing was avoided. A numerical model was developed that reasonably reflected the real component behaviour and can subsequently be used for numerical sensitivity studies and parameter optimization. The research presented herein serves as a precursor for providing design guidance for the FFTT system as an option for tall wood-hybrid buildings in seismic regions.
