The aims of the paper were to clarify whether office buildings in the severe cold and cold regions are overheating, especially those with natural ventilation, and whether potential overheating is related to the building materials. The severe cold and cold regions of China were considered to be cool regions during summer. However, with global warming, improvements in the thermal performance of the building envelope and the urban heat island effect, office buildings in these regions are showing different degrees of overheating during summer. Two office building materials commonly used in this area, cross laminated timber (CLT) and concrete block, were simulated in this study. With reference to the overheating standard, the degree of overheating in six cities in the severe cold and cold regions was quantitatively analysed and the extent of overheating for the two building materials was compared. Finally, the influence of thermal insulation on building overheating is discussed, and some suggestions are put forward to improve the relevant national regulations in China. The results show that office buildings in the severe cold and cold regions experience overheating during summer, and CLT buildings are more prone to overheating than concrete buildings during summer. This is attributable to the different thermal mass of the materials. Thick insulation does increase the risk of building overheating, and the effect on concrete buildings is more pronounced. Concrete buildings with an insulation layer can experience overheating for 27–71 h more than buildings without an insulation layer. Insulation on CLT buildings only results in an increase of 11–37 h. When considering the current situation with summer overheating in the severe cold and cold regions, relevant codes should also be modified and improved accordingly to guide building design, so as to achieve low-carbon and energy-saving goals.
Proc. of 118th annual meeting of American Wood Protection Association
Research Status
Complete
Summary
The ability of soil insecticidal drenches or spray-on insecticide/fungicide treatments to protect mass timber elements was assessed using two modified AWPA ground proximity tests established in 2017 and 2019. The 2017 test evaluated 3-ply Douglas-fir cross-laminated timber using a modified AWPA Standard E26 while the 2019 test used a modified AWPA E21 protocol to evaluate 3-ply Douglas-fir or southern pine cross-laminated timber as well as Douglas-fir mass plywood panels. Both tests were installed at the Harrison Experimental Forest (Saucier, Mississippi) and will be assessed for five years. Treatments include an initial soil termiticide drench, spray-on borate at initiation, borate rods at initiation, remedial boron spray treatment two years after installation, and untreated controls. Samples were left undisturbed for one or two years and then rated for degree of termite and fungal damage. Moisture content of the test materials increased greatly over the non-disturbance period. Untreated control samples were attacked by both decay fungi and termites within the first year after test initiation. Soil termiticide treated plots showed no sign of termite attack, but decay was evident on some samples compared to non-soil termiticide treated plots. Samples treated with borates at test initiation showed limited decay or termite attack. The tests will continue to be evaluated for a period of at least 5 years or longer and serve as critical baseline data for field evaluation methods of mass timber in areas of high subterranean termite and decay pressure.
This report represents the results of the activities performed in working group 1, Basis of Design. The most important task of working group 1 was the defragmentation and harmonization of techniques and methods that are necessary to prove the reliable, safe and economic application of timber materials or products in the construction industry. This report is structured into five parts. At first general principles regarding the design formats are addressed (Part I). Afterwords timber specific aspects regarding code calibration (Part II) and serviceability (Part III) are summarized. In Part IV other demanding issues for the implementation into Eurocode 5 are addressed. Here also summaries of joint activities with other working groups on cross laminated timber and timber connections are presented. The report concludes with a guideline for data analysis (Part V).
In this study, the preliminary serviceability performance of cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels constructed from fibre-managed Eucalyptus nitens (E. nitens) was investigated via bending and vibration tests. Linear four-point bending tests were performed to determine the stiffness and deflection of all CLT panels under serviceability loads. The dynamic response of CLT panels was tested using a basketball and an accelerometer. The fundamental natural frequencies of all tested panels were above the minimum frequency limit (8 Hz) when extrapolated to spans of up to 4.4 m. The configurations of E. nitens CLT panels were based on different modulus of elasticity (MOE) values for each board. Using higher MOE timber boards as the top and bottom layers can significantly increase the serviceability performance of both bending and vibration tests. The same experiments were carried out on two CLT panels made of strength class C24 Spruce-Pine-Fir to compare the serviceability performance of E. nitens CLT. The results demonstrated that E. nitens is a reliable resource for CLT manufacturing, and exhibits better serviceability performance compared to Spruce CLT. This provides more sustainable options for a species traditionally destined for pulp.
This paper focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) as a supplementary bridge damage quantification tool. For this study, a glued-laminated timber arch bridge in South Dakota was selected, and an UAV was utilized for the bridge damage quantification. A recommended four-stage UAV-enabled bridge damage quantification protocol involving image quality assessment and image-based damage quantification was developed. A field application using the UAV to measure crack lengths, thicknesses, and rust stain areas of the selected bridge was conducted following the recommended protocol. The image quality parameters, including sharpness and entropy, were used to determine the quality of the UAV-captured images. Pixel- and photogrammetry-based measurements using the high-quality images were obtained to quantify the bridge damage, and the damage was compared to that from actual field measurements. Once the damage information was gathered, the UAV image–based damage level classification was established based on the damage levels defined by current standards. The findings confirmed the accuracy of the recommended protocol, with results within 3.5, 7.9, and 14.9% difference for crack length, thickness, and rust stain area, respectively, when compared with the field measurements.
Through long-term measurements of climate data (temperature, relative humidity) and timber moisture content on large-span timber structures in buildings of typical construction type and use, data sets were generated which deliver information on the sequence and magnitude of seasonal variations. The measurement of moisture in different depths of the cross-section is of particular interest to draw conclusions on the size and speed of adjustment of the moisture distribution to changing climatic conditions. The moisture gradient has direct influence on the size of the internal stresses and possible damage potential. Similarly, the results provide a review and extension of the previous classification of buildings into use classes. They allow for a more precise indication of range of resulting equilibrium moisture content for the specific use, enabling the installation of timber elements with adjusted moisture content. The results of the research project also support the development of appropriate monitoring systems, which could be used in the form of early warning systems based on climate measurements.
The USDA Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) has, for the past two years, been assisting in removing technical barriers to the use of CLT and trying to develop interest in the United States for its utilization. Coincidentally, Promega Corporation, a leader in providing innovative solutions and technical support to the life sciences industry, is currently constructing a new facility in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, that features CLT. This is the first large-scale commercial utilization of CLT in the United States using CLT manufactured in North America. As with any new building system, it is important for the design and construction community to have information on how CLT is installed and how it performs.
The objectives of this research are twofold: (1) to document the CLT installation process with photography and video and (2) to install sensors in the CLT panels and collect data on in-service moisture and temperature conditions.
On a number of occasions glued laminated timber breaks apart before the end of their service life. Examples in Germany (Frese M., Blaß H. J. [2011]) and Denmark (Hansson, Larsen [2005] ) show that this problem is real. In order to find the causes of the problem, extensive tests were conducted: 16 buildings with glued laminated timber were examined on the spot, calculations and laboratory work were carried out. These examinations told us that not only did the properties of the wooden material cause the damage, but the problems were also due to the wood used and the method of construction. In the calculations, the external load and residual stresses occurring in the glued laminated timber were included. Residual tensions in this timber were generated by climatic stresses and also due to the method of construction. These stresses also accumulated along with the stresses of the external load. Laboratory work was carried out to measure the delamination. We examined whether these analyses and calculations prove or disprove the results of the on- the- spot examinations.
International Structural Engineering and Construction Conference
Research Status
Complete
Series
Proceedings of International Structural Engineering and Construction
Summary
The main objective of this paper is to study the structural performance of a high-rise structure when alternative lightweight material known as cross-laminated timber was used as a slab in floor system in lieu of conventional reinforced concrete slab. A numerical case study was conducted using a highly irregular RC frame building with its two 60-story towers joined at the top. Three major analyses were considered. First, modeling and analyzing the building with an RC slab was conducted to determine the design reference. Second, substituting the RC slab with the CLT slab was performed using the same building skeleton. Third, redesigning and optimizing the building skeleton with that CLT to observe skeleton material saving obtained using the same structural performance criteria. Major lateral loads applicable in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia were inputted. Strengths and serviceability requirements for floor diaphragm and lateral load resisting system were checked first before performing a comparative analysis between traditional RC and CLT slabs as floor diaphragm. The structural performance criteria to be used for comparative study between RC and CLT slabs included total drift, inter-story drift due to lateral loads, and base reactions. Structural periods and acceleration responses for each floor were investigated and contrasted with the existing building code. The foundation demand was also investigated based on the structural weight and reactions generated from the RC and CLT floor systems.
Design, Fabrication and Operation Proposals for Glued-Laminated Timber, Based on Measuring and Modelling Results, Chapter 1: Literature Review and the Results of Examinations of the Spoil of the Glue Laminated Timber Beams
Glue laminated timber beams have been used in an increasing number of cases in the past 50 years. Glue laminated beams are durable constructs if they are manufactured from adequate quality materials and if their installation and operation are performed to a high quality standard. There are however an increasing number of cases of glue laminated beams suffering damage and as a result entire roof structures becoming life-threatening. Because of the arising problems the most important building complexes in Hungary-in which glue laminated beams are used as bearing structures- have been examined, considering both the demage problems of the existing structures and the operating features of the buildings. Later the reasons for the demages were examined with measurements and caculations. From all these observations conclusions and suggestions have been outlined both for the design, construction and operation.
