Environmental response of a CLT floor panel: Lessons for moisture management and monitoring of mass timber buildings

Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is becoming increasingly adopted into North American construction, yet little is known about the impacts of environmental exposure (e.g., to rain during construction) on its long-term performance. The lack of protocols for on-site moisture protection in North America mak...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inBuilding and environment Vol. 148; pp. 609 - 622
Main Authors Schmidt, Evan L., Riggio, Mariapaola, Barbosa, Andre R., Mugabo, Ignace
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Oxford Elsevier Ltd 15.01.2019
Elsevier BV
Subjects
Construction
Cross laminating
Cross-laminated timber
Cycles
Dimensional stability
Drying
Ductility tests
Environmental chambers
Environmental impact
Environmental management
Floors
Hygrothermal performance
Interface stability
Mass timber
Moisture
Shearing
Test chambers
Timber
Timber (structural)
Wetting
Wood laminates
Hygrothermal performance
Cross-laminated timber
Mass timber
Moisture
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is becoming increasingly adopted into North American construction, yet little is known about the impacts of environmental exposure (e.g., to rain during construction) on its long-term performance. The lack of protocols for on-site moisture protection in North America makes it a pressing matter to determine general moisture responses of this material in order to establish a behavioral baseline for practitioners and future researchers. A CLT floor panel sample was exposed to cycles of wetting and drying in an environmental chamber. During these cycles, physical and geometrical properties of the panel were monitored. Testing results indicate that discontinuities in the layup CLT affects the hygroscopic behavior of the product. While the panel showed high dimensional stability, it also exhibited checking, cupping, and interfacial shearing after cycling. Bending test results before and after cycling indicated a reduction of the structural capacity due to the weathering. •Gaps in the surface, in conjunction with wane, created a matrix of openings for ingress.•Moisture can remain or continue to accumulate at the core, even during drying conditions.•Checking, cupping and inter-facial shearing were pronounced, especially at edges.•A reduction of the structural capacity was observed in the weathered samples.•MC sampling should account for high spatial variability and acute sensor sensitivity.
ISSN:0360-1323
1873-684X
DOI:10.1016/j.buildenv.2018.11.038