Experimental Parameter Study on CLT Shear Walls with Self-Tapping Screw Connections

Abstract

This paper presents experimental investigations on the lateral performance of cross-laminated timber (CLT) shear walls with customized self-tapping screw (STS) connections. The panel-to-base (hold-downs and shear brackets) and panel-to-panel (spline) connections were tested under quasi-static monotonic and reversed cyclic loading to derive design values of STS, which were shown to be 2.8–3.6 times higher than those calculated using the current Canadian timber design standard. Then, a total of 26 CLT shear walls, including single-, double- and triple-panel configurations, were tested, again under quasi-static monotonic and reversed cyclic loading. The shear walls consisted of five-ply, 139-mm-thick and 3-m-high CLT panels with aspect ratio of either 2∶1 or 3∶1, and different numbers of STS in the connections. The shear wall strength and corresponding displacements increased with the number of screws in hold-downs and spline joints; further, it increased with number of connected panels and decreased as a function of aspect ratio. The data can be used for developing and calibrating numerical models to investigate the lateral responses of CLT shear walls with different configurations.