Experimental Dynamic Testing of Full-Scale Light-Frame-CLT Wood Shear Wall System

Abstract

This paper will present the results of a shake table experimental test program that focuses on the testing of a one-story full-scale wood shear wall system composed of a post-tensioned rocking cross-laminated timber (CLT) wall panel and conventional light-frame wood shear (LiFS) wall panels. The concept of post-tensioning mass timber, such as CLT, has been adopted from post-tensioned concrete systems that are believed to be able to enable the development of seismically resilient mass timber structures that can undergo multiple earthquakes and continue to recenter. LiFS wall panels act as energy dissipaters by dissipating the energy through sheathing nail withdrawal. The objective of this paper is to combine the positive aspects of these two lateral load resisting systems and develop a shear resisting system for wood structures. The test structure will be subjected to the 1989 Loma Prieta ground motion scaled to different intensities and the final test will use 85% of the original 1994 Northridge Rinaldi (near fault) ground motion. The test results demonstrate the ability of the post-tensioned CLT wall panel to recenter the structure after 5% interstory drifts were observed and the final test series of repeated shakes demonstrate the collapse mechanism of a post-tensioned CLT wall system, which has not been observed in a shake table test to date, to the best of the authors’ knowledge. This system could potentially be utilized in tall wood buildings as a seismic force resistant system.