Moisture Monitoring of a CLT Structure in a Southern Climate

Abstract

Understanding moisture behavior in cross-laminated timber (CLT) is critical to the widespread use of CLT in construction in the United States. Currently, very little data exist on the long-term impact of moisture on CLT in real structures. The objective of this research was to collect data regarding the long-term moisture variation in the CLT panels at the University of Arkansas student residential building, named Adohi Hall. The climate of Northwest Arkansas is different from those of previously monitored buildings, mostly located in the Pacific Northwest. Comparatively, Northwest Arkansas has a warmer climate with higher average annual precipitation. Moisture sensors were installed in 45 locations throughout the building to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the building. Results indicate that for the interior floors of the building, i.e., not the roof, CLT panels have not encountered moisture intrusions. At the roof level, moisture intrusions during construction were trapped in the CLT panels by waterproofing. This trapped moisture resulted in slower drying to below acceptable levels of moisture.