DISCRETE VS. CONTINUOUS REINFORCEMENT: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CONVENTIONAL AND NOVEL INTERLOCKING CONNECTIONS IN CLT SHEAR WALLS

Paper in proceeding, 2025

Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) is an innovative engineered wood product (EWP) increasingly adopted in modular building projects due to its environmental and construction efficiencies. Despite the increasing popularity, the standardised connection methods, such as angle brackets and hold-downs, exhibit limitations in mechanical robustness and require labour-intensive installation. To securely reinforce CLT panels, multiple connectors are typically applied along panel edges. However, the resulting load concentrations can cause permanent damage to the timber over time or even lead to premature failure. To address these issues, a novel interlocking connection system (MOD-IT^TM) has been developed, featuring continuous reinforcement and an interlocking mechanism that simplifies both assembly and disassembly in CLT construction. Previous experimental and numerical studies have demonstrated that this system maintains strong mechanical performance while significantly reducing timber damage. Nevertheless, the performance of this system in CLT shear walls has not been extensively studied. This paper presents a comparative analysis of this novel interlocking system against conventional connection methods, specifically focusing on shear wall applications, with the aim of providing comprehensive insights into the effectiveness of interlocking and continuous reinforcement in CLT modular constructions.