Review article

https://doi.org/10.5552/drind.2017.1728

Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) as an Alternative Form of Construction Wood

Marek Wieruszewski ; Department of Wood-based Materials, Faculty of Wood Technology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland
Bartłomiej Mazela ; Institute of Wood Chemical Technology, Faculty of Wood Technology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland

Abstract

Wood, which is a natural and renewable material, is gaining increasing appreciation again and it is more and more commonly used in the building industry. The use of wood has been improved due to the application of modern bonding technologies (e.g. Glued Laminated Timber, Cross Laminated Timber), the development of modern production technology and improved methods of wood protection from fire. As large-size assortments of constructional timber in the form of light beams and boards are available on the market, it is possible to make stable and durable joints between individual constructional elements of a building. Among wood materials used for construction, CLT is increasingly used. It is applied in the construction of single-family houses, residential buildings, multi-storey buildings, public buildings, industrial and retail buildings as well as bridges. CLT was developed as a result of European research how to use short wood, left after the elimination of faults, for private construction. The trend very soon spread to the building industry in North America, Australia and Japan. CLT was more and more commonly used in multi-storey buildings due to its higher seismic resistance. At the beginning of the 30-year history of CLT, the use of this building material was minimal. However, due to the ecological trend and a wide range of economic factors (the value of material used and costs of production combined with high precision of finished products), this technology gained significant popularity. The surge of interest in wooden constructions also resulted from better distribution channels and technical approvals for different concepts of wooden construction boards. The following countries are leaders in the production and use of CLT: Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway and the United Kingdom. In recent years, New Zealand and Australia have joined this group. CLT boards are exported to North America, Japan and Russia. The surge of producers and investors’ interest in CLT boards results from the production process diversity and construction variability. In consequence, there is an increasing number of concepts specifying the range of product application, depending on its strength and resistance.

Keywords

wood construction material; Cross Laminated Timber

Hrčak ID:

191947

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/191947

Publication date:

3.1.2018.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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