Experimental Validation of Proposed Capacity-Based Design Approaches for Multi-Panel Clt Shearwalls

Several research studies have proposed capacity-based design (CD) approaches for multi-story buildings containing cross-laminated timber (CLT) shearwalls. The current study contributes to the state of knowledge by evaluating experimental tests and numerical models on multi-panel CLT shearwalls in context of a proposed CD method available in the literature. The evaluation includes the yield hierarchy among energy dissipative elements and requirements to ensure sufficient energy dissipation is achieved in the shearwall. The results from the experimental tests on conventional connections used in CLT shearwalls are presented, as they are used as inputs in the numerical model and CD expressions. Reasonable correlation was found between the results obtained from experimental tests and numerical models. The walls’ shear resistance obtained from the CD expressions represented a load level lower than the maximum resistance obtained from the experimental tests and numerical modes. This additional strength could be attributed to the contribution of angle brackets after the yielding of the hold-down, which is represented in the tests and numerical models but not in the CD equations. It was demonstrated that satisfying the proposed equations would lead to the desired lateral behaviour and energy dissipation in CLT shearwalls.