Performance assessment of bending and shear stiffness of hybrid Beech-Poplar cross-laminated timber (CLT) using experimental and finite element methods

This study investigated the bending and shear strength of hybrid cross-laminated timber (CLT) manufactured from beech (Fagus orientalis) and poplar (Populus deltoides) wood using experimental and finite element methods. The CLT panels were manufactured at various span to depth ratios 6, 10, 15, 20 and 25 with width of 30 cm and thickness of 2 cm in both major and minor directions. Then, the bending and shear strength of CLTs were measured using three-point bending test according to ASTM test methods. The results indicated that with the increase of span to depth ratio of the beam from 6 to 25, the averages modulus of elasticity (MOE) and modulus of rupture (MOR) values were increased in both major and minor directions. On the contrary, the averages shear modulus ( ) values of specimens in both directions were decreased.  Moreover, the results of finite elements showed that the amounts of stress distributions and their locations were different in major and minor directions of the beam. In the major direction, the surface layers were primarily contributed load-carrying capacity of CLT panels, while in the minor direction the middle layer played the most significant role for load-carrying capacity. In this research, it was resulted that specimens with span to depth ratio greater than 15 based on ASTM D198 can be used for calculating MOE and MOR of CLT panels. Furthermore, due to existence of lower difference than 10% between experimental and numerical results, modules of elasticity of CLTs were predictable according to finite element method