Experimental investigation of dissipative connections in cross-laminated timber shearwalls

This paper presents a study investigating the performance of connections used in cross-laminated timber (CLT) shearwalls and examines the role such connections play within the capacity-based design (CD) approaches for CLT buildings. Experimental tests on hold-downs and angle brackets with two different nailing patterns, as well as different fasteners such as common nails and screws used in vertical joints are undertaken. The connection behaviour, strengths, stiffness, and ductility are presented and discussed. The experimental test results are used to evaluate the validity of CD procedures and numerical models for multi-panel CLT shearwalls. The proposed CD procedures consider the yielding hierarchy of connections and suggest overstrength factors in order to enhance the overall seismic behavior while protecting the non-dissipative elements. The research contributes to a better understanding of connection behavior, CD approaches, and the determination of appropriate overstrength factors for CLT shearwall design. By combining experimental data and shearwall-level numerical modeling, this study aids in improving the reliability of CLT shearwall design.