Prediction of strength and stiffness of concentrated compressive load applied to the narrow face of cross-laminated timber

The behavior of the concentrated compressive load applied to the narrow face of cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels is an essential parameter in the design of multi-story timber buildings. Therefore, this paper presents a methodology to evaluate the strength and stiffness of the concentrated compressive load on the narrow face of the CLT. The methodology accounts for the effects of side margins, CLT directions, and CLT composition. In this methodology, a dented shape at the surface of CLT resulting from loading, which has an important role in the behavior of the concentrated compressive load applied to the narrow face, is examined via finite element (FE) analysis. The reproducibility of the FE models is verified experimentally. The proposed methodology is then used to predict the yield stress and Young's modulus of the concentrated compressive load on the narrow face of the CLT panels using equations, which were proposed based on the exponential function curves. The calculated values of the yield stress and Young's modulus obtained by the equations based on the exponential function curves considering the effects of the out-of-plane deformations in the outermost laminae were similar to the experimental results of previous studies.