Viability of Hybrid Poplar in ANSI Approved Cross-Laminated Timber Applications

The development of cross-laminated timber (CLT) technology has opened up new opportunities for low-density hardwood species, which have traditionally not been rated as construction-grade materials for structural engineering applications. Several characteristics of CLT, namely thermal performance, seismic behavior, and speed of construction, have raised interest among designers. The CLT technology has recently been used for residential and nonresidential multistory buildings and it has been identified as one of the ways of achieving tall timber building construction. As CLT gains acceptance in the industry, low-density wood species, not specified in current ANSI standards, need to be investigated for potentially successful use in CLT panels. This paper presents a study that demonstrates the viability of a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified sustainable plantation grown low-density species, hybrid poplar (marketed as Pacific Albus), for use in performance-rated CLT panels by following the ANSI/APA PRG-320-2012: Standard for performance-rated cross-laminated timber shear and bending test guidelines to determine the structural viability of the CLT panels. (C) 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.