UBC’s Brock Commons tower rose 18-storeys in eight weeks. With the right planning, 1,300 square metres of CLT can be installed per day, cutting construction schedules significantly. Compared to concrete, CLT structures can be prefabricated offsite and installed in a shorter time, in any season all year round. Beyond prefabrication, CLT enables faster construction because fewer joints are needed between elements. Its lighter weight offers lower foundation costs, easier transportation to the site and rapid prefabricated assembly. Despite being five-times lighter than concrete, CLT has comparable strength to concrete and, as a multi-layer wooden panel, it can span in two directions. Recent research suggests that CLT could be cost-competitive as an alternative to concrete structures and for buildings over six stories high. It can be a substitute for concrete, replacing a carbon-intensive material with a renewable, low carbon alternative. Brock Commons Tallwood House, UBCĬLT is strong, with its crosswise design giving it exceptional structural stability. CLT can be treated with fire retardants to increase their fire performance such as delaying time to ignition, reducing the rate heat is released and lowering the spread of flames. Structural capacity persisted for over three hours, exceeding building code requirements.Īdditional fire protection can be added by encapsulating the CLT with a protective layer, as is required in the anticipated changes to the building code for taller wood structures. During a fire resistance test of a 5-ply CLT-panel wall, the panel was subjected to temperatures exceeding 980 degrees Celsius. With or without gypsum board protection, CLT demonstrates significant fire resistance, beyond three hours in some cases. This slows combustion significantly, allowing time to evacuate the building safely. For added safety, typical CLT construction that uses panels for floors and load-bearing walls helps compartmentalize a fire-stopping it from spreading to other parts of a building.ĬLT’s fire safety is backed up by rigorous fire testing in Canada and around the world. In the event of a fire, this char on the outside forms a protective layer while retaining strength. Similar to other mass timber products, CLT panels can be topped with concrete to form timber concrete composite (TCC), a hybrid system used to reduce cross sections, increase spans and lessen noise transfer and vibrations.ĬLT, like other mass timber products, naturally resists fire because it chars. Precise fabrication often relies on building information modelling (BIM) and other prefabrication technologies. The vast majority of CLT panels are made for a specific application with prescribed size, shape, appearance, and machined sections (e.g. CLT is manufactured in a controlled factory setting and must meet specific quality and performance requirements. CLT panels can be manufactured as custom dimensions, though transportation restrictions tend to dictate their size. Final quality control is carried out prior to delivery to the building site. Panels are cut to size, along with the completion of any other prefabrication requirements. CLT fabrication begins with lumber selection, defect removal and cutting, followed by adhesive application, panel lay-up, and assembly pressing.
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