Evaluation of the mechanical properties of cross laminated timber with elementary beam theories

This paper presents a study on the assessment of the mechanical properties of cross laminated timber (CLT) panels based on four-point bending tests. The most recent or well-established analytical theories have been implemented to estimate stiffness and strength properties under loads perpendicular or parallel to the principal plane of CLT panels from laboratory tests. The main objectives were to evaluate each proposed theory in predicting the associated deformation and failure mechanisms and to assess the reliability of the estimated properties with respect to the expected values and in terms of consistency among specimens with different layer configurations. The results indicate that the bending response is on average well represented in the implemented theories for the two cases of loading and in terms of both elastic and strength properties. For loads perpendicular to plane the characteristic rolling shear strength appears to have a significant variability among the different layups for all three applied methods, while for loads in plane the consideration of a combined rolling and torsional shear failure criterion provides more consistent results with respect to a less rigorous approach.