Large X-Lam Floor and Roof Plates For Composite Construction

Focus is on using prefabricated Cross Laminated Timber (X-Lam) panels as slab elements in floors and roofs of composite steel framed buildings. The effectiveness of thin X-Lam panels to resist in-plane and out of plane forces is considered based on numerical case studies of two- storey and six-storey buildings. In those studies comparison is made to the performance of matched systems with conventional steel and concrete composite (SRC) slabs. Substituting X- Lam slab elements lieu of SRC slabs was found to be beneficial because of X-Lam’s rigid diaphragm capabilities and lightness. Demands on the steel building frameworks were much reduced with X-Lam over a wide range of loading situations. Stresses levels and building sways during potentially critical seismic events were greatly reduced using X-Lam. Priority is being given now to refining X-Lam construction details with emphasis on slab to frame connections.