Influence of inter-panel connections on vibration response of CLT floors due to pedestrian-induced loading

Long-span cross-laminated timber (CLT) floors are typically an assembly of prefabricated CLT panels connected together on the site. The actual connections are commonly neglected in design calculations. Hence, a CLT floor is modelled either as a monolith slab or more frequently as a set of CLT panels with no connections at all. This paper presents a numerical study designed to examine the influence of two most common inter-panel connections , i.e. single surface spline and half-lapped joint, on vibration modes and vibration responses of a range of different CLT floors due to pedestrian-induced loading. Although the inter-panel connections are relatively complex in reality, they are modelled here as an equivalent 2D elastic strip between the CLT panels. This relatively simple yet robust model can be used with ease in design practice, regardless finite element (FE) software used to extract vibration modes of a CLT floor. The corresponding monolith floors and floors without inter-panel connections are studied for the comparison of the results. Vertical vibration responses are simulated for low-frequency and high-frequency floors using the corresponding walking force models given in a popular design guideline for footfall induced vibrations of civil engineering structures. Vibration responses were calculated for single pedestrian occupants and their walking paths parallel and perpendicular to the line of connection. The results showed that including the inter-panel connections in a FE model resulted in up to 2.5 higher RMS acceleration levels. Hence, the common practice of modelling CLT floors as monolith slabs or as a set of panels without connections should be left behind