Design for structural adaptation with demountable cross-laminated timber connections

An emerging strategy to prolong the service lives of buildings is to design them to be adaptable. For timber structures, life extension strategies have the added benefit of prolonged carbon storage. Yet, there are unsolved technical barriers to realizing adaptability for timber structures, in particular for panel-type construction with cross-laminated timber (CLT). While there are several demountable CLT connections on the market, they are typically aimed at facilitating the reuse of individual panels. There is an added level of complexity regarding the removal or replacement of a CLT panel where the surrounding structure is kept intact. This paper defines the relevant characteristics of a structurally adaptable CLT connection. The paper further proposes an indicator system to assess the adaptability potential of connections in CLT structures. This system can be used in the continued development of CLT connections for structural adaptability, to further advance the development towards resource-efficient timber structures.