Flanking transmission over CLT joints

Abstract

With the rise of cross-laminated timber (CLT) popularity as a construction material, sound transmission control has been considered one of the greatest challenges. Flanking noise transmission over the junction elements takes a high portion of the problem. The existing research is focused on the vibroacoustic aspects of the CLT system, while rather rarely on using the simulation model to predict a specific joint structure. The thesis was initially aimed to predict the vibration transmission over a certain CLT joint by simulating the model with the finite element method (FEM) and comparing it with the measurement data on-site. Due to the special laminated structure and the orthotropic material properties of cross-laminated timber, correct modeling is challenging. A mode-shapes study of a plain CLT panel was successfully done by testing approaches in both solid and shell modules. With limited applicable references on FEM modeling of the laminated orthotropic material as well as the shortage of proper boundary condition study, the simulation may not give concrete comparable results, rather it might provide useful hints on the modeling guidelines of CLT elements for the future relevant study.