Getting Cross-Laminated Timber into U.S. Design Codes: A Must for Affordable and Sustainable Multifamily Housing

John W. van de Lindt
Colorado State University

Maria Koliou
Texas A&M University

Pouria Bahmani
Washington State University

Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is revolutionizing the building industry around the world by providing a sustainable, eco-friendly alternative to traditional steel and concrete in multifamily and other buildings. As a new technology, CLT must be fully studied to ensure the safety of occupants before incorporating it in U.S. building codes for routine use. U.S. design codes allow for special alternative procedures to be used for a new system, but alternative methods can be expensive and time consuming. Although CLT construction projects are underway, each is unique and somewhat expensive; therefore, to make CLT multifamily housing more affordable, seismic performance factors have to be developed for earthquake-prone regions of the United States. This article provides a brief overview of how HUD-funded researchers are working toward having the most important seismic performance factor (R-factor) adopted for use in U.S. building codes, thereby making CLT an affordable option for multifamily housing construction.