Seismic Resistance

XLAM technology has excellent properties when submitted to earth-quake forces. CLT buildings perform well because they’re lighter and have more repetition and ductility than structures built with other materials, which make them effective at resisting lateral and uplift forces. To illustrate this, the Trees and Timber Research Institute of Italy tested a full-scale seven-story CLT building on the world largest shake table in Japan, with excellent results.

Even when subjected to severe earthquake simulation (magnitude of 7.2 and acceleration of 0.8 to 1.2 g) the structure showed no residual deformation. The maximum inter-story drift was 1.5 inches and the maximum lateral deformation at the top of the building was just 11.3 inches.

CLT constructions, with their designed ductility connections, have a structural efficiency (carried load per unit weight), similar to steel.