Prediction of low-frequency floor impact vibration of CLT structures using a single-layer FE model

To establish an efficient and practical method for predicting the vibration response of cross-laminated timber (CLT) structures using the finite element method, a two-stage study was conducted. First, an equivalent Young's modulus was estimated when a multi-layered CLT panel was treated as a simple model using equivalent single-layered shell elements. The validity of vibration analysis targeting CLT panels using the equivalent model was verified. Next, to verify the applicability of the equivalent model to the prediction of floor impact sound characteristics of actual CLT building, the vibration response of the floor and wall structures in a CLT house was predicted by simulating the house with composite single-layered shell elements, and the results were compared with those of full-scale model experiments. In the initial study of the simplified equivalent model, both simulated results using the multi-layered and single-layered models showed close frequency characteristics. In addition, both numerical results showed trends similar to those of the experimental results. In the latter study of actual CLT house, the frequency characteristics of the floor and wall vibrations obtained by finite element analysis based on the single-layered model showed trends similar to those of the experiments. These results confirmed that the database containing equivalent Young's modulus values, which was constructed by conducting a high-resolution but computationally demanding analysis using a multi-layered shell model only once, was reasonably applicable to the simulation of CLT structures using the single-layered model. • An efficient predicting method for the vibration response of CLT was validated. • Floor and wall vibration of CLT house can be simulated by single-layered shell elements. • Equivalent model can be applicable to prediction of multi-layered CLT panels.