Structural performance of a novel dovetailed timber panel subjected to out-of-plane bending

The use of glues and metallic fasteners is the standard solution in the construction of engineered wood products (EWPs). Nevertheless, the application of glues and metallic fasteners affect the carbon footprint, disposal, reusability, recyclability, and fire performance of the wood product. A substitute approach for the use of adhesives and metal fasteners can be found by applying traditional carpentry joints in the assembly of modern EWPs. This research paper presents a novel mass timber floor slab constructed by using dovetail joints only. The primary objective is to demonstrate the structural performance of the dovetailed timber slab (DTS) with the performed experimental loading test results. The presented results contain acceleration data from heel-drop tests, displacements at the serviceability limit state, and overall structural strength at the ultimate limit state and beyond. Additionally, manufacturing aspects of the slabs are discussed. The main finding of the study is that the presented dovetailed mass timber slab fulfills the typical design criteria for structural strength and stiffness and provides a technically feasible solution that is worth developing into an industrial construction product.