Project Grant 2625975

The National Science Foundation Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation awarded the University of Houston System $352,897 on January 1, 2027, under the Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) to develop and validate a multimodal orthotropic shear field theory for the design of cross-laminated timber structures.

The research combines large-scale laboratory testing with engineering theoretical models to explain how engineered timber panels resist complex force combinations, specifically gross shear, net shear, and combined shear-torsion failure modes in regions where forces concentrate, such as around door and window openings, notches, penetrations in beams, and floor-wall connections. The experimental program uses the Universal Panel Tester at the University of Houston, a facility capable of applying precisely controlled biaxial and torsional stress states to isolate failure mechanisms in both lumber-based and veneer-based cross-laminated timber. The research results will support mechanistic theoretical models for safer and more economical tall wood building design, strengthen national design standards, and train students and practicing engineers. Work is performed in Houston, Texas, with a period of performance from January 1, 2027, through December 31, 2029. The award addresses current design limitations that rely on simplified empirical rules rather than mechanistic behavior, restricting both safety verification margins and design economy for mass timber buildings, which are now permitted at heights up to eighteen stories and offer faster construction, less waste, and support for domestic forestry economies compared to conventional building alternatives.