Vibration performance of cross-laminated timber (CLT)-concrete composite floors considering the section thickness ratio between CLT panels and concrete slabs

Cross-laminated timber (CLT)-concrete composite floor has significant potential for application in multi-storey and long-span modern timber structures due to its excellent mechanical properties. Typically, the design of timber floors is governed by serviceability requirements, such as deflection and vibration, rather than by strength limits. In response, this study presents a series of investigations on the vibration performance of CLT-concrete composite (CCC) floor. Taking component thickness as the design parameter, six CCC floor strips were fabricated and their static and dynamic characteristics were tested. The test results indicated that while the concrete slab significantly enhanced the floor's bending stiffness, its high density led to a reduction in the floor's fundamental frequency. Furthermore, the vibration performance of CCC floor strips was predicted using theoretical calculations and finite element (FE) simulations. The results from both analytical methods were accurate, exhibiting an absolute error of less than 15 %. Finally, parametric numerical analyses were conducted using the two analytical methods to determine the optimal section thickness ratio of the two components in CCC floors.