Requirements for Engineered Wood Products and their Influence on the Structural Fire Performance

Engineered wood products e.g. cross-laminated timber (CLT), glued-laminated timber (glulam) and laminated veneer lumber (LVL) are increasingly used as the material of choice for mid-rise to tall construction timber projects. However, the requirements to manufacture these timber elements are considerably different among countries and, consequently, do have an influence on their fire performance. Requirements for sizes of the boards, allowed knot sizes and structural adhesives, among others, are of particular interest. The present paper gives an overview of the production requirements for CLT, glulam and LVL in different countries and discusses how the requirements affect the fire performance of these products.