In a country where concrete still dominates the skyline, a new research project is putting locally grown radiata pine to the ultimate test — assessing whether cross‑laminated timber (CLT) can match or surpass steel and concrete in earthquake‑resistant high‑rise construction.
The initiative, part of the Fondecyt Regular project led by Dr Erick Saavedra of the Universidad de Santiago de Chile’s Department of Civil Engineering and supported by the VRIIC’s Scientific and Technological Research Directorate, is developing the scientific foundation for building tall timber structures in one of the world’s most seismically active regions.
“The Chilean radiata pine we’re using in this study possesses a complex microstructure, complete with porosity, moisture, and other unique material properties,” Dr Saavedra said. “From a computational modelling perspective, this is a major challenge; we need to fully capture that microstructural richness to precisely anticipate its seismic behaviour.”
CLT — often called “superwood” — is already reshaping skylines in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Europe. And Saavedra believes Chile’s most common forest species could do the same at home. “Validating its use in high‑rise buildings holds potential for a significant positive impact on the construction industry and society alike, leading to more efficient, ecological, and Chile‑specific building systems,” he said.
Unlike concrete or steel, which generate high CO₂ emissions during manufacturing, wood is renewable, stores carbon, and requires less energy to process. “When appropriately designed, wood possesses fire‑resistant qualities, as carbonisation occurs at the surface level, thus preserving its internal mechanical properties,” Saavedra added.
The project will combine high‑fidelity multiscale computational models with vibrating table experiments to simulate extreme seismic conditions on hybrid timber‑and‑concrete structures. “These tests will be unique in Chile,” Saavedra said. “They’ll allow us to build and test large, multi‑storey structures, ultimately reproducing earthquake effects on these buildings. This will be a major advance for structural engineering in the country.”
The first phase will focus on two fronts: experimental studies of structural connectors in wood-to-wood and wood-to-concrete joints, and the development of computational models to capture wood’s small-scale behaviour, factoring in its internal structure, porosity, and moisture content. As the research progresses, modelling will expand to beams, columns, walls, and slabs, with results validated against real‑world vibration tests. “My belief is that the real challenge lies in delivering results that hold practical value and can inform structural design and construction,” Saavedra said. “That is precisely the significant contribution we envision from this project.”
