Feasibility of cross-laminated secondary timber

Abstract

The construction industry creates significant volumes of waste timber, much of which has residual quality and value that dissipates in conventional waste management. This research explored the novel concept of reusing secondary timber as feedstock for cross-laminated secondary timber (CLST) through a review of the literature. If CLST can replace conventional cross-laminated timber (CLT), structural steel and reinforced concrete in some applications, this constitutes upcycling to displace materials with greater environmental impacts. The paper introduces the rationale for such an intervention and assesses its feasibility. It concludes with open research questions to advance the concept towards commercial application.