Evaluation of structural and thermal performance of polystyrene integrated cross laminated timber panels


Lakot Alemdağ E., İlhan O., Akkan Çavdar A., Birinci A. U., Öztürk H., Demir A., ...Daha Fazla

SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, cilt.1, sa.1, ss.1, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 1 Sayı: 1
  • Basım Tarihi: 2026
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1038/s41598-026-41173-3
  • Dergi Adı: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Scopus, Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), BIOSIS, Chemical Abstracts Core, MEDLINE, Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1
  • Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

This study aims to evaluate the structural and thermal performance of Polystyrene-Integrated CLT (P-CLT) panels, a hybrid system formed by integrating expanded (EPS) and extruded (XPS) polystyrene foam into the middle layer of cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels. Six P-CLT and CLT panels (54 × 1200 × 2400 mm) were tested for lateral load performance, and nine specimens (54 × 300 × 300 mm) were used for thermal conductivity measurements. P-CLT panels increased thermal insulation performance while maintaining load-bearing capacity, reducing thermal conductivity by 16.1% (EPS) and 19.9% (XPS). In lateral load tests, CLT panels reached 72.02 kN, while EPS- and XPS-integrated panels were 36% and 7% lower, respectively. Both hybrid panel types showed 47–50% higher displacement, indicating more ductile behavior. Stiffness was highest for CLT panels (3.44 kN/mm), while EPS and XPS panels measured 1.35 and 1.09 kN/mm, consistent with previous studies. Energy simulations showed that P-CLT panels, particularly with XPS, reduced heating energy demand by 9–12%, while uninsulated CLT systems increased demand by up to 46%. The P-CLT system provides a cost-effective sustainable solution for construction and renovation, representing one of the first experimental and simulation-based assessments of combined structural and thermal performance in hybrid CLT panels.