Work

Real-world case study assessment of climate-resilient timber–concrete composite floor systems for low-carbon and renewable-energy–ready high-rise buildings

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: China's rapid urbanization, combined with escalating climate risks—including intensified seismic hazards, typhoon-induced lateral loads, heatwaves, and moisture-driven material degradation—necessitates new approaches to climate-adaptive and low-carbon structural design. Timber–concrete composite (TCC) systems have emerged as a promising strategy aligned with China's dual-carbon goals and growing emphasis on renewable-energy–ready building envelopes. However, real-world evidence of TCC performance under China's multi-hazard conditions remains limited. This study conducts an applied assessment (2017–2024) of two hybrid TCC floor-slab configurations in a high-rise building representative of seismic-prone regions in Southwest and Eastern China. In the first configuration (Type 1), partial replacement of reinforced-concrete (RC) slabs and shear walls with cross-laminated timber (CLT) reduces overall building mass to 62.4 % of the RC baseline. This decrease lowers seismic forces by 39.8 % and base shear by 31.7 %, enhancing resilience to China's frequent high-intensity earthquakes. The second configuration (Type 2), which preserves the RC core while substituting the remaining slabs with CLT, further reduces structural mass by 45.6 %, resulting in a 37.5 % reduction in seismic demand and a 21.2 % reduction in base shear. Both systems use C30/37 concrete to meet China's high-rise code requirements. Finite-element simulations calibrated to Chinese seismic design standards (GB 50011-2016) confirm full compliance under projected climate-linked seismic amplification scenarios. Embodied-carbon analysis shows reductions of up to 36.5 % for Type 1 and 50.4 % for Type 2 compared with the RC benchmark, positioning TCC as an effective pathway toward China's carbon-neutrality agenda. Importantly, the lighter, thermally efficient TCC slabs improve compatibility with building-integrated renewable-energy systems— including rooftop PV, photovoltaic façades, and hybrid energy-harvesting building skins—supporting China's renewable-energy expansion and Nearly Zero Energy Building (nZEB) roadmap. Overall, the findings show that TCC slab systems offer a climate-resilient, seismically robust, and renewable-energy–ready structural strategy for high-rise buildings across China's earthquake- and typhoon-affected regions. Their long-term performance advantages—including better moisture durability, reduced thermal stress, and alignment with national green-building policies—make them a critical component of China's climate-adaptive urban development.

Source: Case Studies in Thermal Engineering

DOI: 10.1016/j.csite.2025.107521

Authors: Zongjun Zhang, Gengguo Zhang, Tunzale Gurbanova, Yaoyao Zhao, Mei Wang

Institutions: Lanzhou University of Finance and Economics, Azerbaijan State University of Economics, Xinjiang University

Language: English

Topic: Seismic Performance and Analysis

Subfield: Civil and Structural Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Climate action, Sustainable cities and communities, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,620