Scientometric Analysis for Cross-Laminated Timber in the Context of Construction 4.0

Abstract

Cross-laminated timber (CLT) has been one of the principal materials in mass timber construction, and now it is possible to find mid-rise and high-rise projects around the globe. This study makes a scientometric review comparison between CLT and the impact of the fourth industrial revolution (formally known as Industry 4.0) in the construction industry, focusing on worldwide academic publications between 2006 and 2022. The analysis considers keywords, co-author, co-citation, and clustering analysis. This study used 1320 documents, including journals and conference proceedings from the Scopus database, where 753 were for cross-laminated timber and 567 for Industry 4.0. Key researchers, research institutions, journals, publications, citation patterns, and trends are some of the results obtained from the scientometric analysis. Once the knowledge mapping was conducted for both fields, scrutiny of the interconnection of both areas was performed to find possible research gaps from a manufacturing perspective. Among the conclusions, it is logical to say that Industry 4.0 implementation in cross-laminated timber is still in its infancy. One of the most popular technologies impacting construction is the digital twin concept; however, no work is reported for CLT on this topic. Additionally, digital automation is a necessity in any research practice, and the use of industrial robots is shown to be an essential asset for CLT as these robots can handle complex shapes.

Views of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) Manufacturer Representatives around the World on CLT Practices and Its Future Outlook

“…A scientometric analysis of CLT and the effects of the fourth industrial revolution on the building industry was carried out by Martinez Villanueva et al [91]. Their findings indicated that the implementation of Industry 4.0 in CLT is still in its nascent stages.…”

The Global Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) Industry: A Systematic Review and a Sectoral Survey of Its Main Developers

“…In practice, Hosseini and Peer [50] verified that wood processing in sawmills should be established, using the opportunities to increase sawmill profitability and modernize plants using automation, energy efficiency, environmentally friendly production, and a line of variable products. On the other hand, relations among Industry 4.0, construction modernization and CLT production still need to be analyzed by new studies and intensified by global sectors [51]. Overall, new plants are required in regions with few or no developers, as these scenarios lead to market dominance and higher prices caused by less competition, as cited by [45].…”

Vibration serviceability assessment of complex-shaped CLT floor

“…In line with the urgent need for sustainable civil engineering structures and controlled carbon emission from construction industry, there is a growing pressure on structural designers to use energy-efficient and eco-friendly materials. The emergence of cross-laminated timber (CLT) has a great potential to bring to an end decades-long dominance of concrete and composite floors, which significantly contribute globally to the embedded carbon footprint [1][2][3].…”