Due to its inherent characteristics, such as a light weight and ease of workability, timber is ideal for prefabricated and modular construction. However, since the research in this field covers a wide range of niches such as structural engineering, building physics, design for assembly and disassembly, and life cycle analysis, among others, and since there has been considerable development of the field in past years—boosted by new mass timber products and tall timber construction—it is difficult to critically analyze the current state of the art, current trends, and research challenges. Therefore, this research aimed to cover a systematic review of 409 articles to assess the field of prefabricated and modular timber construction critically. The methodology comprised a co-word network approach using the Science Mapping Analysis Software Tool (SciMAT, Version 3) to illustrate their evolution from 1990 to 2023. The findings show that the circular economy and digital technologies significantly impact the development of these technologies, which can potentially provide practical solutions for designing buildings with a circular approach and improving productivity and efficiency in the construction process. However, it is essential to acknowledge a notable deficiency in the research and understanding of these subjects. Therefore, various sectors must take the lead in conducting a thorough reassessment to enhance research and development in the field. Finally, the findings from this research can significantly contribute to existing knowledge and serve as a comprehensive platform for the further exploration of prefabricated and modular timber construction.

This paper reports an experimental program on composite timber-concrete beams with glued interface. The test results are compared to those provided by an analytical model based on the assumption of a fully composite behavior. Both cast-on-site and prefabricated composite timber-concrete beams were produced, aimed at simulating rehabilitation situations or the possibility of a partial or of a full prefabrication of the composite element. Timber-concrete beams with dowel-type shear connectors were also produced and tested for comparison. The results show that the strength is similar, but the glued beams displayed a larger stiffness and, consequently, smaller deflections, which may be of relevance in design. The results also show that, at least under stabilized and dry room conditions, the prevailing mode of failure is tension in timber and, when shear failure occurs, it is mostly conditioned by the shear strength of the concrete or the timber, not by that of the adhesive. As the system depends on the shear ...