ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: In this study several engineering timber joints were analyzed from the load-carrying capacity point of view, such as joints with split-ring connectors, nail-plate joints and also some dowel-type joints. We analyzed these joints through numerical and experimental methods. Three-dimensional finite element models were applied and contact elements were used in order to model the connection between the wooden material and the steel mechanical fastener. The main point was to determine the stress distributions in the wood near to the mechanical fastener, and draw conclusions for the failure according to the knowledge of these distributions. In addition, biaxial failure criteria were considered for the calculated stresses so that we could consider the failure and obtain the load-carrying capacity values numerically. In order to draw conclusions, the obtained results were compared to experimental results as well. The experiments were carried out at the Structural Laboratory of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. The load-carrying capacity of these joints was also determined according to the European Standard for calculating timber structures (Eurocode 5). So the loaddependent behaviour of three different joint types (split-ring connector joint, nailed joint and nail-plate joint) was obtained through the above described three ways (FEM, analytical (EC5) and experimental). The study summarizes the calculation methods and compares the results of each. The biggest problem of such connection types is the consideration of the anisotropy of the timber. Of course all of the three methods intend to take into account the anisotropic behaviour of the wood as precisely as it is possible. The differences in the obtained results can stem from the consideration of the material anisotropy and from use of different safety levels.
