Lag screw bolt (LSB) has been used widely for composing glulam moment resisting column-leg as well as beam-column joints for constructing semi-rigid wooden frame structures. A serious problem on the existing LSB joint, however, was its brittle failure mode. In order to avoid this characteristic, Slotted Bolted Connection (SBC) systems, which is a kind of the friction damper for steel truss structure, was introduced to the existing glulam LSB joint system serially. Experiments on full-scale column-leg joint and beam-column joint, which were intended to be used in a three storey glulam school building, showed satisfactory performance on the requirements for the stiffness, yielding and ultimate performance. By this innovative investigation, a glulam semi-rigid portal frame, which has high initial stiffness, clear yielding capacity, rich ductility, and free from glulam brittle fractures, might be possible to be realized.
The research is aimed at developing seismic methods for the design and evaluation of the seismic vulnerability of wooden structures, using a displacement-based approach. After a brief introduction on the seismic behaviour of timber structures, the general Direct Displacement-Based Design (Direct-DBD) procedure and the state-of-the-art are presented, with clear reference to the application of the Direct-DBD method to wooden buildings. The strength of the Direct-DBD method is its ability to design structures in a manner consistent with the level of damage expected, by directly relating the response and the expected performance of the structure. The research begins with a description of the procedural aspects of the Direct-DBD method and the parameters required for its application. The research presented focuses on the formulation of a displacement-based seismic design procedure, applicable to one-storey wooden structures made with a portal system. This typology is very common in Europe and particularly in Italy. A series of analytical expressions have been developed to calculate design parameters. The required analytical Direct-DBD parameters are implemented based on the mechanical behaviour of the connections, made with metal dowel-type fasteners. The calibration and subsequent validation of design parameters use a Monte Carlo numerical simulation and outcomes obtained by tests in full-scale. After the description of the Displacement-Based method for one-storey wooden structures, a series of guidelines to extend the Direct-DBD methodology to other types and categories of timber systems are proposed. The thesis presents the case of a multi-storey wood frame construction, which is a simple extension of the glulam portal frame system. Part of this work has been done within the RELUIS Project, (REte dei Laboratori Universitari di Ingegneria Sismica), Research Line IV, which in the years between 2005 and 2008 involved several Italian universities and Italian institutes of research in the development of new seismic design methods. The Project produced the first draft of model code for the seismic design of structures based on displacement (Direct-DBD). This thesis is the background to the section of the model code developed for timber structures.
The mechanical behaviour of timber-to-timber connections with internal panels of densified veneer wood (DVW) and fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) dowels was experimentally assessed and a design method, based on EN 1995-1-1, was developed. Embedment tests on DVW plates and bending/shear tests on FRP dowels were performed to characterise these components, followed by full-scale tests of connections assembled with these materials. The results show that these connections exhibit a mechanical behaviour compatible with structural applications, regarding both load-carrying capacity and ductility. The proposed design model is based on EN 1995-1-1’s expressions for connections with dowel-type fasteners and gives good predictions of the experimental load-carrying capacities.
Wind-induced dynamic excitation is becoming a governing design action determining size and shape of modern Tall Timber Buildings (TTBs). The wind actions generate dynamic loading, causing discomfort or annoyance for occupants due to the perceived horizontal sway – i.e. vibration serviceability failure. Although some TTBs have been instrumented and measured to estimate their key dynamic properties (natural frequencies and damping), no systematic evaluation of dynamic performance pertinent to wind loading has been performed for the new and evolving construction technology used in TTBs. The DynaTTB project, funded by the Forest Value research program, mixes on site measurements on existing buildings excited by heavy shakers, for identification of the structural system, with laboratory identification of building elements mechanical features coupled with numerical modelling of timber structures. The goal is to identify and quantify the causes of vibration energy dissipation in modern TTBs and provide key elements to FE modelers. The first building, from a list of 8, was modelled and tested at full scale in December 2019. Some results are presented in this paper. Four other buildings will be modelled and tested in spring 2021.
Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) combines layers of dimension lumber in alternating grain direction to form a mass timber panel that can be used to create entire wall, floor and roof elements. The viability of CLT as an element to resist lateral forces from racking has been of great interest (Dujic et al. 2004, Blass and Fellmoser 2004, and Moosbrugger et al. 2006). However, most research to date has been conducted on full-scale wall panels connected with proprietary fasteners according to European Test Methods. Little research has focused on non-proprietary connections, including nails, bolts and lag screws. The behavior of CLT full-scale wall panels is dependent upon the individual connection properties including the panel-panel connections between adjoining CLT panels within the wall.
The purpose of this research is to evaluate the behavior of three small-scale CLT connection configurations using non-proprietary fasteners. Three different connections -LVL surface spline with lag screws, half-lap joint with lag screws, and butt joint with a steel plate fastened with nails - were tested in both monotonic and cyclic tests. In all, 30 connection tests were conducted, with 15 monotonic test and 15 cyclic tests. Connection strength, stiffness, and ductility were recorded for each connection. Experimental values were compared to National Design Specification for Wood Construction, or NDS (AWC 2012) predictions for connection strength.
Nailed steel plate connections yielded much greater loads and behaved in a more ductile manner than did the lag screwed connections. The surface spline and half-lap connections often failed in a catastrophic manner usually due to splitting of the spline and fastener failure. Experimental results were generally lower than predicted by the yield models for the surface spline and steel plate connections. The half-lap connection resulted in higher experimental results than predicted. A discussion of the connection strength for materials with a non-homogeneous grain direction is also included.
This report is prepared for Softwood Lumber Board (SLB) by the NHERI TallWood Project team in order to provide a brief and timely update on the progress and preliminary research findings from the NHERI TallWood Project. This report is focused on the full-scale shake table test of a two-story mass timber building conducted during the summer of 2017 at NHERI@UC San Diego outdoor shake table.
The shake table test described in this report was conducted during a three-month period from June to August 2017. As the research team is still working on processing and analyzing the data obtained from the experiments, this report only discusses preliminary findings in a qualitative manner. The research team is expected to produce additional reports and publications based on the test results in the near future.
This paper reports the results of experimental push-out tests on three different types of timber–concrete composite (TCC) connections, including normal screw, SFS and bird-mouth. The load-slip diagrams obtained from lab tests are employed to calculate the slip modulus of the connections for serviceability, ultimate and near collapse cases based on Eurocode 5 recommendations. Additionally, four full-scale TCC beams with normal screw, SFS and bird-mouth are constructed and tested under four-point bending within the serviceability load range to verify the slip modulus of connections which derived from the push-out tests. Further, based on the experimental results and using nonlinear regression, an analytical model each one of the connections is derived which can be easily incorporated into nonlinear FE analyses of TCC beams.
March 29-31, 2012, Chicago, Illinois, United States
Summary
This paper describes initial experimental testing to investigate feasible sources of passive damping for the seismic design of post-tensioned glue laminated timber structures. These innovative high performance structural systems extend precast concrete PRESSS technology to engineered wood structures, combining the use of post-tensioning bars or cables with large post-tensioned timber members. The combination of these two elements provides elastic recentering to the structure while the addition of damping using a specialised energy dissipation system gives the desirable `flag shaped' hysteretic response under lateral loading. Testing has been performed on a full scale beam-column joint at the University of Basilicata in Italy in a collaborative project with the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. The experimental testing uses engineered wood products, extending the use of laminated veneer lumber (LVL) structures tested in New Zealand to testing of glue laminated timber (glulam) structures in Italy. Current testing is aimed at further improvement of the system through additional energy dissipation systems.
The paper discusses experimental and numerical seismic analyses of typical connections and wall systems used in cross-laminated (X-Lam) timber buildings. An extended experimental programme on typical X-Lam connections was performed at IVALSA Trees and Timber Institute. In addition, cyclic tests were also carried out on full-scale single and coupled X-Lam wall panels with different configurations and mechanical connectors subjected to lateral force. An advanced non-linear hysteretic spring to describe accurately the cyclic behaviour of connections was implemented in ABAQUS finite element software package as an external subroutine. The FE model with the springs calibrated on single connection tests was then used to reproduce numerically the behaviour of X-Lam wall panels, and the results were compared with the outcomes of experimental full-scale tests carried out at IVALSA. The developed model is suitable for evaluating dissipated energy and seismic vulnerability of X-Lam structures.
With the increased usage of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) in the United States, research efforts have been focused on demonstrating CLT as an effective Seismic Force Resisting System (SFRS). Presented in this paper are the findings of full-scale shake table tests of a two-story 223 m2 (2400 ft2) building with two sets of CLT shear walls on the first and second story. The testing consisted of three phases, each with a unique wall configuration, but only the first phase is presented herein, which consisted of a shear wall with 4:1 aspect ratio CLT panels. The structure was subjected to ground motions scaled to intensities that correspond to a Service Level Earthquake (SLE), Design Base Earthquake (DBE), and Maximum Considered Earthquake (MCE) respectively. In all phases and motions the structure performed well and was in accordance with FEMA collapse prevention requirements for each motion intensity.
