BEHAVIOR OF BOLTED BEAM-TO-COLUMN TIMBER CONNECTIONS USING DOUBLE STEEL PLATES

This study aims to investigate the behavior of bolted beam-to-column timber connections with double steel plates. The behavior of the connections, as their strength, initial rotational stiffness, energy dissipation, and ductility ratio, were studied. Test specimens made of red meranti species (Shorea spp.) connected by 5-mm thick steel plates on both sides, and bolted joints of diameters 10 mm and 12 mm were used. Experimental tests of the connections conform to the EN 26891: 1991. The failure mode is splitting of the bolt row path in the column for all connections with the same numbers of bolts in the beam and the column, and splitting of the bolt row path in the beam for all connections with fewer numbers of bolts in the beam than those in the column. Moreover, the results show that the use of combined bolts and double steel plates has an impact in increasing both the ductility ratio and the energy dissipation of the connections.