Bonding of timber and high-performance concrete

Timber-concrete composite systems have emerged as a promising building technique, leveraging the strengths of both materials to improve load capacity, stiffness, and overall performance. In the presented study, high-performance concrete with perfect mechanical performance and durability is used in timber-concrete composite systems to further reduce the environmental footprint and optimize structural efficiency. The weakest point in general of these constructions is the interface between the concrete material and the wood. The focus in this study is on shear strength, specifically examining the combination of adhesive bonding with notch shear connections. Experimental results, by a push-off test, reveal that the inclusion of shear connectors is essential for effective and secure bonding, with adhesive application methods significantly influencing shear strength. The findings highlight the potential of timber-concrete composite systems high-performance concrete to achieve high shear strength and structural integrity through optimized adhesive and rib configurations. The goal is to make maximum use of the material’s mechanical potential and significantly reduce the primary sources of raw materials. The presented article is based on the diploma thesis of Nick Vanheeswijck.