Numerical Modeling of the Fatigue Strength of Timber Joint Connections with Connector Plates

This study investigates the fatigue performance of timber joints with connector plates through experimental testing and numerical simulation. A displacement-controlled fatigue test was conducted on a timber connection composed of C24-grade wood elements and a T150 steel connector plate. Failure occurred due to progressive shearing of the plate teeth. Numerical analyses were performed using Abaqus (for static FEM simulation) and fe-safe (for fatigue prediction), applying two models: Morrow and Goodman. Simulations evaluated the effects of varying displacement amplitudes (0.5 mm, 2.5 mm, 5.0 mm), friction coefficients (0.1, 0.3, 0.5), and load frequencies (6 Hz, 10 Hz). Results show that increased displacement and friction lead to lower fatigue life due to localized stress concentrations. The predicted damage locations corresponded with experimentally observed failure zones. The applied Critical Plane methodology enabled reliable fatigue life estimation. The approach confirms the usefulness of FEM-based modeling in predicting fatigue failure in timber-steel joints and highlights key parameters affecting durability.