Study on axial compression behavior of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica splice timber columns

In ancient timber architecture, the number of splices, tenon length, tenon cross-sectional area, and slenderness ratio are the main factors affecting the axial compressive properties of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica splice timber columns. To investigate these factors, the failure modes, mechanical behaviors, and axial compressive mechanical properties of 57 specimen groups were examined. This analysis revealed the influence patterns of the four parameters on specimen load carrying capacity and identified the most impactful test variables. Specifically, the results indicated that the failure modes of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica splice timber columns included tenon shear failure and local buckling failure. Notably, the ultimate load-bearing capacity initially decreased and then increased with a rising slenderness ratio. Additionally, as the number of splices increased, the ultimate load-bearing capacity decreased from 16.9 % to 26.2 %. The findings further showed that the optimal tenon length requires a balance with the tenon cross-sectional area. Moreover, the ultimate load-bearing capacity decreases as the tenon cross-sectional area increases. Lastly, the proposed axial compression capacity model enabled accurate predictions of the mechanical performance of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica splice timber columns.