Connections for post and beam glulam structures using birch plywood plates and screws

• Multi-storey timber buildings can be built adopting a post and beam system made of glulam. A typically adopted connection for such structures is that which make use of slotted-in steel plates and dowels. Even though such a type of connection is able to transfer large loads, it has a number of deficiencies. Besides being relatively costly in terms of both materials and manufacturing, connections with slotted-in steel plates and dowels requires a very high level of accuracy both in manufacture and in construction. By replacing steel plates and dowels with gusset plates of e.g. plywood and screws, respectively, there are a number of possible benefits including ease of manufacture, economy and environmental issues. This paper presents a comprehensive experimental investigation on the load bearing capacity of post-beam connection consisting of slotted-in plywood plates in combination with either full-threaded self-tapping screws or small-diameter dowels. The investigation also includes a study on the influence of the plywood plate's orientation in relation to the direction of load. Test results and hand calculations have confirmed that beam-column connections with gusset plates of birch plywood, may reach sufficient capacities for realistic design in the Ultimate Limit State (ULS). By utilizing both external and slotted-in gusset plates of plywood, one could reach the same capacity and stiffness as a slotted-in steel plate connection. To further reduce the amount of steel in the connections, results showed that prefabricated glued columns with plywood can be an opportunity.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Samhällsbyggnadsteknik -- Husbyggnad (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Civil Engineering -- Building Technologies (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Hardwood

Plywood

Post and beam

Screws

Shear

Timber connection

Hardwoods

Manufacture

Plates (structural components)

Structural design

Timber

Wooden buildings

Beam system

Economy and environmental

Environmental issues

Glulam structures

Gusset plates

Steel plates

Timber buildings

Timber connections

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kon (subject category)