Innovative Timber Joints

INNOVATIVE TIMBER JOINTS BY MODELLING THE STIFFNESS FOR HIGH-PERFORMANCE WOODEN STRUCTURES MADE OF HARDWOOD AND SOFTWOOD

High-performance timber structures require an in-depth knowledge of the deformation behaviour of joints. Innovative timber joints consist of different “components” that can be assembled according to the desired properties of the joints. The component method is suitable for optimising timber joints and for determining the connection stiffness, which is particularly important in today's widespread use of computer-based methods for calculating internal forces and for design verification. For hardwoods, however, there has been no systematic investigation of the deformation behaviour of dowel-type connections. This lack of knowledge is an obstacle to the increased the use of timber as a material in engineering structures and impairs the competitiveness of timber construction compared to other constructions.

The aim of this project is to significantly increase the data base on the deformation behaviour of joints through experimental investigations on 172 dowel-type joints in beech laminated veneer lumber (beech LVL) in order to estimate the load-deformation behaviour more precisely, also for the application of FE modelling. By processing and making available the research results for practice and standardisation, as well as developing guidelines for the economical and safe application of joint stiffness in timber construction, the design of even demanding engineered load-bearing structures can be simplified.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ulrike Kuhlmann
Institute of Structural Design (KE), University of Stuttgart

RESEARCHER

Lea Buchholz, M.Sc. (KE)

FUNDING

Ministerium für Ernährung, Ländlichen Raum und Verbraucherschutz Baden-Württemberg, Holzbau-Offensive BW