| This thesis presents information for wood and engineered wood connections using tight-fitting steel tube fasteners. The information covered involves experimental tests and mechanic models. The mechanic models are the European Yield Model and the Finite Element Model. The wood materials used were Laminated Strand Lumber (LSL) and Spruce as representation of engineered wood (high splitting resistance) and solid wood (low splitting resistance) respectively. A 3 mm thick A36 steel plate(s) was used as link element and was placed in a slot cut in the wood members. Tight-fitting steel tube fasteners have a grade of A179 according to American Standard for Testing Materials (ASTM). Tube fasteners were driven perpendicular to axes of wood members and passed through both those members and steel link elements. Tests were conducted under static tensile loads with multiple-fastener arrangements obeying spaced and end distance rules typical for solid bolts in sawn softwood lumber. The response was highly ductile and failure occurred mainly in the fasteners. Consequently the so-called European Yield Model (EYM) for doweled timber connections yields good predictions of connection strengths. A finite element model was developed using the ABAQUS program and found to agree closely with experimental findings in both qualitative and quantitative aspects. Study for this thesis concluded that connections using tight fitting small steel tube fastener have high performance characteristics such that they: exhibit ductility (pronounced yielding) at failure, have capacities that are predictable, and have low variability in capacity (yield strength).;Keywords. Laminated Strand Lumber (LSL), Spruce, Finite Element, Steel Tube, Steel Plate, European Yield Model (EYM), Ductility, Yield Strength and Maximum Strength... |
