Mechanical Properties of Glulam Reinforced Beam-to-Column Connection with Long Steel Rods

Abstract:

Glulam bolted beam-to-column connections with slotted-in steel plates are usually regarded as hinges in structural design due to their low moment-resisting properties. In this paper， an innovative glulam reinforced beam-to-column connection with long steel rods was proposed， aiming to provide good moment-resistant properties for mid-rise timber frames without braces or infill shear walls. Three sets of specimens with different diameters of long steel rods were designed and manufactured. The stiffness， load-carrying capacities， failure modes， and energy-dissipating capacities of the specimens were analyzed based on the monotonic static loading tests and cyclic loading tests. Finite element models of such connections were developed using ABAQUS. The simulated results were proved to be consistent with the experimental results. Then， a parametric analysis was conducted based on the validated numerical models. The results reveal that the proposed connections have an excellent moment-resistant stiffness and a load-carrying capacity. The damage is mainly focused on the long steel rods following the concept of the connection. Besides， the damaged long steel rods can be replaced after being damaged， extending the seismic resilience and the life span of the proposed connections. The results from the parametric analysis show that the moment-resistant stiffness is positively associated with the diameter and the arm of long steel rods. Finally， based on the experimental and numerical results， a theoretical approach was proposed to estimate the moment-resistant stiffness and load-carrying capacity. The approach proposed provides important reference for the future design of such innovative connections in real projects.

Key words:timber structure;glulam bolted beam-to-column connection with slotted-in steel plate;long steel rods;rigid connection;replaceable component;seismic resilience