Key parts of the lateral force resisting system in wood-frame buildings
are the shearwafls and the connections. The connections in wooden buildings
are the primary source of ductility and energy dissipation; these are essential
properties when buildings are exposed to lateral forces, such as wind and
earthquakes. Shearwall design is...
Nailed connections have nonlinear load-displacement
relations. Modeling these connections in an assembled
structure would require a great amount of computational time
because of the large number of degrees of freedom.
Replacing these connections with energetically-equivalent
nonlinear springs reduces the number of degrees of freedom,
and leads to computational efficiency in...
Biaxial strength characteristics of wood-based structural panels were evaluated by
using analytical and experimental methods. Cruciform plywood specimens were tested
under biaxial tensile-tensile, compressive-compressive loadings in a symmetrically-jointed-
arm test fixture, which was mounted on a universal testing machine. Performance
of the test fixture was also evaluated during the tests....
With high costs of testing and rating a structural system for
fire resistance, the utilization of computer simulations that
approximate the integrity of structural subsystems could conceivably
reduce development costs. Before an analysis of a light-frame wood
system can occur, information on the components of the substructure
must be known....
Light-frame construction practices and materials have changed greatly
over the past 100 years. Contemporary research has focused on modern construction; thus, we know a great deal about the behavior of modern lightframe buildings under lateral forces. However, there are many light-frame buildings that were built prior to the introduction of...
Heavy timber framing relies primarily on bracing to withstand lateral loads due to earthquakes and wind events. Bracing configurations in heavy timber framed buildings vary widely and include cross bracing, knee bracing, and other geometries. Many heavy timber frames constructed during colonial American times are still standing, exceeding the expected...
Friction dampers have been used successfully to dissipate seismic
energy in steel and concrete structures. The application is new to timber
structures. The objectives of this research were to design a slotted bolted
connection (SBC) and evaluate its potential as a passive energy damper in
timber brace.
The research was...
The goal of this study was to optimize a through-boring pattern that will provide adequate preservative penetration while minimizing the reduction in overall pole bending strength. Hole spacing was developed using longitudinal and transverse chemical penetration data from previous studies. Finite element analysis was used as a preliminary assessment tool...
It is difficult to treat the heartwood of many wood species with liquid preservatives using conventional liquid processes. Supercritical fluids (SCF) used as carriers of preservatives to impregnate refractory wood species may be an attractive alternative to conventional liquid carriers. While SCF impregnation has many potential advantages, some wood species...
Engineering analysis of heavy timber structures under dynamic loads
is generally lacking. Some literature suggests that heavy timber structures
are stiffer than expected, but popular engineering opinion is to the contrary.
In addition, prior research has shown that passive friction dampers can be
used in timber structures for the intended...
