Design method for bolted connections loaded perpendicular-to-grain

A new design approach to evaluate the resistance of bolted timber connections loaded perpendicular-to-grain is presented in this paper. The design method consists of calculating the resistances of the ductile failure modes, based on the original European yield model, and that of the splitting mode, and of using the smallest of the two. The splitting calculations are adapted from the wood resistance calculation for timber rivet connections. The new design method is based on the assumption that the bolted connection is forming a cluster considered to be equivalent in dimension to a cluster of timber rivets. The rivet design equations were modified to reflect the fact that bolts extend to the full thickness of the wood members, whereas rivets do not. In this paper, the research program is described, results are presented and the alternative design approach is proposed to predict the failure modes and the ultimate strengths of steel–wood–steel, wood–wood–wood, and wood–steel–wood bolted connections.Key words: connections, strength, design, bolt, connection, prediction, failure, perpendicular-to-grain.