Numerical analyses of timber beams with stop- splayed scarf carpentry joints: Fid-Bau Portal

Numerical analyses of timber beams with stop- splayed scarf carpentry joints

Patalas, Filip / Karolak, Anna / Nowak, Tomasz P.

Highlights • Historical carpentry joints can be successfully analysed using numerical methods. • The use of finite element method (FEM) in the analysis of timber elements results in good agreement with experimental tests. • The Hill's yield criterion, despite its limitations, is well suited to simulating non-linear behaviour of wood. • The tested joints achieved approximately 30% of the load-carrying capacity in bending of the reference beams. • The simple analytical model was proposed to assess the load-bearing capacity of tested joints.

Abstract The article presents numerical analyses of the stop-splayed scarf joints, supported by the results of experimental research. Technical scale beams with historical connections, made of new pine wood (Pinus sylvestris L.) were tested in bending tests. On the basis of the results of the laboratory tests, load–deflection curves, strains in the cross-sections and failure modes were determined. FEM analyses were conducted using the Hill's anisotropic yield criterion. The results of the experimental tests and numerical analyses were compared. Load capacities of the tested joints were estimated also using an analytical method. Supportive analyses were performed to estimate the effect of the changes in the position of the metal connectors on the load capacity of the connections. The problem of determining the load capacity and structural analysis of historical joints of timber elements was discussed.