Stiffness and slip in multi-dowel timber connections with slotted-in steel plates

Large multi-dowel connections can provide the strength and ductility required for large, highly-loaded timber structures, but their slip under load is not well understood. This an important gap in knowledge, because accumulated local displacements at represent a large part of deformation structure. The empirical relationships used design codes commonly scale single-dowel stiffness by number dowels, so do capture dowel interaction effects larger structures. We present results experimental test series, elastic model probabilistic numerical analysis investigating development with slotted-in steel plates. Novel methods record due to each individual connector show that complete connection proportional dowels. An stress-function shows this partly stress field around For first time, work quantitatively considers influence misalignment dowels manufacturing tolerances, it shown may greatly reduce overall connection. series validate such incorporates nonlinear hole opening observed predict behaviour group. study random reduces range over which displays zero slightly, zone eliminated as result irreversible load, even 35 three conclude two parameters are these connections: unload-reload zero-stiffness region measured between intercept linear fit. With these, reasonable estimate be made displacement any serviceability level either tension or compression.