ABSTRACT
Metal-plate-connected joints (MPC) are widely used in light timber buildings, while there are fewer studies on the joints under dynamic loads. For purpose of exploring a new possibility of application in bamboo structures, laminated bamboo lumber (LBL) and MPC have been incorporated in the current test. Four groups of metal-plate-connected tension joints using laminated bamboo lumber (LBL-MPC) are considered to be loaded by static and cyclic loading. Test specimens AA and AE refer to pairs of LBL member connected end-to-end in parallel, loaded in tension, connected with a rectangular shaped MPC oriented longitudinally (AA) or with the MPC oriented transversely (AE). Test specimens EA and EE refer to pairs of LBL members connected perpendicular, with a tension load on one of the members that imparts a perpendicular-to-grain loading on the other member. Both static and cyclic tests were performed using a displacement-controlled loading method with a loading rate of 1 mm/min. Under cyclic loading, the ultimate load of AA, AE, and EA joints was 7.6%, 10.4%, and 5.8% higher than that under static load, while EE joints were reduced by 6.4%. Two categories of skeleton curve models adapted to tensile joints of LBL-MPCs under cyclic loading were proposed.
Acknowledgements
The writers gratefully acknowledge Dong Yang, Xin Xue, and others from the Nanjing Forestry University for helping with the tests.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).