Towards reliable and efficient analysis of wood joints: material and interaction testing and numerical modelling
Towards a Reliable and Efficient Analysis of Connections in Timber: material and interaction testing, and numerical modelling
Start - end dates: 01/09/2021 - 31/08/2025
researcherPrincipal: José Manuel Cabrero
Other researchers: Ignacio Arteaga, Borja Iraola, Thomas Bader, Josef Füssl
Assistants research: Ezequiel Moreno, Mar Basterrechea, Juan Carlos Sánchez
Participating entities:
- University of Navarra (department CIE)
- high schoolEduardo Torroja (CSIC)
summary:
The expansion of timber construction could produce a combination of emissions reductions and carbon sequestration equivalent to eliminating emissions from construction, comparable to the current contribution of renewable energy. High-rise timber buildings are increasingly popular while challenging our surprisingly little scientific knowledgeof timber Structures. In fact, current designapproaches are still based on experience and tradition, and are neither efficient nor reliable: while most elements in timber Structuresare over-dimensioned by 40-60% due to requirementsjoints, almost 25% of recent collapses of timber Structureswere related to joints. The precise description of the structural behaviour of structural timber joints remains an open topic, which poses many unsolved challenges.
REACT is ambitiously engaged in the developmentof a reliable frameworkfor the designof timber joints and Structures. Thanks to an extensive experimental campaign and new multi-scale models, it will provide a robust assessmentof the reliability of wood joints. This knowledgewill be derived from a multi-level analysis, from the material to the joint level, with a special approachon the interaction of wood with connectors subjectpin. As a main contribution, the projectwill provide information for the internshipof the designof connections (both PIs collaborate actively in the developmentof the Eurocode 0 -instructionsof design- and 5 -designof Structuresof timber), allowing to make use of the knowledge gained in a simple but efficient way.
The experimental campaign focuses on three levels of observation: material, timber-connector interaction, and joints. In the latter, the focus will be on realistic loading patterns, where bending, shear and axial loading are present, to provide an understanding of the interaction between them. This challenges the current knowledge, mainly based on simple loading schemes. This level-based experimental knowledgewill allow the developmentof a multi-scale numerical modelfor timber joints to be used to carry out the stochastic modelling required for MonteCarlo simulation and subsequent reliability analysis of structural timber joints.
The projectof researchrelies on the experience of two teams of research: the University of Navarra (UNAV), specialised in modelling and designof Structuresof wood, and the groupof the Insitituto Torroja (IETcc) in assessmentof safety and reliability of Structures. Both sub-projects constitute a perfect symbiosis for the analysis and assessmentof reliability of designmodels for wooden joints. The researchteams involved have made contributions core topicin relation to the main topics of project, excelling in taking it forward.
To exploit the extraordinary ecological potential and enable the expansion of the structural use of timber, a better understanding of the structural response of timber joints is required. REACT can make a significant difference towards more efficient, reliable and safer timber constructions.
Funding agency: To be defined.
Amount financed: €132,495.