Stiffness of steel‐to‐timber connection under cyclic loading

• Published in: ce/papers Vol. 3; no. 3-4; pp. 391 - 396
• Main Authors: Gocál, Jozef, Odrobiňák, Jaroslav
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-09-2019
• Subjects: component method; cyclic load; joint stiffness; steel beam to timber girder connection
• ISSN: 2509-7075; 2509-7075
• DOI: 10.1002/cepa.1072

ABSTRACT
The paper deals with experimental and theoretical analysis of a problematic structural detail occurring in contemporary combined timber‐steel road and pedestrian bridges – the connection of a steel crossbeam to a main timber girder. This joint is usually designed as a bolted connection and it is often required to behave as a rigid one in the plane perpendicular to the timber element in order to ensure the main timber girders against lateral and torsional buckling. The required stiffness of the joint is reached by its appropriate configuration, however, it is significantly affected by a dynamic character of loading, which causes gradual deterioration of the joint components finally resulting in possible decrease of the joint stiffness. In order to investigate this problematic detail more exactly, laboratory tests on specially prepared specimens were performed. The specimens were subjected to static and cyclic loading, as well. The joint stiffness is determined by means of component method that is rather well processed in the field of joints of steel structures. The input parameters for application of this method for combined steel‐to‐timber connection are specified on the basis of tests results. The aim of the research is to define how cyclic loading affects the stiffness of the investigated joint and to give some recommendations for practical modelling of this joint.