Comparison of the elastic limit and yield load of nailed joints connecting solid wood and wood-based board material

Abstract

Evaluations of the lateral properties of timber joints are necessary to ensure the safety of timber buildings. The yield load is an important property that is usually obtained using authorized engineering techniques. Although yield loads have been easily obtained using authorized techniques, events that have occurred in the joint during yielding have not been clarified. This study experimentally obtains elastic limit data using nailed joints. Mechanical tests measuring the residual displacement after various lateral loads with six-joint specimen specifications were conducted. In this study, the load at which the residual displacement reached 5% of the nail diameter was defined as the elastic limit. The experimentally obtained elastic limits were compared with the yield loads obtained using authorized engineering techniques. The ratios of elastic limits to the yield loads obtained using the perfect elasto-plastic model, method described in EN, and 5% offset method were 0.554–0.743, 0.557–0.834, and 0.648–0.801, respectively. The results numerically revealed that residual displacements occurred at a much lower load than the yield loads.