Experimental and numerical investigations of timber-concrete connections using variant forms of rebars

Abstract

The study aims to investigate the effectiveness of different types of rebars as connectors in timber-concrete composite. Potential connectors, including unthreaded rebars hammered into the timber, threaded rebars with or without a hook screwed into the timber, and unthreaded rebars coupled with a U-profile, are evaluated in terms of their mechanical performance under monotonic loading conditions through push-out tests and numerical simulations. The main findings of the study suggest that threading reduces the strength, stiffness, and ductility of the connector, while the hook improves the anchorage of the connector in the concrete and enhance strength, stiffness, and ductility compared to rebar without a hook. Furthermore, combining the U-shaped profile and unthreaded rebar significantly improves the mechanical performance of the connections. It nearly doubled the strength and stiffness of the connections, and improved the ductile failure modes. The numerical simulations validate the experimental results and can be used for parametric studies. Overall, this research provides valuable insights into the design and optimization of timber-concrete composite connections and proposes a stronger, stiffer, and more ductile connector that can be applied in various contexts.