Experimental investigation of the behavior of traditional timber mortise-tenon T-joints under monotonic and cyclic loading

Abstract

• Monotonic & cyclic tests on traditional cylindrical mortise-tenon timber T -joints. • Great displacement capacity but also severe pinching in hysteresis loops. • Significant difference in force capacity if tenon under shear or bending. • Behavior also influenced by inherent material variations, construction etc. Monotonic and cyclic tests on cylindrical mortise-tenon timber T-joints typical of Ottoman-period mansions in mainland Greece were carried out, aiming towards a better understanding of such connections and their influence on timber-framed wall seismic performance in numerical and experimental investigations. Configurations from the head and foot of posts were tested so that the tenon was under either combined bending and shear, or pure shear. The two types of loads led to significantly different hysteretic behavior, force and energy dissipation capacity of the examined joints. Joints with gap and under push–pull out load were also tested.