Experimental investigation of the breaking load of a dowel-pinned connection in granite cladding

Abstract

A dowel-pinned anchorage in granite cladding has been widely used in modern granite cladding systems. However, current studies on the breaking loads of dowel-pinned connections are limited, and the damage behavior is not yet clear as a result of insufficient experimental studies. In accordance with current code provisions, monotonic static loading tests were carried out to investigate the breaking load and failure modes of a dowel-pinned cladding connection. The specimens were 200 × 200 × 30 mm granite panel with holes drilled in the middle of each side for steel pins with three different diameters, that is, 5 mm, 6 mm, and 7 mm. The results show that when using the 5 mm steel dowel pin, the steel pin yielded with a certain plastic deformation prior to the V-shape fracture of the granite near the dowel hole. When using the 7 mm and 8 mm steel pins, the U-shape fracture of the granite panel occurred first. Then only slight bending deformations of the steel pins were observed. The experimental breaking load was compared to the computational results following the formula recommended in the literature. A conceptual loading skeleton curve was developed to illustrate the damage progress of the connection. It revealed the load redistribution mechanism in the connection in a representative manner with which the calculated stress in the steel pin is corresponded to the experimental breaking load. This study is helpful for understanding the damage behavior of the novel connection in stone claddings.