The Analytical Model and Horizontal Resistance of the Column-Head Dou-Gong in the Traditional Chinese Timber Structure

Abstract

ABSTRACT To study the horizontal resistance of the column-head Dou-Gong (CHDG) in the traditional Chinese timber structure, the analytical model of CHDG without or with horizontal gap was proposed in this study. According to the structural form analysis of CHDG, the analytical model of CHDG considers the contact relationship between the components. CHDG has several distinct layers, of which the first layer is modeled as a rotation spring element and the second layer and above of CHDG are modeled as shear spring elements. Then, the horizontal resistance of CHDG was analyzed, and the horizontal load-displacement relationship of CHDG with horizontal gap appears triple polyline, while CHDG without horizontal gap is bilinear. Finally, the effects of parameters, including the length or width of Dadou bottom, height of Mantousun (MTS), width of horizontal gap, and vertical load, on the horizontal resistance was analyzed. The horizontal resistance of CHDG increases significantly with the length or width of the Dadou bottom, height of MTS, and vertical load increase, while the horizontal resistance of CHDG decreases significantly with width of horizontal gap increases.