Bo Källsner

Splitting capacity of bottom rail in partially anchored timber frame shear walls with single-sided sheathing

Plastic design methods can be used for determining the load-carrying capacity of partially anchored shear walls, where hold-downs are not provided. In order to use these methods, a ductile behaviour of the sheathing-to-framing joints must be ensured. Since the forces in the anchor bolts and the sheathing-to-framing joints do not act in the same vertical plane, the bottom rail will be subjected to bending and shear in the crosswise direction, and splitting of the bottom rail may occur. In this article, results of two experimental programmes on the splitting capacity of the bottom rail due to uplift in partially anchored shear walls are presented. Two brittle failure modes occurred during testing: (1) a crack opening from the bottom surface of the bottom rail; and (2) a crack opening from the edge surface of the bottom rail along the line of the sheathing-to-framing joints. The results show that the distance between the edge of the washer and the loaded edge of the bottom rail has a decisive influence on the maximum load and the failure modes of the bottom rail.

Analytical models for splitting capacity of bottom rails in partially anchored timber frame shear walls based on fracture mechanics

Abstract Plastic design methods can be used for determining the load-carrying capacity of partially anchored shear walls. For such walls, the leading stud is not fully anchored against uplift and tying down forces are developed in the sheathing-to-framing joints and the bottom rail will be subjected to crosswise bending, leading to possible splitting failure of the rail. In order to use these plastic design methods, a ductile behaviour of the sheathing-to-framing joints must be ensured. In two earlier experimental programmes, the splitting failure capacity of the bottom rail has been studied. Two brittle failure modes occurred during testing: (1) a crack opening from the bottom surface of the bottom rail and (2) a crack opening from the side surface of the bottom rail. In this article, a fracture mechanics approach for the two failure modes is used to evaluate the experimental results. The comparison shows a good agreement between the experimental and analytical results. The failure mode is largely dependent on the distance between the edge of the washer and the loaded edge of the bottom rail. The fracture mechanics models seem to capture the essential behaviour of the splitting modes and to include the decisive parameters.

Tests and Analyses of Slotted-In Steel-Plate Connections in Composite Timber Shear Wall Panels

The authors present an experimental and analytical study of slotted-in connections for joining walls in the Masonite flexible building (MFB) system. These connections are used for splicing wall elements and for tying down uplifting forces and resisting horizontal shear forces in stabilizing walls. The connection plates are inserted in a perimeter slot in the PlyBoard™ panel (a composite laminated wood panel) and fixed mechanically with screw fasteners. The load-bearing capacity of the slotted-in connection is determined experimentally and derived analytically for different failure modes. The test results show ductile postpeak load-slip characteristics, indicating that a plastic design method can be applied to calculate the horizontal load-bearing capacity of this type of shear walls.

Brittle Failures in Timber Beams Loaded Perpendicular to Grain by Connections

AbstractA state-of-the-art review of simple analytical fracture mechanics models for calculation of the splitting capacity of timber beams loaded perpendicular to the grain direction by connections is presented. It is shown that most of the already available models are closely related and appear naturally as special cases of the most general model available. A new model, which is a semiempirical extension of an existing model based on a beam-on-elastic-foundation theory, is proposed. The so-called van der Put model, which forms the theoretical basis for the splitting equations used in the European and Canadian timber design codes, appears as a special case of the proposed model. The treatment of the splitting problem in some major timber design codes is reviewed and discussed based on the theoretical models and new test results. The approach used in the European timber design code where the maximum shear force on either side of a connection is considered rather than the total load applied on a connection ...

A complete timber building system for multi-storey buildings

The Masonite Flexible Building (MFB) system is a complete timber building system for commercial and residential multi-storey houses. The system is for tall and large buildings with long floor spans. The MFB system uses prefabricated wall, floor and roof elements which are delivered in flat packages and erected on the construction site. The MFB system might be classified as a panel construction, where the load-carrying structure consists of composite lightweight timber I-beams mechanically integrated with a composite laminated wood panel called PlyBoard T. The I-beams and the panel form a strong and rigid carcass for wall and floor elements, making the system well suited for high rise construction. A key feature of the MFB system is the connection technique which enables swift erection of the system units on site. The PlyBoard T panels are provided with a continuous slot along the periphery. The slot is used as a general connection interface for the joining of the wall elements. The floor elements are suspended and hooked onto the bearing walls using sheet steel hangers, allowing swift assembling of the floor deck and enabling direct vertical wall-to-wall load transfer parallel to grain. The paper presents the construction principles, system components and units, erection technique, functional and architectural aspects of the Masonite Building System.