Mechanical behavior of connections in timber gridshells structure

Husam Wadi; Sebastien Mercadier; Frederic Duprat; Thomas De Larrard; Zakaria Djamai

doi:10.26168/ajce.40.1.35

Husam Wadi LMDC (Laboratoire Matériaux et Durabilité des Construction), Université de Toulouse, INSA/UPS Génie Civil
Sebastien Mercadier LMDC (Laboratoire Matériaux et Durabilité des Construction), Université de Toulouse, INSA/UPS Génie Civil
Frederic Duprat LMDC (Laboratoire Matériaux et Durabilité des Construction), Université de Toulouse, INSA/UPS Génie Civil
Thomas De Larrard LMDC (Laboratoire Matériaux et Durabilité des Construction), Université de Toulouse, INSA/UPS Génie Civil
Zakaria Djamai LMDC (Laboratoire Matériaux et Durabilité des Construction), Université de Toulouse, INSA/UPS Génie Civil

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26168/ajce.40.1.35

Keywords: Timber gridshells, Flexural tests, Steel connection, Rigidity of connection

Abstract

This study focuses on the mechanical behaviour and performance of connections in the timber gridshells. Two different forms of timber beams are used, the first was consisting of timber beam of gridshells without connection, and the second was with steel connection that was fabricated by the Quaternion company in France. These two forms of timber beams are those most widely used as a main beams in gridshells structures. In this paper, an experimental investigation of large-scale timber beam of the gridshells with dimensions (2.8m length) are used. The timber beams were tested under four-points flexural test at the laboratory of LMDC in Toulouse. Also, the total rigidity of the connection was investigated experimentally.