Abstract
We present an approach for estimating the semi-rigid characteristics of a column-nuki (a horizontal member going through a column) connection, which play a crucial role in earthquake resistance of Japanese traditional timber buildings. With the proposed approach, we attempt to provide simple numerical models for column-nuki connections at the stress resultant level from local compression tests of wood elements taking joint details into account. In the local compression test, a rotated steel plate is pressed into wood elements keeping its rotation angle constant. Based on the results of a set of the local compression tests, wherein the rotation angle is changed parametrically, we propose a formulation to estimate the skeleton curve of the moment-rotation angle relationship for a column-nuki connection. The formulation was verified by comparing the estimation with the results obtained from a cyclic loading experiment of a column-nuki assembly.
