Performance of Beam-to-Column Glulam Connection with Steel Angles and Screws

A beam-to-column glulam connection type using steel angles and screws, which has benefits of: applicability for two-way connections; distinctness of load transfer mechanisms; and adjustability in configurations, is developed and tested. The connection capacity, initial stiffness, ductility ratio, and strain energy are investigated through a series of full-scale experiments. The specimens use glulam made of meranti wood (shorea sp.). The results show that the failure in the connections is mainly in both top and bottom parts of the connections due to beam bending moments. The ductility of the connections is categorized as medium ductility, meanwhile the stiffness is classified as semi-rigid according to Eurocode 8. The number of screws installed on the columns and on the beams is varied to indicate the optimum configurations which still result in acceptable performance. Bearing action between steel angles and columns and modification of dowel bearing length needs to be considered in design based on the failure modes observed during the tests.