A review on seismic response of timber frames

In seismic design of structures a careful balance of stiffness, strength and ductility is required in order to ensure a good structural performance in terms of serviceability and safety in case of minor and major seismic excitation respectively. Lateral stiffness, strength or ductility can be provided in timber structures by means of diagonal bracing or sheeting, but the price is the architectural restrictions they impose. On the other hand, timber moment resisting frames can provide more delicate architectural solutions but should simultaneously fulfill the requirements for stiffness, strength and ductility and ideally contribute to the limitation of initial costs, damage and repairing costs. However, such frames are not covered by Eurocode 8, EC8 (CEN, 2004). This paper summarizes the current state of the art in seismic response of timber moment resisting frames with particular emphasis to moment resisting joints.