Estimation of shear strength of dowel-type timber connections with multiple slotted-in steel plates by European yield theory

The shear strength of dowel-type timber connections with multiple slotted-in steel plates was estimated based on European yield theory. The values calculated based on the yield theory were compared with experimentally obtained results. An experiment was performed on dowel-type timber connections with two and three slotted-in steel plates under lateral loads parallel to the grain. The yield mode of the dowel-type connection assumed in this study corresponds approximately to the failure mode of the connection obtained from the experiment. The shear strength of the dowel-type connections calculated based on the yield theory showed good agreement with the results for shear strength obtained in the experiment. The yield theory was useful for estimating the shear strength of the dowel-type connection with multiple slotted-in steel plates. The shear strength of the dowel-type connection was greatly affected by the spacing of the steel plates, the number of steel plates, and the timber thickness. The values of these parameters that showed the proper shear strength of the dowel-type connection could be estimated based on the yield theory.