Effect of wetting and fungal degradation on performance of nailed timber connections

Impact of Moisture Cycling on Screw Withdrawal Capacity of Treated and Untreated Radiata Pine

“…Dimensional changes induce stresses in the timber elements that can lead to cracks or failures [1]. Induced stress is even more important in timber connections, as the deformations and movement incompatibilities produced by differential moisture responses create even more stress [2]. For example, the screw withdrawal capacity (SWC) in timber can be affected by moisture/drying exposure conditions that eventually reduce fastener capacity and can also induce metallic corrosion [3].…”

“…Despite the potential for preservative treatment to affect fastener performance, there is limited research on the impact of moisture content (MC) changes on treated timber connections. The increased use of wood products in construction has intensified the need to understand how moisture affects the mechanical properties of timber connections, as wetting of these elements can occur due 1 Luis Yermán, School of Civil Engineering, The University of Queensland and National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life, Australia, l.yerman@uq.edu.au 2 Zidi Yan, School of Civil Engineering, The University of Queensland, Australia, zidi.yan@uq.edu.au to rain penetration, condensation [5], as well as bathroom or pipe leakages. Design standards can be used to estimate the strength of a timber connection, and ultimately design safe structures.…”