Strength Performance Evaluation of Threaded Nail Joints of Wooden Retaining Wall Using Pitch Pine (Pinus rigida Miller) Square Timber

Abstract

A connection was made between a single stretcher and 2 headers with 2 threaded nails (Type-A), and another one between 2 stretchers and 2 headers with 4 threaded nails (Type-B) to use as specimens. Type-C was the stretchers that are connected with 2 threaded nails by half lap joint at end-distance 5D to reinforce Type-B, Type-C1 the stretchers that are connected by half lap joint at end-distance 10D, and Type-C2 with 3 threaded nails at end-distance 10D. Compressive shear strength of Type-C, the supplementation of Type-B, was decreased by 30%, compared with that of Type-B. Those of Type-B and Type-C1 that used longer end-distance than Type-C were about the same, and that of Type-C2 connected with 3 threaded nails was 1.28-times stronger than that of Type-C1. Connection of the retaining wall using existing square timber has a problem between long and short stretchers and 2 headers. So it was investigated in the experiment to replace it. Therefore, if Type-B is replaced with Type-C2 in constructing the retaining wall, the crack and the rupture of timber caused by threaded nail as well as construction period can be reduced, and also it can be expected to increase their own strength.