Strengthening techniques of Portuguese traditional timber connections

Abstract

Different strengthening solutions with metal elements have been experimentally evaluated with tests on full-scale connections. Attention has been focused on the birdsmouth joints, due to its common use in practice. Even if unstrengthened, these types of connections reveal significant moment resistance. Experimental results show that structural response of birdsmouth connections under cyclic loading cannot be represented by common constraint models, like perfect hinges or rigid joints, but with semi-rigid and friction based models. Thus, the rotational behaviour of the birdsmouth joints is analysed.