Natural Hazards Research Summit 2024: Large-Scale Testing of Ductile Mass Timber- Concrete Connections

The scope of this project is to develop an improved ductile-anchor connection with replaceable threaded rods to be placed at the superstructure-concrete footing interface in mass timber buildings to improve their seismic performance in seismically active regions. Considering that more than 143 million Americans are exposed to potentially damaging earthquakes (as estimated by the United States Geological Survey) it is imperative to focus on the seismic resistance of mass timber structures, as they are recently gaining extreme popularity, and are positively perceived by the public as the buildings of the future. Ideal connections in mass timber structures should develop high stiffness and ductility. However, state-of-the-art connections rely on the plastic deformation of small diameter fasteners, e.g., nails, connecting metal straps to the timber element and may lead to brittle failures, delivering a premature collapse of the structure during seismic events. A more reliable mechanism to develop ductility and meet the seismic demand may be achieved using ductile-anchor concrete connections, which utilize the concept of anchor stretch length to allow for an enhanced structural response in earthquakes.