Durability of timber-steel joining techniques
Abstract
The increasing use of timber-steel hybrid components requires durable and reliable joining techniques. Although several joining methods are available, the long‐term performance of adhesively bonded timber-steel joints remains insufficiently documented. This study provides a comprehensive experimental assessment of adhesive bonds, connections with punched metal plate fasteners (PMPF), and, as reference tests, bolted joints under durability‐relevant conditions. The test program includes high‐temperature exposure, long‐term loading in service classes 1 and 2, variations of wood moisture content, and corrosion exposure in a salt‐spray environment. Mechanical behavior and residual load‐bearing capacity were evaluated using component‐scale tensile tests. Temperatures up to 50 °C do not negatively affect the investigated joining techniques. However, 70 °C reduces the capacity of adhesively bonded joints, which is likely related to temperature-induced changes in the composite system. Failure, however, remained governed by the timber substrate. Under long‐term loading, continuous joints, such as adhesive bonds and PMPF (distributed load transfer over the joint area), show minimal deformation in service class 1. In service class 2, adhesively bonded specimens fail in the timber when subjected to shear stresses above 47–55 % of the characteristic timber shear strength. Moisture variations in the timber between 12 % and 16 % and corrosive exposure do not influence the load‐bearing capacity, although the scatter increases. Overall, the results demonstrate the robustness of continuous joints and confirm the durability potential of adhesive bonding for timber-steel hybrid components.
Reference
Peter Haase; Simon Aurand; Jakob Boretzki; Carmen Sandhaas; Philipp Dietsch; Matthias Albiez; Thomas Ummenhofer. (2026). Durability of timber-steel joining techniques. Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.7411477
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