University of Cambridge
Engineering

In response to the pressing challenges of escalating urban growth and the urgent need to reduce the carbon footprint of our built environment, contemporary engineered timber structures have remerged as a pioneering solution. Already exemplified by landmark structures like the Mjøstårnet in Norway, standing at over 80 metres tall, and visionary projects like the proposed Oakwood Tower in London, reaching an impressive 300 metres, these developments underscore the transformative potential of engineered timber in fostering environmentally conscious urbanisation on a monumental scale. However, the inherent brittleness of timber continues to be a major limitation when considering its use for large-scale construction projects and remains a key concern in modern architecture today. The brittleness of timber, or its lack of ductility, means it cannot redistribute loads safely through a structure and sustain visible deformations that can provide warning of imminent failure. One way to ensure ductility in timber structures is to design the connections linking various members from materials that can sustain large deformations before failure.

This research investigates the ductility and energy dissipation performance of a promising new method of constructing timber connections using screwed-in threaded rods and steel links. The proposed connections will be tested experimentally under monotonic and cyclic loading, simulating static and seismic conditions. The results from the physicl tests will be used to benchmark new numerical models that will underpin extensive parametric studies to highlight the effect of various design parameters on the connection performance. The parametric studies will inform the development of new analytical expressions for design, enabling connections to be fine-tuned to achieve the optimal balance of strength, ductility and stiffness for the safe design of timber structures subjected to extreme loads.