Load-Carrying Capacity of Timber–Concrete Joints with Dowel-Type Fasteners

This paper analyzes the load-carrying capacity of timber–concrete joints made with dowel-type fasteners. The scope of the work was to obtain information to be used in the design of timber–concrete composite structures. In order to achieve that, two different approaches were used: experiments with timber–concrete joints loaded in shear, and the use of nonlinear analytical models. Shear tests were performed using various timber species, concrete mixtures, and fasteners. The results from these tests are presented and compared with the results determined with three different analytical models. These models differ in the approach used to simulate concrete: linear–elastic, linear–elastic with crushing, and elastic–perfectly plastic. The analysis of the test results shows that the load-carrying capacity of this type of joint is significantly influenced not only by the strength of the materials but also by the shape of the fastener. From the three models proposed, the one assuming elastic–perfectly plastic behavior for concrete leads to the results closer from the test results, however, the best statistical correlations between model results and test results were obtained with the model assuming linear–elastic behavior with crushing.