A macroscopic peridynamic approach for glulam embedment failure simulations

Abstract

Joint designs are of utmost importance to ensure the stability and safety of timber building structures. Modern timber connections typically utilize various metal connectors, such as the dowel-type fasteners. However, modern connections demonstrate complex failure behaviors because of material anisotropy. This paper proposed a 2D bond-based peridynamic method to analyze the deformation and crack propagation in anisotropic timber building structural members. The new peridynamic constitutive model introduces two micro-modulus functions dependent on bond direction. This approach was subsequently applied, for the first time in peridynamics, to evaluate the mechanical behavior of dowel-type connections. Dowel bearing tests were designed to obtain reference experimental data for 20-mm and 24-mm dowels under loading directions of 0° and 90°. Subsequently, the effectiveness of the proposed approach was demonstrated by comparing the simulated results with the experimental findings. Finally, by leveraging the benefits of peridynamic theory, the effects of higher-speed loadings were numerically evaluated, offering references for the experimentally challenging situations. The research findings indicate that the proposed peridynamic model for timber members accurately captures the failure results, load-bearing capacity, and mechanical behavior in dowel-bearing tests. This demonstrates the unique advantages of peridynamics while analyzing complicated wood failure problems.