Work

Long-term performance of timber-concrete composite (TCC) connections with self-tapping screws

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Timber–concrete composite (TCC) systems effectively combine the compressive strength of concrete with the tensile capacity of timber, but their design is often governed by serviceability limit states due to long-term deformations. This study investigated the short- and long-term behaviour of TCC connections with self-tapping screws installed at various angles to the shear plane. Short-term shear tests were conducted to determine the required sustained load for each specimen and to evaluate strength, stiffness, and failure modes, followed by six-month sustained-load tests to determine creep coefficients and predict 50-year performance using rheological modelling. Results showed that inclined self-tapping screws significantly enhanced stiffness and strength compared to perpendicular screws while exhibiting smaller instantaneous slip and lower long-term creep coefficients. The 50-year creep coefficients ranged from 0.8 to 1.0 for inclined and perpendicular configurations, respectively, indicating that current design provisions for TCC systems may be conservative.

Source: Structures

DOI: 10.1016/j.istruc.2026.111092

Authors: Shadi Esmaeildoust, Douglas Tomlinson, Ying Hei Chui

Institution: University of Alberta

Language: English

Topic: Structural Load-Bearing Analysis

Subfield: Civil and Structural Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,510