Research On Bearing Capacity Of Light Wood Truss

In the history of China, timber constructions had been widely used in pagodas, palaces and residential houses. Because foreign wood products and construction systems are introduced to China in recent years, more and more North America light wood frame constructions are built in China. The bearing capacity of this structural system receives much attention of engineering circles in China. Light wood truss is a common structural member in light wood frame constructions, whose bearing capacity has a close relation with the safety performance of the whole structure. In this paper, the working performance and bearing capacity of light wood truss were analyzed so as to provide basis for the design and application of light wood truss in China.This paper introduced the styles, materials and connections of light wood truss. In terms of structural analysis, the influence of joint eccentricity and nonlinear rotational stiffness of truss plate connection were considered. Based on difference joint models of truss plate connection, this paper developed corresponding structure models. For the purpose of understanding the bearing capacity of light wood truss, the load carrying tests for four Howe light wood trusses with 6.1 meters span were carried out so as to know the load- deformation relationship and probable failure modes of wood truss. This paper compared the test results with Chinese current Code for design of timber structures and also analyzed several major factors which influence the bearing capacity of light wood truss.