Moment strength of truss plate timber connections

Abstract

This report investigates the moment strength of truss plate timber connections and also compares the behaviour of two typical truss plates. The primary truss plate used in the tests is galvanized and has finger-like prongs that grab into the wood when they are attached to the wood. The second truss plate is not galvanized and has teeth-like projections that bite into the wood when attached to the wood. Only one size of timber was tested using the second set of truss plates. Four sizes of timber were tested using the primary galvanized truss plates. It was found that the galvanized truss plate generated a greater moment capacity than the larger galvanized truss plate.