Abstract：The wood beams and columns were connected into moment frame system with large lateral stiffness and ductility by the energy dissipation joints of Q235 steel. Compared to traditional Chinese wooden structures, the proposed structure has higher loading capacity because no mortise tenon connection is needed to joint columns and beams without weakened section of wooden members. Compared to the timber structures commonly used in North America, the buildings with the proposed structure are easier to be partitioned and are more economical without wooden shear wall to offer lateral stiffness. The structural analysis of a demo house with the system and the pseudo-static experiments for full scale joints were conducted. The results show that the joints have good capability to consume input energy by steel plastic deformation. The structure deflection can fulfill the requirements of the current code for seismic building design when the normal load combinations with frequency earthquake action were taken into account. Subjected to rare earthquake action, the plastic structure deformations are restricted in the joints with story drift less than 1/50 which is the criteria requirement of the code. The wooden frame with energy dissipation joints can meet the seismic fortification criterion of Chinese code.
2013, Vol. 34 
