Effect of timber moisture content on bonded-in rods

Concealed bonded-in rods represent one example of an efficient joining method for modern structural timber composites and structures, exhibiting properties such as good joint stiffness and strength, reduced end-grain splitting, greater fire resistance and they have the added advantage of being more aesthetically pleasing than other joining methods simply because there is no visible joint. However, the effect of the timber moisture content (MC), at the time of bonding, on the strength of these connections is at present unknown. This paper describes the effect of MC on concealed bonded-in rod connections using ash and oak specimens. It was found that both strength and, in particular, the failure modes of the various specimen combinations were significantly influenced by the MC of the timber at the time of bonding. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.