FEASIBILITY OF USING METAL PLATE CONNECTED TIMBERSTRAND LSL JOINTS IN THE TRUSS FABRICATION INDUSTRY

Abstract

Metal plate connectors enhance the load transfer by increasing the bearing area between wood member and the fastener. Because of having many advantages, metal plate connected (MPC) wood trusses have been widely used for over 50 years in many building applications especially in prefabricated homes. In this study, the possibility of using Timberstrand® laminated strand lumber (LSL) as a raw material was investigated. The behavior and the performance of metal plate connected Timberstrand connections loaded perpendicular to the grain in tension and shear at 0o, 45o and 90o orientations has been examined in accordance with ANSI TPI 1995 standards. According to the test results, Timberstrand joints performed better than solid southern pine joints in both tension (51%) and shear (10%) loading. This means that Timberstrand LSL has a very good potential for use in the truss fabrication industry.