On the design of timber bolted connections subjected to fire

equations to the prediction of the failure strength of bolted connections in fire conditions. A series of single bolted connections using steel side plates have been heated at constant temperature for several hours, then loaded to failure. The failure loads have been used to determine the embedment strength of the joints at various temperatures over a range of temperatures from ambient to 300°C. These temperature-dependent embedment strengths have also been used in the Johansen’s equations for wood-steel-wood and wood-wood-wood connections and compared with the results for single bolted connections tested over a range of constant temperatures. Comparisons have also been made with the results of several similar connections tested in fire conditions and show considerable promise for predicting failure of such joints. 1