Design and analysis of dissipative seismic resistant heavy timber frame structures equipped with steel links

The recent development of timber structures, thanks to new materials more and more efficient from the mechanical point of view, allows the application, as seismic resistant systems, of both framed and braced multistory multispan timber structures, which are already well consolidated in the field of steel constructions, they offering excellent seismic performances. Although materials are different, the structural systems have the similarity to be assemblage of structural members connected each other. Therefore it is possible to apply the same seismic design approach, by transferring the knowhow from steel to timber structures and adapting the design rules to the peculiarities of timber. In particular the seismic design parameters are to be calibrated and the dissipative zones to be characterized, they being the connections themselves or specific dissipative devices. In this context, the paper deals with the application of steel links for the development of seismic resistant dissipative heavy timber frames: steel links have the aim of dissipating seismic energy, while timber elements and steel connections remain in the elastic field, according to capacity design. Specifically, 2D single-storey timber structures equipped with dissipative links, in different structural configurations, are studied. They have been designed through linear dynamic analyses. Therefore, non-linear static analyses are performed, using the structural calculation program SAP2000, with the aim of evaluating the global behaviour and determining the behaviour factors for each structural type. The study proves the suitability and the efficiency of the proposed system and design procedure.