FATIGUE OF TIMBER CONNECTIONS: A REVIEW OF FAILURE MECHANISMS AND DESIGN LIMITATIONS

Paper in proceeding, 2025

Fatigue is a critical factor affecting the long-term structural integrity of buildings and structures, particularly those with, particularly in load-bearing components subjected to frequent cyclic loading. As the use of engineered wood products (EWPs) expands in high-rise structures, bridges, and other infrastructure, understanding fatigue performance is important for ensuring structural reliability and safety. Despite its significance, fatigue remains an under-investigated issue in timber construction, with no standardized design guidelines available. Timber connections are key to overall fatigue performance, with their behavior influenced by geometric design, material composition, anisotropy, natural defects, moisture variation, and creep-all contributing to complex damage accumulation. This paper presents a comprehensive review of fatigue mechanisms in timber structures, focusing on fatigue strength and fatigue-induced damage mechanisms of different kinds of timber connections, highlighting knowledge on fatigue performance for timber structures. The findings of this review help bridge the knowledge gap, promoting the necessity of developing guideline for fatigue-resistant connections in timber to improve long-term performance of timber structures.