Experimental investigation of aluminum-timber connections with inclined self-tapping screws

• Published in: Advances in structural engineering Vol. 28; no. 12; pp. 2221 - 2236
• Main Authors: Peng, Yifan, Zhu, Mingliang, Hu, Xiangchen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.09.2025
• Subjects: aluminum-timber composite; shear capacity; push-out test; inclined self-tapping screw; failure mechanism
• ISSN: 1369-4332; 2048-4011
• DOI: 10.1177/13694332251319098

This study presents an innovative H-shaped aluminum-timber composite (ATC) beam with beveled flange platform, designed to enhance the positioning and assembly of inclined self-tapping screws. Through push-out tests on dual shear interfaces across 13 groups, we evaluated the load-displacement behaviors and failure mechanisms under various screw layouts. Our findings indicate that longer screws increase shear capacity at a slight stiffness reduction. The decline in shear performance for screws with cylindrical sections is attributed to size shrinkage at the shear plane, although this shape enhances stiffness during initial deformation due to tight contact with H-aluminum drilling holes. A group effect analysis shows that triple rows of screws reduce shear capacity by 25.2% versus a single row, highlighting the impact of screw arrangement on structural integrity. Comparisons with Eurocode 5 theoretical calculations confirm the reliability of our results, highlighting the potential of inclined screws in ATC joints.