The RSFJ hold-downs were installed in notches at the bottom corners of the CLT wall. The RSFJ was designed and built to be able to accommodate a maximum displacement of 65mm in tension and 15mm in compression. This was due to relatively higher displacement demand in tension compared to the one compression in a hold-down connector.
As shown, the load-deformation behaviour of the shearwall reinforced with RSFJs represents "flag-shaped" hystersis curves which imparts the self-centering behaviour - as well as energy dissipation (the bounded area between hysteretic loops).
See the video gallery for demos
The hysteretic behaviour of the RSFJ was first investigated by testing a series of joint component testing.
For the component testing, all plates were manufactured using mild steel grade 350. Two 20*50*220 mm mild steel stiffeners were welded to the cap plates to restrain them against out of plane bending. The disc springs that have been used in the test have a maximum capacity of 110kN and a maximum deflection of 1.8mm at the flat state. Two high resistant 8.8 bolts with nine spring washers in series per side were used.
The displacement schedule with an average loading rate of 0.5 mm/s was applied to the specimen with different pre-stressing forces and different deflections. The schedule which is based on the previous experiments carried out on the similar slip friction connections includes four reverse cycles at 20%, 40%, 67% and 100% of the maximum targeted displacement.
