LAUSR

Abstract Composite timber-concrete connections transfer shear forces between the timber component and the concrete through bolts, which improves the effectiveness of the composite action. This paper investigates the influencing factors of timber-concrete connections under shear tests on the loading-carrying capacity, with a specific focus on the effect of steel pads. A series of connections considering the variables of bolt diameters, glulam timber thickness, and the presence or lack of steel pads was tested under monotonic loading. The failure modes of different components are presented and discussed. The mechanical properties extracted from the tested force–displacement curves, including the initial stiffness, yield force, and maximum load-carrying capacity, are analysed and compared. An analytical model considering the effect of steel pads is derived based on the yield theory. The predicted load-carrying capacity of connections using the deriving formulas is consistent with the tested results, which demonstrates that the proposed method is reliable and accurate. The analysis results will provide insight into the mechanical behaviour of timber-concrete connections and guidance for the composite connection design.