System Reliability of Timber Structures: ductility and redundancy

For reduction of the risk of collapse in the event of loss of structural element(s), a structural engineer may take necessary steps to design a collapse-resistant structure that is insensitive to accidental circumstances e.g. by incorporating characteristics like redundancy, ties, ductility, key elements, alternate load path(s) etc. in the structural design. In general these characteristics can have a positive influence on system reliability of a structure however, in Eurocodes ductility is only awarded for concrete and steel structures but not for timber structures. It is well-know that structural systems can redistribute internal forces due to ductility of a connection, i.e. some additional loads can be carried by the structure. The same effect is also possible for reinforced concrete structures and structures of steel. However, for timber structures codes do not award that ductility will result in a semirigid behavior plus higher level of safety due to a lower probability that premature brittle failures occur and possible redistribution of forces for statically undetermined structures either internally in the joint or to other structural elements. A redistribution of forces, a so-called statical system effect, will usually increase the reliability of the whole structural system and give an extra safety margin compared to the deterministic code results. The aim of this fact sheet is to outline the relationship between system reliability and the characteristics ductility and redundancy.

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