Structural performance of large-scale dowelled CLT connections under monotonic and cyclic loading

It was also found that connection strength can be significantly improved by replacing the outer timber laminations with Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) laminations or by using a wider dowel spacing. Furthermore, the LVL laminations also increased the connection's ductility by a factor of 1.3 under cyclic loading and a factor of 1.4 under monotonic loading. Based on test observations, for dowelled connections it is recommended to use bolts or dowels with threaded ends with nuts and washers in the end row of the connection to avoid opening up of the laminations, thus improving the overall connection behavior.