Nonlinear aspects of energy dissipation in wood-panel joints

The joints connecting vertical and horizontal elements are the "weak link" in structural systems assembled from wood panels. If they are too weak, local failures may occur, resulting in performance that is significantly below expectations. If they are too resistant, the joints may be unable to dissipate energy during vibrations, thus possibly initiating a fast progressive failure. This paper re-processes and re-elaborates the results of shaking table tests previously carried out by the author and other co-workers. The goal is to assess the feasibility of a joint which is able to dissipate energy during vibration, without degrading the connection performance.