FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF TENSILE LOAD RESISTANCE OF MORTISE-AND-TENON JOINTS CONSIDERING TENON FIT EFFECTS

Effects of tenon fit in its width direction on the tensile load-deflection behavior of T-shaped, round-end, mortise-and-tenon joints were investigated experimentally and analytically. Finite element method (FEM) 3D modeling technique as an analytical tool was used to model the tensile load-deformation behavior of T-shaped, round-end, mortise-and-tenon joints. Experimental results indicated that mean ultimate tensile loads and stiffness of evaluated mortise-and-tenon increased significantly as tenon fit increased from 0 to 0.2 mm with an increment of 0.1 mm. The measured glue-line thickness between mortise-andtenon contact surface was found to be a good indicator of tensile load resistance performance of mortise-andtenon joints evaluated in this study. FEM modeling technique was verified as a valid analytical tool for prediction of tensile load resistances of T-shaped, round-end, mortise-and-tenon joints.