Systematisation of timber-concrete composite connections

Medium rise commercial and multi-residential buildings (up to eight stories) represent significant markets that the timber industry can potentially penetrate. This is possible with the availability of advanced engineered wood product and ‘new generation’ composite structures. From the mid 2000’s, the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), in partnership with universities and industry key-players in Australia and New Zealand has been active in investigating innovative structural systems that utilise timber promote the use of timber material in non-residential buildings. UTS research focuses on floor structures that include timber and timber-concrete composite (TCC) solutions. This paper presents the current state of this research that is in progress at UTS. It discusses the test results of a parametric study on notched connections. The implementation of the findings to date into a design procedure developed at UTS is also presented, incorporating the identification of a pair of connection systems whose structural properties, constructability and cost are favourable.