Structural Response and Analysis of Tooth-Plate Connections in Lightweight Wood Trusses

This study establishes a mechanical model of wood trusses incorporating the slip characteristics of tooth-plate connections, based on their unique load–slip constitutive relationship. By coupling the slip effect into the constitutive equations of dimensional lumber, the model effectively captures the interaction between connection behavior and the overall structural response. A dedicated computational program was developed on the Fortran platform, employing the matrix displacement method as the finite element solution strategy. Numerical simulations were conducted to systematically analyze the internal force distribution of truss members, global deformation patterns, and tooth-plate slip behavior under various loading conditions. Through parametric evaluations, the study elucidates the mechanism by which tooth-plate slip influences structural mechanical performance, providing theoretical support for the design of lightweight wood trusses.