The tensile splitting capacity of dowelled connections loaded perpendicular to the grain

<p dir="ltr">The dataset underpins an MEng dissertation titled "Capacity of dowelled connections loaded perpendicular to the grain - A study considering South African hardwood and softwood." This study presents a comparative evaluation of existing design models, supported by an experimental investigation examining the influence of various parameters on the capacity of these connections. Across the two timber species considered, 34 connection configurations were tested.

The results demonstrated that Eucalyptus grandis, a hardwood, exhibited superior performance compared to Pinus patula, a softwood, albeit with greater variability in results. The subsequent comparison between model estimations and experimental observations showed that an adjusted version of the draft EN 1995-1-1 (2023) model, adapted to align with SANS 10163-1 (2003), provided the most accurate yet conservative estimations when accounting for result variability in South African softwoods and hardwoods.</p>