Determining Suitable Spacings and Distances for Self-tapping Screws by Experimental and Numerical Studies

For the determination of suitable spacings, end and edge distances as well as of the corresponding timber thickness for self-tapping screws extensive conventional insertion tests have to be carried out. In order to reduce the effort of these tests a calculation method was developed which allows an estimation of the splitting behaviour of timber during the insertion process. Therefore the forces exerting on the timber during the insertion were determined using a new test method.