The objectives of this research were twofold: a) to define the relationship between tooth withdrawal and specific gravity for southern pine lumber and four different plate-to-wood load orientations, and b) to demonstrate how these relationships could be applied to new lumber grades to predict tooth withdrawal performance so that additional testing would not be necessary. The four orientations investigated were: a.) LRAA - plate axis parallel to load and wood grain parallel to load. b.) LREA - plate axis perpendicular to load and wood grain parallel to load. c.) LRAE - plate axis parallel to load and wood grain perpendicular to load. d.) LREE - plate axis perpendicular to load and wood grain perpendicular to load. For the LRAA, LREA, LRAE, LREE orientations, the following sample sizes were respectively: 27, 22, 27, and 29. Results showed specific gravity and embedment gap were excellent predictors of ultimate tooth withdrawal stress for the LRAA orientation. However, neither specific gravity nor percentage of latewood significantly influenced the location of tooth withdrawal. For the LREA orientation, specific gravity alone was a good predictor of ultimate tooth withdrawal stress. Furthermore, the side of the joint test specimen where tooth withdrawal initiated was dependent on the wood piece with the lowest mean specific gravity. For the LRAE orientation, specific gravity was a marginal predictor of ultimate tooth withdrawal stress. For the LREE orientation, specific gravity was a decent predictor of ultimate tooth-withdrawal stress. / Master of Science

Several boom segments form the crane boom. These segments are often truss structures formed out of circular hollow sections, which are welded together forming the truss joints. A adequate modelling of these truss joints is very important for operational strength and life. Due to the large boom sizes, efficient models are used in the finite element method, generally built of beam elements. These models have problems capturing the proper bending moments working in the truss joints. This is caused by a insufficient portrayal of the joint stiffness. In the literature several modelling techniques with beam elements are proposed, which capture the joint stiffness better. These different modelling methods are implemented in a parametric boom section and compared with a shell element FE model. From this comparison the most appropriate modelling method is selected, which improve the portrayal of internal loads and nominal stresses. With these improved nominal stress values, it is investigated to implement a different fatigue assessment. The structural stress can be calculated from the nominal stress in combination with stress concentration factor (SCF) equations. To implement the structural stress method as fatigue assessment, several modelling and extrapolation methods have been compared. Which lead to a method for evaluating the structural stress in a efficient matter. This method is compared with existing SCF K truss joint equations, from which a new set of SCF equations is derived. These equations are constructed from a larger dataset, hold a wider validity range and fit better with the FE models. When applying these SCF equations with the improved beam modelling method in a boom section, the structural stress is not adequately captured. This is caused by unsymmetrical stressed braces in the K truss joints. Both the modelling methods and SCF equations account for uniformly stressed braces forming the truss joints. More research needs to be conducted to this uneven behaviour. If the structural stress method needs to be implemented with efficient FE models, submodels out of shell elements combined with beam elements are recommended. For fatigue evaluation with the nominal stress method, beam models which account for the local joint flexibility give sufficient realistic results. / Flera kranarmsegment bildar kranarmen. Dessa segment är ofta fackverk utformade av cirkulära ihåliga profiler, som är sammansvetsade och bildar fackverkslederna. En ordentlig modellering av dessa fackförband är mycket viktig för dess driftsstyrka och livslängd. På grund av storleken används finita elementmetoden, vanligtvis uppbyggt av balkelement. Dessa modeller har problem med att beräkna de korrekta böjmomenten som uppstår i fackverkslederna. Detta orsakas av en otillräcklig beskrivning av ledstyvheten. I litteraturen föreslås flera modelleringstekniker med balkelement som tar hänsyn till ledens styvhet bättre. Dessa olika modelleringsmetoder implementeras i en parametrisk kranarmsektion och jämförs med en FE-modell med skalelement. Med denna jämförelse väljs den mest lämpliga modelleringsmetoden, vilket bör förbättra skildringen av interna belastningar och nominella spänningar. Med dessa förbättrade nominella spänningsvärden, undersöks det att genomföra en annan utmattningsbedömning. Den strukturella spänningen kan beräknas utifrån den nominella spänningen i kombination med spänningskoncentrationsfaktor- (SCF) ekvationerna. För att implementera strukturella spänningsmetoden som utmattningsbedömning, har flera modellerings- och extrapoleringsmetoder jämförts. Detta leder till en metod för att utvärdera den strukturella spänningen effektivt. Denna metod jämförs med befintliga SCF-ekvationer, från vilka en ny uppsättning SCF-ekvationer härleds. Dessa ekvationer är konstruerade från en större datauppsättning, har ett bredare giltighetsområde och passar bättre med FE-modellerna. När man applicerar dessa SCF-ekvationer med den förbättrade balkmodelleringsmetoden i en kranarmsektion, uppsamlas strukturella spänningar inte tillräckligt, detta orsakas av ojämna spänningar i diagonalelementen i fackverkslederna. Både modelleringsmetoderna och SCF-ekvationerna tar hänsyn till jämnt spända diagonalelement som uppstår i fackverkslederna. Mer forskning bör göras över detta ojämna beteende. Om den strukturella spänningsmetoden måste implementeras med effektiva FE-modeller, rekommenderas undermodeller av skalelement kombinerade med balkelement. För utmattningsutvärdering med den nominella spänningsmetoden, ger balkmodeller som tar hänsyn till den lokala ledflexibiliteten tillräckligt realistiska resultat.