Timber construction has become firmly established in the construction of multi-storey residential and office buildings. New challenges arise during planning and execution that do not appear in classical timber engineering training.

In addition to the optimal use of the floor space, the room height plays an important role in relation to the permissible total height of a building. To reduce the beam height, wide cross-sections are often used – a rather atypical solution in timber construction to date. The connections of these compact beams must transfer high loads safely and efficiently to columns or main beams.

Until now, two individual SHERPA system connectors were mounted next to each other. From 2025, there will be a further improved solution: a comprehensive range of connectors in the DUO variant will be available in the standard delivery program. These combine the geometry of individual connectors on a tongue and groove plate. The advantage over two individual connectors lies in the fast and precise assembly.

All load-bearing capacity values and information on bolting and minimum cross-sections are already included in the design guide. According to ETA-12/0067, the DUO connectors can also be verified up to R120. The processing with regard to the joint design, the minimum cross-sections and the residual load-bearing capacities after burning corresponds to that for the single connectors.

With the DUO connectors, load-bearing capacity values of over 600 kN can be easily assembled and with a high degree of reliability. They are therefore the ideal solution for projects with above-average high loads.