What is tenon-mortise structure?

Mortise and tenon is a main structural mode of traditional buildings, furniture and other appliances in China, and it is a connection mode of concave-convex combination of two components.

Mortise and tenon are a very ingenious invention. This connection mode of members makes the traditional wood structure in China become a special flexible structure beyond the bent, frame or steel frame of contemporary buildings. It can not only bear a large load, but also allow some deformation, which can offset some seismic energy under earthquake load and reduce the seismic response of the structure.

Types of tenons and mortises

One is mainly surface bonding, or two edges bonding, or surface and edge bonding. Such as notch tenon, tongue-and-groove tenon, dovetail joint, tenon piercing and tenon tying.

The other is a structural method as a "point". Mainly used for T-joints, angle joints, cross joints of horizontal and vertical beams, expansion joints of straight beams and curved beams. Such as grid shoulder tenon, double tenon, double clamping tenon, hook tenon, wedge tenon, half tenon, through tenon, etc.

There is also a construction method that combines three components and connects them with each other. This method is more complicated and special besides using some tenon-mortise combined structures mentioned above. For example, there are common tenors, long and short tenors, shoulder tenors, and zong jiao tenors.