Abstract
Experiments on the yield strength of pipe connectors made of metal wire, joint pins, pole pipes, multi span insertion joints, and T-clamp joints used in pipe houses were conducted. The strength of connections of a pipe connector made of metal wire was adequate but it had a big difference according to loading direction. Therefore as it is installed, its direction should be taken into consideration. The collapse load of pipes connected with a joint pin was lower than that of single pipes. In the part of frame member at which the great bending moment occurs, the use of joint pin should be avoided. Also experimental results showed that pole pipes for use in a part of frame buried under the ground were safe, and the strength of multi span insertion joints should be increased. The resistant moment of T-clamp was about 13.7% of a single pipe. In case that the external forces acting on left and right rafter are different. a unsymmetrical rotational force is produced at the multi span joint. If it is expected that the actual bending moment on the multi span joint is larger than resistant moment of T-clamp, a reinforcement to safely resist the rotational force is required.