What a great excuse to dust off my old Fracture Mechanics book ( By T.L. Anderson). While reading ch9 it states that "ASTM committee D20 has developed a standard method for K1c testing of plastics [10]." (pg 362) On the same pg there is a nice stress stain diagram that shows how yield strength...
I realize that the thread is some what old but I thought i might point you to AISC Design guide 01 "Column Base Plates" (I know its steel and we are talking wood) within this design guide AISC discuses friction resistance in resisting shear forces. I believe that they also site some reference...
