The mechanical properties of the monodirectional Gutou mortise-tenon joints of the ancient Chinese traditional timber buildings in the Yangtze River region were studied using the experimental method. Three monodirectional Gutou mortise-tenon joints were designed according to the actual configurations. The failure modes,the hysteretic curves,the skeleton curves, the rotation rigidities, and the energy dissipation capacity of this type of mortise-tenon joints under the low cyclic reversed loading were obtained. The results show that the hysteretic curves of the monodirectional Gutou mortise-tenon joints appear to be Z shape and have obvious pinch effects. During the process of the test,these mortisetenon joints pass orderly through the elastic stage,the yield stage and the failure stage. The energy dissipation capacity of these mortise-tenon joints generally decreases with the increase in the rotation angle. The equivalent viscous damping coefficients of the monodirectional Gutou mortise-tenon joints are between 0. 161 and 0. 193. The results can provide the theoretical base for the computing analysis and repair design of Chinese traditional timber buildings in the Yangtze River region.
