As iconic structures in Dong ethnic villages of Guizhou, drum towers hold significant cultural and architectural value. However, research on their mechanical behavior, particularly the mechanical performance of their joints, remains limited, with numerical simulation studies lagging behind theoretical and experimental investigations. This study first establishes an orthotropic elastoplastic constitutive model for timber based on experimental data from Chuandou-style timber structures, determining key parameters such as elastic modulus, shear strength, and plastic strain.​Subsequently, a refined finite element model was established using ABAQUS, and its reliability was validated through comparative analysis of stress nephograms, skeleton curves, and other key outcomes with experimental data. The findings provide valuable references for engineering design.