Fire performance of hybrid mass timber beam-end connections with perpendicular-to-wood grain reinforcement

PurposeThe fire resistance of timber structures is heavily dependent on the fire behaviour of the connections between its structural elements. The experimental study presented in this paper aimed to investigate the fire performance of glued-laminated timber beam connections reinforced perpendicular-to-wood grain with self-tapping screws (STS).Design/methodology/approachTwo full-size fire experiments were conducted on glulam beam-end connections loaded in flexure bending. Two connection configurations, each utilizing four steel bolts arranged in two different patterns, were reinforced perpendicular to wood grain using STS. The bolt heads and nuts and the steel plate top and bottom edges were fire protected using wood plugs and strips, respectively. Each connection configuration was loaded to 100% of the ultimate design load of the weakest unreinforced configuration. The test assemblies were exposed to elevated temperatures that followed the CAN/ULC-S101 standard fire time–temperature curve.FindingsThe experimental results show that the influence of the STS was significant as it prevented the occurrence of wood splitting and row shear-out and as a result, increased the fire resistance time of the connections. The time to failure of both connection configurations exceeded the minimum fire resistance rating specified as 45 min for combustible construction in applicable building codes.Originality/valueThe experimental data show the effectiveness of a simple fire protection system (i.e. wood plugs and strips) along with the utilization of STS on the rotational behaviour, charring rate, fire resistance time and failure mode of the proposed hybrid mass timber beam-end connection configurations.

Computational modelling of mechanical response of glulam beams due to moisture inducted delamination

Glued laminated timber beams are nowadays used as load-bearing beams of large-span structures that operate in various humidity conditions. Typical application areas are aqua parks with high humidity as well as market halls with low humidity. It is related to the possibility of the occurrence of cracks typical for the drying of wood, even with such controlled conditions of production technology as glued laminated timber. Cracks visible on the used girders raise doubts as to the safe operation of the structures. The subject of this paper is the computational simulation and the evaluation of the influence of beam delamination on the mechanical response of the structure. The attention was established on a typical two-span beam of constant height with a slight slope to the horizontal. The numerical analysis was carried out for three variants of the location of potential delamination of different scope. The beams were modeled as a problem of the linear theory of elasticity in a plane stress state with orthotropic material properties. The calculations were made in the Abaqus software environment. The results obtained in the paper allow to determine the areas in which the presence of delamination or cracks should be considered dangerous from the point of view of the safety of operation. Computational analysis is helpful in assessing the safety of structures where cracks appear. Theoretical considerations are supplemented by an example from engineering practice.

Monitoring of Beech Glued Laminated Timber and Delamination Resistance of Beech Finger-Joints in Varying Ambient Climates

In this study, varying ambient climates were simulated in a test building by changing temperature and relative humidity. Beech glued laminated timber (glulam, Fagus sylvatica, L.) was freshly installed in the test building and monitoring of the change in wood moisture content of the glulam resulting from the variations in climate was carried out. Subsequently, finger-jointed beech specimens were exposed to the variations in relative humidity measured in the course of the monitoring experiment on a laboratory scale, and thus an alternating climate regime was derived from the conditions in the test building. Its influence on the delamination of the finger-joints was evaluated. In addition, it was examined whether beech finger-joints using commercial adhesive systems fulfil the normative requirements for delamination resistance according to EN 301 (2018) and whether different bonding-wood moisture levels have an effect on the delamination of the finger-joints. In the context of the monitoring experiment, there was a clear moisture gradient in the beech glulam between the inner and near-surface wood. The applied adhesive systems showed almost the same delamination resistance after variation of relative humidity. The normative requirements were met by all PRF-bonded and by most PUR-bonded beech finger-joints with higher bonding wood moisture content.

Physical and mechanical properties of impregnated polystyrene jabon (Anthocephalus cadamba) glulam

Jabon (Anthocephalus cadamba) laminas were impregnated with polystyrene and reached 21.2% polymer loading. The laminas were manufactured for three-layer glued laminated timber (glulam) using isocyanate glue with glue spread 280 g/m2 and cold-press process. For comparison purposes, untreated glulam as control and also solid wood were prepared. The physical-mechanical properties were evaluated according to the Japanese Agricultural Standard (JAS) 234-2003. The results showed that the color of glulam was not different from polystyrene glulam. The density of polystyrene glulam was higher than untreated glulam and solid wood, but the moisture content was lower than the other. The product kinds of solid wood, untreated glulam, and polystyrene glulam did not affect shear strength and modulus of rupture (MOR), while the modulus of elasticity (MOE) of untreated glulam and hardness of polystyrene glulam were the highest values and the other products were not different one each other. Both kinds of glulam fulfilled the Japanese standard in terms of moisture content, MOR, and delamination in hot water, but MOE and shear strength did not. Regarding its advantages, polystyrene glulam could be further developed using a higher wood density.