InTrans / Aug 14, 2018
Initial tests of Kevlar prestressed timber beams
The high strength, high modulus of elasticity, and the increased availability of composite fibers and fiber reinforced plastics makes them a fitting candidate for reinforcement in many structural timber components. Advanced methods of wood construction utilizing composite reinforcement may enable timber to be put to more efficient structural applications. In this work, the authors establish a procedure for reinforcing glued
laminated timber beams by bonding woven layers of non-stressed and prestressed bare unidirectional Kevlar fibers between selected laminations. This research evaluates the flexural performance of the reinforced and prestressed beams as compared to similar unreinforced control beams. Additional
studies are presented that examine the shear strength of the Kevlar-wood bond, finger joint effects, and time-dependent behavior of the non-stressed and prestressed Kevlar reinforced timber beams.