Experimental Analysis of the Performance of Doweled Connections Reinforced with Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) in Wood Pinus spp.

Abstract

In line with technological advancements, the construction industry worldwide has sought more efficient building systems in relation to aspects such as increased productivity, reduced material waste and meeting the growing demand. The objective of this research was to use structural joints composed of composite dowels in laminated wood beams as an alternative to connect pieces of wood. Composite materials are composed of a matrix phase and a reinforcement phase and, in civil engineering, are generally applied as reinforcements in concrete structures. This article presents the structural performance of laminated pine timber with composite dowels made of fiber-reinforced polymeric resin (epoxy resin, hardener and glass fiber) (glass-fiber-reinforced polymer, GFRP) with a diameter of 12.5 mm, which was subjected to tensile force in the direction of the connection. For this, an experimental program was carried out that included characterization of the GFRP dowel, characterization of the woods used to make the connection and a tensile test of the connections with the dowels reinforced with fiberglass through a prototype designed specifically for the test. Subsequently, the results were compared with those observed in the literature. In the comparisons, it was possible to conclude that the joints with FRP pins exhibited better performance in terms of shear strength per section than those such as common nails, helical nails (Ardox) and composite structural pins (half-lap, 90°), which were 3.8 mm, 3.4 mm and 6 mm in diameter, respectively. This indicates that this composite material has potential for application in these types of connections. As an original contribution, it proves the feasibility of using this material in dowel joints for wooden structures.

Determination of Bending Moment Resistance of L-Type Doweled Joints Reinforced With Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Woven Fabrics (GFRPWF) and Basalt-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Woven Fabrics (BFRPWF)

“…There are several studies using glass fiber-reinforced polymers and basalt fiber-reinforced polymers as reinforcement reinforcement for wood beams (Yusof and Saleh 2010;Fiorelli et al, 2011;Alhayek et al, 2012;Alshurafa et al, 2012;Morales-Conde et al, 2015;Osmannezhad et al, 2015: O'Ceallaigh et al, 2019Wang et al, 2019;Bywalski et al, 2020;Balmori et al, 2020;Balmori et al, 2021;Karaman, 2021;Camargo et al, 2023;Ezika et al, 2023;Shekarchi et al, 2023).…”

Effects of Fibre-Reinforced Plastic Wedge-Stick Slope on the Performance of Wind-Turbine Blade Root Connections

“…In addition, they have good corrosion resistance and are well-suited for wind power generation under harsh environmental conditions. Camargo et al [22] used structural joints composed of FRP dowels in laminated wood beams as an alternative to connect pieces of wood; it proved the feasibility of using this material in dowel joints for wooden structures. Khelifa et al [23] proposed a technique for modelling steel connections strengthened with FRP and the behaviour of the connection was simulated both under monotonic and cyclic loadings.…”