Enhancing the performance of light-frame wood studs using glass fibre-reinforced polymers

Abstract

An experimental program was undertaken to investigate the flexural performance of forty-eight unreinforced and glass fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) reinforced Spruce-Pine-Fir No. 2 grade individual wood studs. In general, it was found that the GFRP contributed to reducing the damage region, especially when both reinforcement and confinement were utilized. The simple tension reinforcement did not provide any significant improvement to the post-peak behaviour and resulting in a brittle failure, similar to that observed in the unreinforced studs. Other reinforcement options, particularly those consisting of U-shaped reinforcement on the tension face with and without confinement, significantly increased the average flexural strength and stiffness of the stud by a factor of 2.4 and 1.8 times those obtained in the unreinforced studs, respectively. Significant ductility ratios, in the range of 1.4–3.9, were also observed in these reinforced configurations. Weaker specimens experienced greater increases in strength and reduction in variability when reinforced. Based on these observations, six full-scale light-frame stud walls reinforced with FRP were tested dynamically under simulated blast loading. The results showed that the walls reinforced with FRP performed better and had relatively less damage while dissipating, on average, twice the energy dissipated by the unreinforced walls. The observed failure modes of the reinforced walls were consistent with the static failure modes of the individual reinforced studs.