Glue laminated timber beams in pinus: analytical and experimental study of flexural stiffness

Abstract

In the current global scenario, where demand for sustainable development is paramount, the prestige associated with the applicability of wood as a primary structural element on a scale never before achieved characterizes it as the building material of the 21st century. This is due to its structural, economic, energetic, and environmental principles, and abundant availability in nature. Among the new wood-based products, significant attention is directed toward the Glued Laminated Timber (Glulam) structural system, owing to its enhanced strength characteristics. As this construction system gains momentum in the Brazilian Civil Engineering sector, the technological classification of mechanical properties becomes a critical point for the effectiveness of its implementation, both in terms of quality control and compatibility with the resistance parameters mandated by prevailing regulations. Thus, the objective of this present study is to investigate, through statistical analyses, the characterization of the mechanical parameter of the Elastic Modulus of eight Glulam beams, fabricated using Pinus conifer wood and monocomponent polyurethane adhesive material. This investigation is conducted via non-destructive experimental flexural and static tests, considering a predefined maximum displacement as the stopping criterion, along with the analytical method of transformed section, as proposed by the Brazilian standard ABNT NBR 7190:2011. The results of experimental characterization in structural dimensions and analytical predictions exhibit a high statistical agreement, with a strong correlation of approximately 79.0%.