SHEAR REINFORCEMENT OF WOOD BEAMS WITH POLYMER COMPOSITE MATERIALS

A large market exists in states such as Michigan for short-span wood bridges in which beams are typically shear critical. This paper reports the results of a preliminary study investigating the use of glass fiber reinforced plastic to reinforce short wood beams for shear. E-glass fibers in pre-impregnated, woven and stitched forms were investigated with resorcinol (phenol formaldehyde), epoxy and vinyl ester as resins/adhesives. It is demonstrated that polymer composite shear reinforcement is effective in increasing the overall strength of shear critical beams and providing ductility.