Holz als Roh- und Werkstoff (2005) 63: 342–346

DOI 10.1007/s00107-005-0016-5

ORIGINALARBEITEN · ORIGINALS

Johan Jönsson

Load carrying capacity of curved glulam beams reinforced

with self-tapping screws

Published online: 29 Juli 2005

© Springer-Verlag 2005

Abstract The aim of this research was to determine the load

carrying capacity of curved glulam beams reinforced perpendi-
cular to grain and subjected to climate induced internal stres-
ses. The self-tapping screws used as reinforcement prevent the
glulam to split along the grain causing failure perpendicular
to grain. Different tests were performed; specimens seasoned
in dry and moist climate, specimens exposed to single climate
change and reinforced specimens seasoned in a dry and mo-
ist climate. Specimens without reinforcement where tested to
failure and then reinforced and tested again. From the tests it
can be concluded that reinforcement improves the capacity of
the beam in some cases up to 50% compared to unreinforced
beams. The effect of moisture gradients on the capacity is signi-
ficant and the worst case is when the beams are in a moistening
phase.
Zusammenfassung In dieser Untersuchung sollte die Trag-
fähigkeit gebogener, senkrecht zur Faserrichtung verstärkter
Brettschichtholzträger (BS-Träger) bestimmt werden, die kli-
matisch bedingten inneren Spannungen ausgesetzt sind. Dabei
verhindern die selbstbohrenden Schrauben ein Aufreißen der
BS-Träger in Faserlängsrichtung und ein dadurch verursachtes
Querzugversagen. Verschiedene Versuche wurden durchgeführt:
Versuche mit Prüfkörpern in trockenem und feuchtem Wech-
selklima, Versuche mit Prüfkörpern, die während der Lagerung
nur einem einzelnen Klimawechsel ausgesetzt wurden sowie
Versuche mit verstärkten Prüfkörpern in trockenem und feuch-
tem Wechselklima. Prüfkörper ohne Verstärkung wurden bis
zum Versagen belastet, anschließend verstärkt und ein weite-
res Mal geprüft. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Verstärkung
der BS-Träger deren Tragfähigkeit um bis zu 50% steigert.
Der Einfluss der Holzfeuchte-Gradienten auf die Tragfähigkeit
ist signifikant, wobei der ungünstigste Fall die Befeuchtungs-
phase ist.
1 Introduction
The weakest link in timber structures is often the tensile strength
perpendicular to grain; hence understanding the mechanism be-
hind tensile stresses perpendicular to grain is crucial. These stres-
ses are caused not only by external forces such as dead weight,
wind- and snow load but also by climate changes inducing ei-
genstresses. According to Ranta-Maunus (2003), moisture action
should be treated as a variable load to be combined with other
load effects i.e. should not be treated as a strength reducing effect.
In Jönsson (2003) a large number of tests were performed on glu-
lam, to study the influence of natural climate change on the stress
distribution. In some cases the stress levels locally exceeded the
characteristic value for several weeks. The fact that moisture indu-
ced stresses are more or less always present means that commonly
used design criteria are associated with large uncertainty. The in-
teraction between moisture induced stresses and stresses induced
by external force was investigated experimentally by Jönsson and
Thelandersson (2003), who found a significant influence on the
capacity in glulam both in a positive and negative way. In the case
when the specimens are in a moistening phase and subjected to ex-
ternal force the stresses in the inner part are added leading to a very
non-uniform stress distribution resulting in lower tensile capacity.
To avoid failure perpendicular to grain in timber structures
for such as pitched, curved and end-notched beams and in beams
with holes the use of reinforcement is often necessary. Typically,
reinforcement is arranged with bolts or glued in rods e.g. for
pitch-cambered beams, see e.g. Blaß and Steck (1999) and Blaß
and Laskewitz (2002). In Kasal and Heiduschke (2004) glued in
glass-fibre composite tubes were used to reinforce small glulam-
arches. Another approach is presented in Dahlblom et al. (1993)
where fibre reinforcement glued on the surface of curved glulam
beams was used.

J. Jönsson (u)
2 Material and Methods
Div. of Structural Engineering, Lund University, Box 118, 221 00 Lund,
Sweden The glulam elements used in the test are shaped as a curved beam
E-mail: johan.jonsson@kstr.lth.se with cross-section 90 × 280 mm2 see Fig. 1. They were manu-

Fig. 1 The geometry of the beam used in the test
Abb. 1 Abmessungen des untersuchten Trägers
factured from standard lamellae 45 × 95 mm of Norway spruce,
which were cut and planed to size 20 × 90 mm2 , see Fig. 2. The
glulam beams were manufactured by Moelven Töreboda Limträ
AB, and taken directly from the production line. The position of
the reinforcing screws in the curved part can be seen in Fig. 1.
Screws made by SFS Intec AG (WT-T-8.2x300) were used. The
screws have two thread segments, each 135 mm long, with diffe-
rent thread leads, which give a prestressing effect. The screws are
placed in a zigzag pattern along the beam with a lateral displace-
ment equal to 1/3 of the beam width.
The criterion for choosing the distance between the screws
was selected to achieve a uniform stress distribution perpendi-
cular to grain in the curved part during loading i.e. the stress
between and near the screws should not differ too much.
This was examined using FE-analysis where the whole struc-
ture, shown in Fig. 1, was modeled. A parameter study was
conducted concerning the distance between screws and the inter-
action between screw and wood.
Fig. 2 Lamellae, sawing pattern and cross section
Abb. 2 Lamellen, Einschnittmuster und Träger-Querschnitt
343
Fig. 3 Distribution of stress perpendicular to grain near the screw, between
two screws and stress distribution without screws. External force 100 kN,
spring stiffness 48 MN/m and distance between screws 110 mm
Abb. 3 Spannungsverteilung im Bereich einer Schraube, zwischen zwei
Schrauben und im Falle keiner Verstärkung. Belastung 100 kN, Federsteifig-
keit 48 MN/m, Schraubenabstand 110 mm
A 2-D linear elastic anisotropic model in transversal and
longitudinal direction was used in a commercial finite element
program, ANSYS. The material properties are taken from Din-
woodie (2000), where the modulus of elasticity in the transverse
and longitudinal direction were set to 430 and 10 700 MPa re-
spectively, the shear modulus to 620 MPa and Poisson’s ratio
0.03. The interaction between wood and screws is modeled as
linear elastic springs acting in the transverse direction. The mo-
dulus of elasticity in the screw is 210 000 MPa.
Analyses showed that the stresses perpendicular to grain in
the curved part of the beam become reasonably uniform if the di-
stance between screws was selected to 110 mm. The results from
this case can be seen in Fig. 3, where the stresses perpendicu-
lar to grain, σ90 , are shown for an applied load F = 100 kN and
spring stiffness 48 MN/m (SFS Intec AG 2003).
The stress is approximately equal between and near the
screws as can be seen in Fig. 3. Figure 3 also shows the impact
on the stress perpendicular to grain due to the screws. The ma-
ximum stress was reduced from 1.51 to 0.97 MPa by reinforcing
the beam. It could also be concluded that increasing the spring
stiffness above 48 MN/m did only influence the stress distribu-
tion marginally.
This study indicates that the distance between the screws
should be approximately 40% of the cross-section height, i.e.
110 mm, to achieve a uniform stress distribution along the cur-
ved part.
3 Test program
The test program was divided into three different types of tests A,
B and C (Table 1). One half of the specimens were seasoned in
RH 40% and the other half in 80%. In A and B the beams were
tested in a seasoned state. In test B the beams were reinforced.
344

Table 1 Test program

Tabelle 1 Versuchsprogramm 4 Results and Discussion
Test Seasoned Climate Total number Days of 4.1 Type A, seasoned in RH 40 and 80%, not reinforced
type at relative exposure of specimens testing
humidity The fracture mode for this type of beam is predominantly ten-
sion perpendicular to grain. The fracture is localised in the lower
A 40% - 81,3 - part of the beam approximately one third from the lower edge
80% - 81,3 -
B 40% - 82 - of the beam. The crack follows a specific lamellae and ends ap-
80% - 82 - proximately where the curvature ends. As shown in Fig. 4, test
C 40% 80% 71 1,3,5,7,11,24,38 results indicate a linear relationship between force and displace-
80% 40% 71 1,3,5,6,11,24,38 ment. The average fracture loads for beams seasoned at RH 40
1 Tested without reinforcement and tested again after failure with and 80% are 120 and 107 kN respectively; implying 12% higher
reinforcement strength for the beams seasoned in the dry climate, see Table 2.
2 Reinforced prior to test
3 Half of the beams were reinforced in the curved part and the other
The stiffness of the beams seasoned at RH 80% is 80% of that for
beams seasoned at RH 40%.
half along the whole beam

In test type C the specimens were affected by internal stres-

ses perpendicular to grain due to climate change. These stresses
as well as moisture distribution and the effect on the capacity
due to eigenstresses are known from a previous study presented
in (Jönsson 2003) and (Jönsson and Thelandersson 2003) where
the same test program was used.
After failure of the non-reinforced beams (A and C) they
were tested again after reinforcing, to investigate the effect on
capacity due to cracking prior to reinforcing.
The beams were tested in a hydraulic testing machine (MTS).
Two concentrated loads, 860 mm apart, were applied as shown
in Fig. 1. The loading was made with a constant displacement
rate of 3 mm/min leading to failure in 5 to 10 minutes. During
testing the beam was braced against lateral deflection at the apex
of the beam. The beam and the yoke (transferring the load from
MTS to the beam) were both applied on a fixed knife support on
one side and roller support on the other side.
The maximum tensile stress perpendicular to grain in curved
beams are calculated according to
Fig. 4 Typical force-displacement diagram, prereinforced, not reinforced and
3M
σ90 = reinforced after failure and tested again. Seasoned at RH 80% and distance
2rmean bh between screws 110 mm
Abb. 4 Typische Kraft-Durchbiegungskurven; verstärkt, nicht verstärkt und
where M is the applied constant moment, rmean the mean radius nach dem Versagen verstärkt mit erneutem Versuch. Gelagert bei 80% rela-
of the curved beam and b,h width and height of the beam tiver Feuchte, Schraubenabstand 110 mm

Table 2 Results
Tabelle 2 Ergebnisse Fmean (kN) cov (%) σmean (MPa) Ratio1

A-40 Not reinforced 120 15 1.37 1

A-40 Reinforced 131 5 1.50 1.11
B-40 Prereinforced 169 13 1.93 1.43
C-40-80 Not reinforced 100 20 1.15 –
C-40-80 Reinforced 131 18 1.50 –
A-80 Not reinforced 107 10 1.22 1
A-80 Reinforced 128 7 1.46 1.21
B-80 Prereinforced 160 3 1.83 1.50
C-80-40 Not reinforced 125 13 1.43 –
C-80-40 Reinforced 124.1 19 1.42 –
1 Ratio between Fmean for reinforced and not reinforced beams

4.2 Type A, seasoned in RH 40 and 80%,
reinforced after fracture
Regardless if the reinforcement is limited to the curved part
or along the whole beam, the initial fracture mode is always
shear failure at the end of the beam, see Fig. 5. The shear fai-
lure is initiated by the pre-existing crack. The stiffness of the
beams (RH 80%) is the same as in the previous test (not rein-
forced), for the beams at RH 40% the stiffness after failure is
approximately 90% compared to the unreinforced beams. The
stiffness decreases after the first shear failure which occurs at
70%–80% of the maximum load for the unreinforced beam;
however the deformation capacity is approximately doubled, see
Fig. 4. After the shear failure, which often occurs at both ends,
the beam performs as two parts connected with the screws. When
the beam reaches maximum load the lower lamellae of the top
part is torn apart in flexural type failure. The remaining load
carrying capacity is surprisingly high and in all cases the test
was terminated before a total collapse, the large deformation is
a limit.
The maximum capacity was increased compared to the unre-
inforced beams. The largest effect by the reinforcement can be
seen on the beams seasoned at RH 80%. In this case a 20% in-
crease in strength was found. The corresponding increase for the
other group seasoned at RH 40% was 10%.
Fig. 5 Shear failure at the end of the beam
Abb. 5 Schubversagen am Trägerende
345
Reinforcement along the whole beam did not influence the
maximum load capacity, it merely restricted the lateral deforma-
tion of the upper part of the beam due to shear force. It can also
be concluded that the capacity is marginally higher for the beams
seasoned in the dry climate compared to the ones seasoned in the
moist climate.
4.3 Type B, seasoned in RH 40 and 80%, prereinforced
These test showed the same behaviour as the previous type (Type
A, not reinforced) i.e. linear relationship between force and dis-
placement and a brittle type failure, see Fig. 4. However in most
of the cases, the beams failed in shear instead of tension failure
perpendicular to grain. In one test there was a knot formation at
the lower edge in the middle of the beam causing flexural failure,
which led to lower capacity compared to other beams. The stiff-
ness is the same as for the unreinforced beams. The maximum
capacity increased by 40%–50% compared to the unreinforced
beams; the largest effect can be seen for the beams seasoned in
the moist climate. There is a small difference between the maxi-
mum capacity for the beams seasoned in a dry and moist climate,
only 6% in favour for the dry beams. The shear failure occurring
at the end of the beams is a failure mode related to this particu-
lar test setup. Therefore it can be concluded that effectiveness of
the reinforcement is probably larger than the 50% improvement
observed in these tests.
4.4 Type C. Single climate change,
RH 40 to 80% and RH 80 to 40%
Figure 6 shows the maximum stress at failure for the two groups
of specimens. It can be seen that the specimens in a drying phase
Fig. 6 Stress perpendicular to grain in bending and tension versus day of
test for specimens in a drying and moistening phase and seasoned in RH
40 and 80%. The results from the tension tests are results from a previous
study (Jönsson and Thelandersson 2003)
Abb. 6 Querzugspannungen bei Biege- und Zugversuchen in Abhängig-
keit der Versuchsdauer während einer Trocknungs- und Befeuchtungsphase
sowie bei einer Lagerung in einem Klima mit 40% bzw. 80% relativer
Feuchte. Die Ergebnisse der Zugversuche stammen aus einer früheren Un-
tersuchung (Jonsson und Thelandersson 2003)
346
are stronger than the specimens in a moistening phase. This be-
haviour is known from previous tests conducted on glulam cross-
sections in tension, see Jönsson and Thelandersson (2003), also
shown in Fig. 6. The fracture mode was the same as in Type A,
not reinforced exept for two occasions, day 7 and 11 marked with
a circle, changed to failure in shear i.e. the strength perpendicu-
lar to grain is not the limiting factor. As a reference, the mean
values of the seasoned specimens are also plotted. It can be ob-
served that immediately after changing climate, the capacity for
the moistening specimens decreases compared to the seasoned
specimens in RH 40%. This difference in capacity can be explai-
ned by the interaction between moisture and externally induced
stresses. In the case of moistening the stresses are added in the
inner part leading to a very non-uniform distribution of stress
across the width of the specimen, leading to lower maximum ca-
pacity. In the opposite case with drying, the combined stresses
lead to a more uniform stress distribution i.e. no stress peaks,
which increase the capacity.
The influence of reinforcement after failure shows that the
largest effect in capacity was in the moistening group with a 30%
increase. For the specimens subjected to drying there was no in-
crease, see Table 2.
5 Conclusions
The tests conducted in this study were made to investigate the
effect of reinforcement and climate induced internal stresses per-
pendicular to grain on the capacity in curved glued laminated
beams. The following conclusions can be made
• According to FE-analysis the distance between the screws
should be approximately 40% of the cross-section height i.e.
110 mm to obtain uniform stress distribution in the curved
part of the beam.
• The capacity is increased by 10%–20% when reinforcing the
beams after failure and tested again. The stiffness is also in
the same order of magnitude and the deformation capacity is
increased by approximately a factor 2
• Reinforcing prior to test increased the capacity with
40%–50% and the stiffness was the same as for the unrein-
forced beams.
• The capacity with respect to perpendicular to grain failure is
affected by moisture gradients. If the beam is in a moistening
phase the capacity is almost halved compared to the mean
value of the seasoned specimen.
• Beams subjected to climate change display larger variability
in capacity than seasoned specimens.
• Regarding the test set-up, it can be concluded that due to
the short span the dominating fracture mode after reinforcing
(both before and after testing) is shear. This is no problem in
real structures where larger structures are used and most li-
kely the ultimate failure for reinforced structures should be
in bending, i.e. perpendicular to grain failure can probably be
avoided by reinforcement of the type investigated here.
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