Bending and shear reinforcements for timber beams using GFRP plates

• A procedure is developed for the repair or reinforcement of timber beams.
• This procedure uses fiberglass and cork plates bonded with epoxy resin.
• The proposed experimental technique was tested in two situations.–repairing beam ends: Reinforcement system 1.–repairing and/or reinforcement of the center of the beams: Reinforcement system 2.

The aim of this paper is to present the results from a procedure developed for the repair or reinforcement of timber beams. This procedure uses fiberglass and cork plates bonded with epoxy resin. The proposed experimental technique was tested in two situations: repairing beam ends that had rotted (Reinforcement system 1), and repairing and/or reinforcement of the center of the beam damaged because of a fault or the need to increase the resistance capacity of the timber (Reinforcement system 2). Tests were carried out using Scots pine beams with a size of 50 × 50 × 725 mm3 for the reinforcement system 1, and 50 × 50 × 1000 mm3 for the reinforcement system 2. In both systems, the reinforcements were tested in various situations, and provided effectiveness similar to that of a healthy beam, and an increased load-carrying capacity of up to 50%.