Process development for the manufacture of fiber reinforced wood composites (FRWC)

In this study, the reinforcement of wooden beams with fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP) for restorative and constructive purposes was investigated. Two application-oriented processes were developed and evaluated for the production of static as well as dynamic highly stressed fiber reinforced wood composites (FRWC). For that purpose, spruce wood (Picea abies Karst.) was reinforced with carbon fiber and basalt fiber rovings and the static short-run behavior was tested by a four-point bending test. The results show a significant increase in bending stiffness (66%) and bending strength (54%) even for a small degree of reinforcement (3% and 6% by cross section). A parametric simulation model of the four-point bending test was established to predict the bending stiffness as well as to simulate both material and geometry parameters. The simulated and experimental results show good correlations.