Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Bending Properties of Crimean Pine Glulam Beams

Abstract

Wood is one of the oldest building materials used by mankind. The disadvantages of wood material such as durability and very variable properties can be reduced by lamination technology. Layered timber technology is one of the rational methods that produces added value in wood material. Due to its high mechanical properties and less variable physical properties in the construction sector, laminated timber is used in sports halls, bridges, commercial areas as an alternative building material to traditional building materials. In general, the outer layers are produced from wood material with better mechanical properties, and the inner layers using wood material with low mechanical properties. Species such as Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), Southern pine (Pinus spp.), Hybrid (Larix occidentalis), Spruce (Picea spp.) are used in the production of laminated timber in the USA. In Europe, Norway spruce is mostly seen in laminated timber production. In this study, bending properties of 5-layer glulam beams produced from Crimean Pine wood were investigated. The beams were subjected to a 3-point bending test. As a result of the bending test, the maximum load carrying capacity, bending strength and modulus of elasticity of the beams were investigated. After the experimental study, the beams were modeled and analyzed in the ANSYS end-element software program. Experimental results and finite element modeling analysis results gave close values.