Reinforcement of timber joints using polymers

Wood is a relatively soft structural material. One approach to improve wood joint performance is to reinforce the wood around the joint hole. The objective of this study was to improve the performance of dowel-type wood joints by reinforcing the drill hole surface with a polymer.;Using X-ray densitometry the polymer penetration of furan and polyester styrene was established. The polymer formulation and preparation parameter that provided the greatest strength gain was polyester styrene, 1.6 mm thick, on the surface of the "roughened" joint hole. This arrangement provided a 27.4% strength increase compared to the controls.;Key words. polymer reinforced timber joints, double shear dowel joint, polyester styrene polymer, X-ray densitometry.;The research approach was to identify candidate polymers, optimize their formulation with additives, develop an application procedure, and identify the joint preparation parameters that influence polymer joint strength. Double-shear, single-fastener wood joints were loaded parallel-to-grain. The structural performance of the joints was characterized by joint strength, initial stiffness and ductility.