| An experimental program was undertaken to test timber bridge stringers strengthened with glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP). Various strengthening schemes were investigated as a means of increasing the load carrying capacity of timber strings in shear, flexure, and a combination of both. Fifty small-scale beams and two full-size timber stringers were tested to evaluate the performance of the various strengthening schemes and to determine which technique was structurally and economically superior. The behavior of the beams is described in terms of: mode of failure, ultimate strength, stiffness, load-deflection, and strain distribution. Based on the experimental results, existing models were evaluated for predicting the shear and bending strength of unreinforced and reinforced timber beams. Life Cycle Cost Analysis was also completed to determine the economic feasibility of strengthening timber bridges with GFRP reinforcement. (Abstract shortened by UMI.). |
