Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Critical review on the assessment of glulam structures using shear core samples

  • Application based
  • Published:
Journal of Civil Structural Health Monitoring Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The problem of making inference on the performance of glued-laminated timber beams based on the shear strength of core samples is discussed. For the assessment of glued-laminated beams in existing structures, engineers are left with little guidance; often the standard for shear test of glue-lines (EN 392) is applied to evaluate aged or damaged components. Since the quality of the glue-line can vary significantly within and between members, multiple samples must be taken to get global estimates. The inherent limitations of the procedure are illustrated by the case study presented herein. Samples were taken from the beams of a decommissioned skating rink in Switzerland on different structural levels. A total of 20 bending and 128 shear tests were carried out on a representative large scale; additionally, 728 shear tests on small-scale core samples were conducted. The results demonstrate that core samples can be used to derive the local shear strength of glue-lines; however, no correlation with the shear and bending strength of adjacent large-scale beam sections was found. The results demonstrate that the common practice of assessing glued laminated timber based on the glue-line strength of core samples has to be critically re-evaluated; practical recommendations on how to improve the assessment are given.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kasal B, Tannert T (2011) RILEM state-of-the-art report 7. In: Kasal B, Tannert T (eds). In situ assessment of timber. Springer, New York. ISBN 978-94-007-0559-3

    Book  Google Scholar 

  2. Dietsch P, Köhler J (2010) Report COST Action E55. In: Methods for the assessment of timber structures. Shaker, Munich. ISBN 978-3-8322-9513-4

  3. Kasal B, Anthony RW (2004) Advances in in situ evaluation of timber structures. Prog Struct Eng Mater 6:94–103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Winter S, Kreuzinger H (2008) The Bad Reichenhall ice-arena collapse and the necessary consequences for wide span timber structures. In: Proceedings of tenth world conference on timber engineering, June 2–5, Miyazaki, Japan

  5. Frese M, Blass HJ (2011) Statistics of damages to timber structures in Germany. Eng Struct. doi:10.1016/j.engstruct.2011.02.030

  6. EN 391 (2001) Glued laminated timber. Delamination test of glue lines. European Committee for Standardization (CEN), Brussels

  7. EN 392 (1995) Glued laminated timber. Shear test of glue-lines. European Committee for Standardization (CEN), Brussels

  8. Aicher S, Dill-Langer G (2008) Non-destructive detection of glue line defects in glued laminated timber. In: Proceedings of tenth world conference on timber engineering, June 2–5, Miyazaki, Japan

  9. Sanabria SJ, Mueller C, Neuenschwander J, Niemz P, Sennhauser U (2011) Air-coupled ultrasound as an accurate and reproducible method for bonding assessment of glued timber. Wood Sci Technol. doi:10.1007/s00226-010-0357-z

  10. ASTM D 905-03 (2003) Standard test method for strength properties of adhesive bonds in shear by compression loading. ASTM International, West Conshohocken

  11. Tannert T (2011) Shear test of glue lines, chap 6. In: Kasal B, Tannert T (eds) RILEM state of the art reports, vol 7. doi:10.1007/978-94-007-0560-9

  12. EN 386 (2001) Glued laminated timber. In: Performance requirements and minimum production requirements. European Committee for Standardization (CEN), Brussels

  13. ASTM D 5266 (2003) Standard practice for estimating the percentage of wood failure in adhesive bonded joints. ASTM International, West Conshohocken

  14. CSA/A370/SC05.3 (2002) Wood failure round robin report. Canadian Standards Association. Mississauga, Ontario

  15. Yang Y, Gong M, Chui YH (2008) A new image analysis algorithm for calculating percentage wood failure. Holzforschung 62:248–251

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Gaspar F, Cruz H, Gomes A (2008) Evaluation of glued laminated timber structures—core extraction and shear testing. In: Proceedings of tenth world conference on timber engineering, June 2–5, Miyazaki, Japan

  17. Selbo ML (1962) A new method for testing glue joints of laminated timber in service. For Prod J 12:65–67

    Google Scholar 

  18. Outinen K, Koponen S (2001) Drilled shear specimen (DSS). In: Proceedings of conference on COST E13, Edinburgh, Scotland

  19. Brüninghoff H (2007) Reinforcement/rehabilitation of glulam structures. In: Proceedings of international Holzbauforum. Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany

  20. Steiger R, Risi W, Gehri E (2007) Quality control of glulam: shear tests of glue-lines. In: Proceedings of fortieth meeting CIB-W18. Bled, Slovenia, Paper 40-12-7

  21. Feuerer M (2009) Beurteilung von Brettschichtholz im Bestand Beziehungen von Kleinproben und Tragwerk. Diploma thesis, Technical University Munich, Germany

  22. Scharmacher F (2011) Untersuchungsmethoden zur Bestimmung der Klebstofffugenqualität. Zulassungsarbeit zum MSE Bericht Nr. 2783-PB-01, Bern University of Applied Sciences

  23. EN 408 (2003) Timber structures: structural timber and glued laminated timber—determination of some physical and mechanical properties. European Committee for Standardization (CEN), Brussels

  24. Vallée T, Tannert T, Murcia J, Quinn D (2010) Influence of stress reduction methods on the strength of adhesively bonded joints composed of brittle adherends. Int J Adhes Adhes 30(7):583–594

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Tannert T, Vallée T, Hehl S (2012) Experimental and numerical investigations on adhesively bonded timber joints. Wood Sci Technol 46:579–590. doi:10.1007/s00226-011-0423-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Khokhar A, Zhang H, Ridley-Ellis D (2010) The shear strength, and failure modes, of timber joists obtained from the torsion test method. In: Proceedings of 11th world conference on timber engineering, June 20–24, Riva del Garda, Italy

  27. Gupta RL, Heck R, Miller TH (2002) Experimental evaluation of the torsion test for determining shear strength of structural lumber. J Test Eval 30(4):283–290

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

    Thomas Tannert

  2. College of Engineering and Architecture, Fribourg, Switzerland

    Till Vallée

  3. Bern University of Applied Sciences, Biel, Switzerland

    Andreas Müller

Authors
  1. Thomas Tannert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Till Vallée
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Andreas Müller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Thomas Tannert.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tannert, T., Vallée, T. & Müller, A. Critical review on the assessment of glulam structures using shear core samples. J Civil Struct Health Monit 2, 65–72 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13349-012-0016-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13349-012-0016-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation