Glue-laminated bamboo for dowel-type moment-resisting connections

Research efforts have been devoted to glue-laminated bamboo (GLB) as an alternative to engineered timber. However, some research has shown that GLB exhibits brittle failure at smaller displacement when compared with Glulam. To address this issue and enhance the GLB mechanical performance, we propose to use Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) to reinforce the GLB in the moment-resisting connections. A total of 24 GLB connections were tested to discuss the effectiveness of different reinforcement strategies. The test results showed that the connections reinforced by GFRP on both sides underwent significantly higher deformation before reaching the ultimate strength, which demonstrates the enhanced deformability of the connections. The ultimate moment-resisting strength could increase up to 37% compared to the unreinforced ones. Pushover analyses were carried out in this study to understand the effectiveness of different reinforcement strategies on the connections in portal frames, and this justifies the use of double-sided GFRP reinforcement.

Automated summary

The research indicates that reinforcing GLB connections with Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) can significantly improve their deformability and bending strength. Connections reinforced by GFRP on both sides have demonstrated higher deformation capacity and ultimate moment-resisting strength compared to unreinforced connections.