STUDY OF CONNECTION OF WOODEN TRUSS JOINTS WITH CARBON FIBER
Truss, wood, carbon fiber, connections, strength.
This work was developed with the objective of analyzing, based on literature review and carrying out experimental tests, the feasibility of using carbon fiber composite and epoxy resin to connect wooden truss nodes, replacing metal connectors. This study arose from the need to find an alternative technique to make the connection between wooden truss elements when exposed to maritime environments and industrial areas, since traditional metallic connectors are susceptible to corrosion in these environments, which would lead to a reduction the reliability of the structure. The use of carbon fiber to reinforce wooden structures was tested in research that demonstrated an increase in the stiffness of the parts directly proportional to the rate of reinforcement with the composite, and it was possible to evaluate the combination of epoxy resin with carbon fiber as a viable technique in comparison with the other composites studied. In this way, the project intends to base the study of wooden trusses with carbon fiber in order to carry out an experimental activity to test the application of the proposed technique for connecting the nodes of a wooden truss with carbon fiber, proving the viability through computer simulation of a real truss, using the experimentally obtained stiffness parameter. This technique meets the Standard requirements, meeting the limit states, and can be an alternative against external environmental corrosion, to reduce the weight of the structure and provide a better cost-benefit ratio in the development of Civil Engineering projects