WOOD DOWELS REINFORCEMENT WITH CARBON FIBER POLYMER
Joints. Wood dowels. Timber Structures. Carbon Fiber. Polymeric Resin.
Connections are critical points of wood structures. Their mechanical behavior can conditionate the overall performance of structures. On the face of it, there is a request for materials that can meet the various possible demands. Regarding connectors for wood structures, most of the innovations developed are composed of metal parts. However, metal connectors are subject to corrosion. Corrosion of the metal connectors compromises its durability, influencing the safety of the structure and the sustainable performance of the construction. In this scenario, the wooden pegs constitute a possible alternative to the use of metallic connectors. The objective of this work is to propose a new reinforcement concept for wood dowels forming a new composite with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP). Physical and mechanical characterization of the studied wood were carried out to propose their use based on their structural capacity. In addition, reinforced dowels and link prototypes were fabricated and their mechanical properties investigated through experimental tests. As a result, it was observed that the wood dowels reinforced with carbon fiber obtained a performance as a structural connector superior to the dowels without CFRP. Through analytical and experimental methods, the value of the bending moment was found for unreinforced and reinforced dowels using the proposed technique.