Computational examination of the effect of Beech LVL reinforcing modules on the bending stress of glulam beams with shear failure

Reinforcing modules made of Beech LVL and screwed on a glulam beam with shear failure in a truss-like pattern were experimentally examined regarding its suitability to reduce the bending stress increase, which is caused by a separation of the beam into two halves. The results show sufficient load-carrying capacity and purposeful axial stiffness of the reinforcing modules to provide a truss-like load transfer of the original shear flow. The reinforcement effect of the modules on the load-carrying behaviour was examined computationally. In doing so, the study focuses on the influence of the number of reinforcing modules and the influence of the magnitude of the static friction coefficient, effective in the interface between the beam halves, on the varying bending stress. The computational results obtained by means of an idealised finite element model show that the reinforcing modules effectively limit the arising bending stresses.