Design and Testing of Glued-Laminated Timber Arched Beam Using Casuarina glauca Wood

With the bloom of construction, there is an increasing need to span larger and larger spans that can be used in workshops, factories, and alike. The traditional go-to solution for large spans is steel due to its strength and fast construction. However, the cost of steel is increasing in addition to the fact that it is a non-ecofriendly material, as its manufacturing incurs tremendous energy consumption. An alternative solution that has not been utilized in Egypt and similar arid countries is wood due to the import of most of the wood in Egypt. The main goal of this study is to develop a large-span curved beam fabricated from laminates of locally grown Casuarina glauca wood that will be a more economical and sustainable alternative to steel structures. Flexural strength tests were performed on scaled beam models to determine the mechanical properties of Casuarina glulam in bending. Test results were used to develop structural analysis models to assess the structural soundness of a main span beam made from such material. The cost-effectiveness and the eco-friendliness of this design alternative are compared to those of steel and concrete.