Experimental Analysis of the Performance of Doweled Connections Reinforced with Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) in Wood Pinus spp.

In line with technological advancements, the construction industry worldwide has sought more efficient building systems in relation to aspects such as increased productivity, reduced material waste and meeting the growing demand. The objective of this research was to use structural joints composed of composite dowels in laminated wood beams as an alternative to connect pieces of wood. Composite materials are composed of a matrix phase and a reinforcement phase and, in civil engineering, are generally applied as reinforcements in concrete structures. This article presents the structural performance of laminated pine timber with composite dowels made of fiber-reinforced polymeric resin (epoxy resin, hardener and glass fiber) (glass-fiber-reinforced polymer, GFRP) with a diameter of 12.5 mm, which was subjected to tensile force in the direction of the connection. For this, an experimental program was carried out that included characterization of the GFRP dowel, characterization of the woods used to make the connection and a tensile test of the connections with the dowels reinforced with fiberglass through a prototype designed specifically for the test. Subsequently, the results were compared with those observed in the literature. In the comparisons, it was possible to conclude that the joints with FRP pins exhibited better performance in terms of shear strength per section than those such as common nails, helical nails (Ardox) and composite structural pins (half-lap, 90 degrees) which were 3.8 mm, 3.4 mm and 6 mm in diameter, respectively. This indicates that this composite material has potential for application in these types of connections. As an original contribution, it proves the feasibility of using this material in dowel joints for wooden structures.