Flexural properties, bonding performance and splitting strength of LVL reinforced with woven glass fiber

In this study, laminated veneer lumber (LVL) and reinforced LVL (RLVL) with interwoven glass fibers were produced from poplar veneers (Populus x euramericana I-214) using phenol formaldehyde as the adhesive. Tests were performed on LVL and RLVL to determine their modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity, specific modulus of rupture, specific modulus of elasticity, tensile shear strengths, and splitting strengths. Thus, the objective of the investigation was to determine how reinforcing LVL with woven glass fibers affected its flexural properties, bonding performance and splitting strengths. The results showed that reinforcement with woven glass fibers increased the modulus of rupture and modulus of elasticity, and the splitting strength of RLVL was significantly greater than that of LVL. Another result was that the density of the reinforced LVL was increased significantly. Conversely, the reinforcement resulted in significant decreases in the specific modulus of rupture and the specific modulus of elasticity. Based on the experimental results that were obtained, it can be said that the reinforcement of LVL with woven glass fibers had some positive effects and some negative effects on the mechanical properties that were tested. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.