This paper reports on experimental research aimed at increasing the shear capacity of glued-laminated beams constructed of finger-jointed lumber. To increase the shear strength, a series of fiber reinforced polymeric (FRP) composite pins are inserted into holes drilled transversely across the plies of the glulam. These pins are epoxy bonded into place after the glulam has been produced. Experiments on six sets of small-scale specimens show that mean failure loads are increased around 10% by the transverse pinning technique. Significant reductions in failure load variability lead to much great increases in characteristic values for the five combinations of pin diameter and spacing tested to date.The scheme also shows promise for aiding in engagement of composite plies into the laminate stack. Previous research has shown that the bonding between wood and FRP plies requires the use of specialized adhesives and has potential long-term durability problems. The pinning technology reported on in this work shows promise in providing a means for direct engagement (through bearing of the pins) of the FRP plies to the wood plies.
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