FRACTURE AND DELAYED FRACTURE OF NOTCHED BEAMS

摘要

Duration of load tests were made on wood notched beams under varying climate (outdoor) and constant climate. Experimental results show that air humidity variations greatly influence the lifetime as shown by differences obtained between sealed and unsealed beams. A theoretical model derived from Schapery analysis was developed to take into account variations of moisture content at crack tip. Simulations confirm that moisture content variations seem to reduce the duration of load.