Suitability of fingerjoined lumber used in parallel-chord wood trusses

摘要

This paper presents a study on the possible use of fingerjoined lumber in parallel chord wood trusses. Small scale tests were carried out to determine the effect of fingerjoints on truss plate assembly properties and the effect of truss plate assembly on fingerjoints properties. Full size tests carried out on parallel chord wood trusses with planed fingerjoined lumber to ensure that no offset was possible, showed no strength reduction and no significant difference on the failure modes. Even though the small-scale phase results identified some possible reduction in tensile strength of fingerjoined lumber with plates placed in the joint itself, this reduction did not seem to have a significant impact in the specified parallel chord wood truss application. Results are promising for the use of fingerjoined lumber in wood trusses.