DOI: 10.11648/j.wjmst.20260302.11 ISSN: 3070-1546

Performance Evaluation of Timber Beams Clamped with Plates and Varying Reinforcement Diameter Under Mechanical Loading

Ibrahim Olayinka, Samuel Ogiemile, Wasiu John
Show PDF Cite
Timber, while a sustainable and widely available construction material, is inherently weaker in tension compared to steel or concrete. This study experimentally investigates the strengthening of timber beams using steel bar reinforcement and clamping plates under mechanical loading. The performance was evaluated by testing beams with 8 mm, 10 mm, and 12 mm diameter steel bars against an unreinforced control. The results demonstrate significant improvements in all key mechanical properties. In flexural strength, the 12 mm reinforced beam achieved a peak of 2.4409 N/mm 2 , a 15.6% increase over the unreinforced baseline of 2.112 N/mm 2 . Tensile strength showed the most dramatic gain, with the failure load surging from 14.045 kN for the 8 mm bar to 53.818 kN for the 12 mm bar with a 283% increase. Compressive strength also improved, with the 12 mm reinforced specimen reaching 22.187 N/mm 2 compared to 16.393 N/mm 2 for the control. A key finding was the trend of diminishing returns; the flexural strength difference between the 10 mm and 12 mm bars was only ~0.86%, indicating a performance plateau. Furthermore, increased reinforcement led to a stiffer response, reducing the time to failure in tension from 36.67 seconds (8 mm) to 32.04 seconds (12 mm). The use of clamped steel plates was critical in facilitating efficient load transfer and preventing premature failure. It is concluded that while larger reinforcement diameters enhance performance, a 10 mm bar offers the most cost-effective and practical solution for optimal strength gains in reinforced timber beam design.

More from our Archive