Structural repair of decayed old timber end beams

Abstract

Timber end-beams represent portions with high risk of degradation due to biotic agents like rot fungi and insect attacks. Different repair techniques are available, with distinctive level of intrusion, but the substitution of the damaged part with a solid wood prosthesis is a methodology well accepted. The connection of the prosthesis to the original member can use screws, binding strips, stirrups and glued-in rods. Despite it is possible to find different case studies in literature, no study is known for the case of maritime pine beams and pros-thesis connected with glued-in steel rods. This works intends to fill this gap by presenting an experimental campaign aimed to evaluate a technique to repair timber end beams through the use of wood prosthesis connected to the original element by glued-in steel rods. For comparison purposes, the addition of new timber elements connected by screws is also evaluated as its represents a current practice in Portugal.