Predictive model associated to wood infrastructures damaging

Overview & Synopsis

Glulam moisture sensitivity is characterized by biological degradations at high humidity rates or cracks, delamination and internal stresses caused by humidity variations leading to a loss of properties. An integrated system, developed during two theses, allows us to record Moisture Content (MC) with patch type sensors using resistive measurement method and stresses in glue joints using strain gauges, both embedded within the thickness of the glue joints. Long Term experiments are currently conducted in real climatic conditions with loaded and unloaded beams exposed in an outdoor application. The objective is to correlate the effects of real-life wetting/drying (W/D) cycles combined with duration of load effects on the mechanical properties. The running experiment started in august 2020 with 198 30x30x480mm model glulam beams. The bending strength of our samples is evaluated to compare our data with accelerated aging tests conducted in climatic chamber. MC measurement during accelerated W/D cycles showed encouraging results to predict the actual condition of glulam.