Study of Flexural Behavior of FJLB Beams made of Rubber Wood Species (Hevea Brasiliensis)

Abstract

This study is aimed to determine the flexural behavior of Rubberwood FJLB (finger jointed laminated board) beams as building structural components. It was carried out through experimental approach and numerical analysis on six specimens of FJLB beams having a cross-section of 100 mm by 150 mm and a length of 2850 mm. The experiment was consisted of small specimen tests (BS-373:1957) and four-point bending test (EN-408) with two different cross-sectional orientations (flatwise and edgewise). The numerical analysis was performed by conducting 2-D finite element analysis developed in MATLAB program based on plane stress assumption. It was found that the average flexural capacity of beams tested under edgewise orientation was 24.6 kN, which is higher than that of the beams tested under flatwise orientation, 19.7 kN. However, the flexural stress (modulus of rupture) of those beams was about the same. All the beams experienced brittle failure caused by glueline failure between laminas or at finger joints. The results of strain measurement at mid-span of the beams throughout the test showed that the FJLB beams failed within elastic response. This finding was confirmed by the numerical analysis results.