Bolted Wood Connections

Agency:

Forest Service

The invention relates to a reinforced wooden structural connection system that significantly enhances connection performance. A reinforcing material is bonded to a wooden substrate in areas of anticipated bolted connections in a sandwich-like configuration to form a reinforced wooden structural member. Suitable reinforcing materials, such as fiberglass sheets, fiber-reinforced plastic sheets, wood laminate sheets, thick coatings of epoxy resin or the like are applied to a wooden substrate with an appropriate adhesive or resin. Connection holes are drilled through the reinforced wooden structural member, either in advance or in the field, where the reinforced wooden structural member is connected to other structural members. This invention is a simple, cost-effective technique which reduces the potential for catastrophic structural failures and, therefore, results in higher ultimate loads. The unique load transfer mechanism results in elastic, rather than fracture failures, thereby preventing wood splitting. The reinforced wooden structural member is lighter, not subject to corrosion, is less expensive than metal reinforced structural members and is more suitable for use in field applications.

Reference:

Please refer to Patent Number 5,501,054, which issued March 26,1996.  Also, see related Patent Numbers 5,852,909; 5,720,143; and 5,575,117.

Inventors:

Robert J. Ross
USDA Forest Service
Forest Products Laboratory
One Gifford Pinchot Drive
Madison, WI 53705-2398
(608) 231-9221

Lawrence Soltis (Retired)