Temperature effect on the mechanical properties of FRP-wood composite

With increasing environmental concern, wood has drawn a global interest as a sustainable structural material. In particular, applying fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) to the tension face of wood beam has been proven as an effective method to achieve strengthening or rehabilitation of wood structures. Although FRP can provide good mechanical enhancement to wood structures, the long-term performance of FRP-wood composite is still a big concern as the deterioration of wood structures is much faster than that of concrete and steel. A comprehensive understanding of the temperature effect on FRP-wood composite is of great importance for a reliable application of FRP strengthening technique. In this paper, the temperature effect on the entire FRP-wood composite has been investigated experimentally. The temperature of environmental chamber for conditioning FRP-wood composites ranges from -5 ^oC to 50 ^oC. Three identical FRP-wood specimens have been conditioned and tested for each temperature scenario. It is found that the mechanical properties of FRP-wood composite changes significantly at different temperature levels. The knowledge from this work can act as a foundation for a more reliable design and maintenance strategy for FRP strengthened wood structures.