Durability of Posted and Epoxy‐Grouted Timber Piles

Abstract

Posting and epoxy grouting to repair timber piles consists of cutting out the deteriorated section of the pile and replacing it with a new treated pile section. The butt ends of the old and new sections are epoxy‐grouted to produce a permanent bond. To evaluate the effectiveness of this repair procedure, a fouryear study is conducted. In addition to laboratory testing to evaluate strength characteristics of repaired piles, field repair is conducted at a U.S. Forest Service bridge in Louisiana. The bridge is monitored for four years to measure deformations and to track deterioration. During this period no significant deflections occur and there are no signs of decay or debonding. Based on this study, recommendations for the design of posted and epoxy‐grouted piles are given in terms of modified allowable stresses.