Composite Effect of Bolt-Laminated Sweetgum and Mixed Hardwood Billets

Abstract

Industrial hardwood laminated billets and mats were proposed, manufactured, and tested. The raw material for the mats was structural composite lumber billets manufactured from sweetgum and mixed hardwood lumber. Each mat consisted of three bolt-laminated billets. Both billets and mats were tested in third-point bending across a 1.87-m span. The span-to-depth ratio was 21. Results showed that bolt laminating contributes significantly to mechanical performance as compared to that of individual billets.