Wood-based composites (WBCs) are an important sector of the US economy. For a WBC product to succeed, understanding its long-term durability, including seasonal variations in temperature and humidity, is critical. Durability is especially important WBCs because they are predominantly made from wood, which is a biological, hygroscopic material that is...
Timber engineering is currently in the midst of a significant evolution due to the rise of mass timber products, like cross-laminated timber (CLT). Increasing numbers of structural engineers are facing the challenge of designing lateral-force-resisting systems (LFRS) for multistory CLT structures. LFRS solutions such as steel frames, concrete cores, or...
Engineers, in practice, are often faced with the challenge of evaluating a fire-damaged structure and developing a rehabilitation and retrofit plan. In order to decide on a rehabilitation and retrofit plan, information on thermal degradation of building materials and connections are vital. A critical knowledge gap exists in terms of...
In many composites, fiber bridging develops as part of the fracture process. Fiber bridging invalidates many toughness evaluation methods such as the ASTM E399 and complicates the identification of crack length, which is a necessary parameter in energy methods. In order to measure the toughness of fiber bridging composites, an...