Creosote Treatment Effect On Hardwood Glulam Beam Properties

Flexure tests were conducted to determine the effect of creosote treatment on the performance of Combination A northern red oak, yellow poplar, and red maple glued-laminated (glulam) beams. This testing was conducted in accordance with ASTM D198-84 (ASTM 1987a), and the beams were fabricated in accordance with AITC 119-85 (AITC 1986), ANSI/AITC 190.1-83(AITC 1983b), and AITC 200-83 (AITC 1983a). Shear tests were also conducted on samples taken from the beams to determine the glueline shear strength and percent wood failure (WF).There was no significant difference (P < 0.05) between the modulus of rupture (MOR) of creosote-treated and untreated northern red oak beams. However, the MORs of the creosote-treated red maple and yellow poplar beams were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those for untreated beams. There was no significant difference (P < 0.05) between the treated and untreated apparent modulus of elasticity (MOE) of each species. Therefore, the post-fabrication creosote treatment process from 145.92 to 215.76 kg/m3 (9.11 to 13.47 pcf) average weight retention did not adversely affect the strength (MOR) or stiffness (MOE) of northern red oak, red maple, and yellow poplar Combination A glulam beams.Glueline shear strengths for treated and untreated specimens of each species met or exceeded minimum performance criteria in AITC 200-83. Creosote treatment significantly (P < 0.05) increased glueline shear strength of red maple, but had no effect on the shear strength of red oak and yellow poplar specimens. Mean percentage wood failure of treated shear specimens was significantly (P < 0.05) greater than of untreated specimens in each species. Mean percentage wood failures of red oak and yellow poplar gluelines exceeded AITC 200-83 performance criteria; percentage wood failure of untreated (48%) and treated (59%) red maple shear specimens did not meet AITC 200-83 performance criteria