Curved and cambered glulam beams:Part 2. Long term load tests under cyclically varying humidity

In this second part of the test series, creep and long-term strength of curved and cambered glue- laminated timber beams are studied under cyclically varying humidity conditions. The beams are loaded in such a way that the failure is caused by tension perpendicular-to-grain. A total of 24 beams were loaded under long term loading. The tests indicated that the strength of the beams during the four weeks loading time is around 60 % of the short term strength of similar beams, which in turn is higher than predicted by CEN standard -type tension tests. Painted beams showed considerably smaller duration of load effect and less creep. Practically there was no difference between cambered and curved beams in their strength capacity under long term loading