Bonding of FRP materials to wood using thin epoxy gluelines

The use of fibre-reinforced polymers (FRPs) in the construction industry is becoming increasingly common. One application of these materials is in the stiffening and strengthening of glue-laminated timber. The research programme discussed in this paper examined the bonding of commercially available FRPs to wood using three commercial epoxy adhesives. The programme involved comparative testing of non-moisture cycled FRP–wood specimens, non-moisture cycled wood–wood bonded, and solid control specimens with moisture cycled FRP–wood specimens all manufactured using wood from the same boards. Findings showed that with specific adhesives, cost-effective thin bondlines have the capacity to resist severe hygrothermal stresses imposed at the FRP–wood interface. It was further noted that the integrity of the bond depended not only on the epoxy adhesive in question but also on the FRP type.