Development of Cement Bonded Composite Beams

Abstract

The paper reports on the early steps in the development of cement bonded composite beams. The advantage of such products is that they are lighter than reinforced concrete, while more fire-resistant than solid wood or traditional composite beams. Experimental beams were produced to imitate the structure of organic bonded PSL and LSL, using poplar veneer strips and Scots pine strands. In this phase of the research, the aim was to verify that such products are feasible, compare different beam types, and determine the focus for the ongoing development of cement-bonded composite beams. The manufactured beams were found to be fairly lightweight, but their mechanical properties were lower than those of solid wood or composite beams. PSL type beams performed better than cementbonded LSL. Problem areas that caused the relatively poor performance were identified. Further experimental work will be directed at improving the mechanical performance of the beams.