SBIR-STTR Award

The currently used method of stress laminating sawn timber bridge decks possesses a significant stress relaxation problem due to the rod force being applied perpendicular to grain. A laminate is being developed which improves the stress relaxation characteristic of the decking and provides a better dimensionally stable product with potential for material amount and quality savings. An investigation is underway to compare the stress relaxation characteristics of the laminate to that of solid sawn lumber. The investigation also encompasses the effect of a variation of core to face and back material ratio.The potential commercial application as described by the awardee: Research will result in improved stressed timber bridge decking; tensioned timber shell and plate structures; heavy use industrial decking; and garage floors.