Structural Evaluation of the Second Oldest Glued-Laminated Structure in the United States

Abstract

The second glued-laminated structure built in the United States was constructed at the USDA Forest Products Laboratory (FPL) in 1934 to demonstrate the performance of wooden arch buildings. After decades of use the structure was decommissioned in 2010. Shortly after construction, researchers structurally evaluated the glued-laminated arch structure for uniform loading on the center arch. This structural system evaluation was added to the existing laboratory work on glued-laminated arches to develop the foundation on which the current glued-laminated arch design criteria is based. After decommisioning, recovered arches were tested in the laboratory to evaluate the loss of structural performance. Loss of structural performance was evaluated by comparing original and current deformation. Based on a preliminary visual and structural assessment, the degradation of structural performance was minimal in the arches, except for one arch that was exposed to a significant amount of water resulting from fighting a building fire.

Citation

Rammer, Douglas R.; Moura, Jorge de Melo. 2013. Structural evaluation of the second oldest glued-laminated structure in the United States. In: Proceedings, 18th International Nondestructive Testing and Evaluation of Wood Symposium. Madison, WI. Sept. 24-27, 2013. General Technical Report FPL-GTR-226. Madison, WI: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory: 269-276.