Investigation of strengthening laminated timber beams with fiber polymers using numerical methods

In recent years, the use of concrete and steel building materials is increasing with the increasing need for construction. Timber and laminated timber elements, which can be an alternative to these building materials that are environmentally harmful and require a lot of energy in production, are not preferred in our country. The use of laminated timber elements, especially in the construction of large buildings, provides a great advantage both from an environmental and technical point of view. In our country, which is very rich in forests, the preference of timber and laminated timber elements will not only support local economies, but also contribute to the national economy, environmental health and architectural diversity. Within the scope of this thesis, beam elements in which laminated timber element is used as the most preferred element type were investigated. In order for these elements to be strengthened in case of damage or to have better strength properties during production, fibrous polymers and reinforcements have been examined. In the first parts of the study, in which research on the subject of the thesis was carried out, different alternatives were presented and the strengthening methods and types were comprehensively evaluated. In the continuation of the study, the effects of the increase in the area of the fibrous polymer on the maximum load that the beams can carry, the increase in the load carrying capacity and bending stiffness on two groups of beams on which the laminated timber beams are reinforced with fibrous polymers were calculated with an analytical model. The results obtained with the ABAQUS program based on the finite element method were also compared.