Shear Strength in Structural Composite Lumber

A study has been conducted to evaluate the shear strength of 44 × 184 mm and 44 × 305 mm laminated veneer lumber and parallel strand lumber using ASTM shear block tests, center-point bending tests, and five-point bending tests. In the center-point bending tests of specimens with joist orientation, the specimens have been remanufactured into “I” shapes to promote longitudinal shear failures rather than bending failures. The ratio between the average apparent shear strength from the five-point and center-point loading tests ranges from 1.34 to 1.53. Similarly, the ratio between the average apparent shear strength from the five-point loading tests and the ASTM block shear tests ranges from 1.03 to 1.39.