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Experimental Investigation on the Flexural Performance of CFRP-Reinforced Timber Composite Beams.

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Title: Experimental Investigation on the Flexural Performance of CFRP-Reinforced Timber Composite Beams.
Authors: Zhang, Hao1 (AUTHOR), Cao, Yan2 (AUTHOR), Fang, Hai1,3 (AUTHOR), Xie, Honglei1,3 (AUTHOR), Chen, Chen1,2 (AUTHOR) chenchennjut@163.com
Source: Materials (1996-1944). Mar2026, Vol. 19 Issue 6, p1196. 16p.
Subjects: Carbon fiber-reinforced plastics, Timber, Composite construction, Structural engineering, Flexural strength
Abstract: The development of lightweight, high-strength structural systems is a persistent pursuit in modern civil engineering. This paper presents an experimental study on a novel hybrid beam concept in which a sawn timber core is fully bonded with an externally applied Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) laminate, fabricated through a controlled hand lay-up process. The design seeks to exploit the complementary characteristics of the two materials: timber provides compressive resistance and serves as a permanent formwork, while the CFRP carries tensile stresses with high efficiency. Fourteen hybrid beams, with variations in the number of longitudinal CFRP layers (one, two or, three), the presence or absence of longitudinal CFRP layers bonded along the top and bottom surfaces, and the presence or absence of circumferential wrapping in the pure bending region, were tested under four-point bending alongside two solid timber control beams. The results demonstrate that circumferential wrapping is a critical design detail. Wrapped beams consistently failed by tensile rupture of the CFRP—the intended failure mode—and exhibited ultimate moments 15–20% higher than their unwrapped counterparts. Beams with two longitudinal CFRP layers offered the most favorable balance between strength enhancement and material efficiency; adding a third layer shifted the failure mode to crushing of the timber core, indicating a core-limited condition. All hybrid beams showed pronounced linear-elastic behavior up to sudden brittle failure, with performance variability attributable to the inherent inhomogeneity of wood and the sensitivity of the hand lay-up process. The study provides quantitative data and mechanistic insights that support the design and application of bonded CFRP–timber hybrid beams as efficient structural members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Materials (1996-1944) is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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DbLabel: Engineering Source
An: 192591629
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PubTypeId: academicJournal
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  Label: Title
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  Data: Experimental Investigation on the Flexural Performance of CFRP-Reinforced Timber Composite Beams.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhang%2C+Hao%22">Zhang, Hao</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cao%2C+Yan%22">Cao, Yan</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fang%2C+Hai%22">Fang, Hai</searchLink><relatesTo>1,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Xie%2C+Honglei%22">Xie, Honglei</searchLink><relatesTo>1,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chen%2C+Chen%22">Chen, Chen</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> chenchennjut@163.com</i>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Materials+%281996-1944%29%22">Materials (1996-1944)</searchLink>. Mar2026, Vol. 19 Issue 6, p1196. 16p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Carbon+fiber-reinforced+plastics%22">Carbon fiber-reinforced plastics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Timber%22">Timber</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Composite+construction%22">Composite construction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Structural+engineering%22">Structural engineering</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Flexural+strength%22">Flexural strength</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: The development of lightweight, high-strength structural systems is a persistent pursuit in modern civil engineering. This paper presents an experimental study on a novel hybrid beam concept in which a sawn timber core is fully bonded with an externally applied Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) laminate, fabricated through a controlled hand lay-up process. The design seeks to exploit the complementary characteristics of the two materials: timber provides compressive resistance and serves as a permanent formwork, while the CFRP carries tensile stresses with high efficiency. Fourteen hybrid beams, with variations in the number of longitudinal CFRP layers (one, two or, three), the presence or absence of longitudinal CFRP layers bonded along the top and bottom surfaces, and the presence or absence of circumferential wrapping in the pure bending region, were tested under four-point bending alongside two solid timber control beams. The results demonstrate that circumferential wrapping is a critical design detail. Wrapped beams consistently failed by tensile rupture of the CFRP—the intended failure mode—and exhibited ultimate moments 15–20% higher than their unwrapped counterparts. Beams with two longitudinal CFRP layers offered the most favorable balance between strength enhancement and material efficiency; adding a third layer shifted the failure mode to crushing of the timber core, indicating a core-limited condition. All hybrid beams showed pronounced linear-elastic behavior up to sudden brittle failure, with performance variability attributable to the inherent inhomogeneity of wood and the sensitivity of the hand lay-up process. The study provides quantitative data and mechanistic insights that support the design and application of bonded CFRP–timber hybrid beams as efficient structural members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Materials (1996-1944) is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.3390/ma19061196
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 16
        StartPage: 1196
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Carbon fiber-reinforced plastics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Timber
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Composite construction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Structural engineering
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Flexural strength
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Experimental Investigation on the Flexural Performance of CFRP-Reinforced Timber Composite Beams.
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          Name:
            NameFull: Zhang, Hao
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            NameFull: Cao, Yan
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            NameFull: Fang, Hai
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            NameFull: Xie, Honglei
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            – D: 15
              M: 03
              Text: Mar2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 19
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