BENDING PROPERTIES OF NAIL-LAMINATED HARDWOOD POSTS (VOL 38, PG 217, 1995)

Structural properties and constructability factors of yellow poplar an d red maple nail-laminated spliced and unspliced creosote-treated and untreated construction posts were determined. Mean modulus of elastici ty (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR), and ultimate moment values for sin gle members of each species were also determined. Design values were d eveloped from the lumber properties of the single members and compared with published values. Both yellow poplar and red maple nail-laminate d possts were successfully fabricated with a commercially available pn eumatic nailer using 20d galvanized wire nail fasteners and operating pressures less than 690 kPa (100 psi). Unspliced posts were rested acc ording to ASTM D198-84, and compared to properties of single members. Treated and untreated spliced posts were tested according to ASTM D198 -84 and initial stiffness and moment capacity values of posts were com pared to unspliced post values. The initial stiffness and ultimate mom ent capacity of spliced yellow poplar posts were 69% and 47% of unspli ced yellow poplar posts, respectively. Similarly, the initial stiffnes s and ultimate moment capacity of spliced red maple posts were 73% and 62% of unspliced red maple posts, respectively. Initial stiffness and moment capacity values of untreated and creosote-treated posts were n ot significantly different at the 5% confidence level.