ENDS OF WOODEN BEAMS: IMPACT ON LOAD-BEARING CAPACITY AND DEFORMABILITY

Abstract

Ends are fundamental elements of building structures designed to transfer loads from beams to columns, walls, or foundations. Their main function is to provide stable support for horizontal structural elements such as glued beams, floor beams, or frame beams, which take vertical loads and then effectively distribute them to the supporting structure. These connections are critical because they are points of stress concentration and potential failure if not properly designed or executed. Reliable connections are essential for maintaining the overall stability of the structure and play an important role in ensuring that the load-bearing capacity of wood is fully utilized. Wood, as a building material, is becoming increasingly relevant in modern construction due to its environmental friendliness, renewability, and aesthetic qualities. However, its widespread use in large-span and heavy-load structures has traditionally been limited by certain mechanical properties, such as anisotropy, which leads to significant differences in strength and stiffness depending on the direction of the load relative to the grain. The behavior of wood in load-bearing areas is problematic due to its low compressive and tensile strength perpendicular to the grain, which can lead to local damage or splitting. Solving these problems is a critical task for the wood construction industry. This will improve the reliability and safety of wooden structures, optimize the use of materials, reduce their cost, and ensure the durability of buildings. Improving design methods in support areas, especially through the development and implementation of unified, physically based models, will allow engineers to more accurately calculate load-bearing capacity and deformability, which is the basis for effective and sustainable timber construction in the modern world. One possible solution to this problem is to install end stops, which would significantly strengthen the support node of wooden structural elements during exploitation.