On site interventions on decayed beam ends

In the past, wood has been the material used mainly for the construction of horizontal load bearing structures, for practically all types of buildings. However, wood is a biological material and hence it is naturally subjected to decay if some precautions are not taken for its preservation. The majority of "diseases" are concentrated at the end of beams, often in direct contact with the masonry, whereas the rest of the element is in generally sound condition. In these cases, only the replacement of the attacked part is required, by using a prosthesis, made for example of solid wood or glulam, connected to the sound part of the beam by means of connecting elements. The work presents the design methods used to realize the end-beam repair, based on the approach described on Eurocode 5. Some examples of real interventions are also given.