Design of notched wood beams

Abstract

Current design methods for notched wood beams, based on either notch-factor or linear-elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) approaches, are reviewed and compared with an alternative equation based on critical fillet hoop stress (CFHS) theory and with experimental data. The CFHS and LEFM equations are shown to account for the observed effects of notch corner location, load distribution, beam height, and fractional notch depth. The notch-factor equation, currently the basis for U.S. design practice, does not reflect the effects of beam height and notch corner location on strength. The CFHS equation implicitly accounts for the effect of beam span-to-depth ratio, and was developed from combined resu..