Reinforcement of structural wood components with Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) will enhance the beam’s strength, but actual data on long-term durability is sparse, not well documented or not readily accessible. In this study, bond properties of FRP-wood composite materials were investigated following treatment with creosote or copper naphthenate preservatives. The properties investigated included stress and the percentage of wood failure experienced in shear (ASTM 1998). When tested in a wet condition (following a vacuum/pressure soak), creosote-treatment adversely affected the wood failure values associated with specimens fabricated with a pultruded FRP composite sheet (E-glass fiber, bonded with urethane). When these tests were conducted with samples under ambient conditions, the shear strength of this material was also adversely affected by creosote. In addition, both creosote- and copper napthenate-treatment adversely affected the shear strength of a SCRIMP™ fabricated FRP material (carbon fiber, vinyl ester matrix).

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