Glued laminated timber beam

[Patrik_Hed]

Hey! This is a new section of the forum for me, but I probably won't stay long

Glulam beams, is it really true that the entire strength is lost if you drill a small hole just for a cable?
A coworker who was installing a fire alarm at the time asked the carpenters if he could drill a small hole in one of those giant glulam beams, but it was absolutely impossible. It wasn't allowed because all the strength would disappear. Can that really be true?

//Patrik

 

[Mats]

No.

A hole weakens the beam, that's true, but glulam works like any other plank. The hole should be placed in the middle because that's where the load is least.

 

[Patrik_Hed]

Okay, thanks! Now I know.

//Patrik