The United States of America As Represented by the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation

Erin K Gleason

William F Kepler

A method is provided for enabling an infrastructure, such as pipework or a bundle of electrical cables, to be passed directly through a wooden structural element without significantly weakening the structural element, rather than being routed around the structural element. A throughhole is provided in the structural element which extends between opposed sides. The method includes affixing to the wooden structural element a unitary reinforcement member including two spaced, parallel side plates joined together by a support plate. Each of the side plates has an opening therein as large as or larger than the throughhole. The reinforcement member is affixed to the wooden structural element by securing one of the side plates to each side of the structural element, with the opening of each of the side plates disposed so as to surround the throughhole. The side plates each include a pattern of fastener apertures and a plurality of fasteners penetrate through the fastener apertures into the wooden structural element so as to secure the reinforcement member in place.

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Boulder, CO, United States of America

Erin K Gleason