Yes / To investigate the shear performance of poplar laminated veneer lumber (LVL) beams with holes in bending-shear spans, six specimens were designed and tested by four-point bending tests. Among these, five specimens were provided with a single hole of varying diameter-to-height ratio in the bending-shear span and two of these beams were also reinforced with circumferential carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) wrap layers. Furthermore, a 3D finite element models for poplar LVL beams with a hole were established, based on the extended finite element method (XFEM) using ABAQUS software. The validated model was utilized to conduct parametric studies on the diameter-to-height ratio, the hole shape, and the vertical eccentricity ratio. A simplified theoretical analysis for predicting the cracking and ultimate loads for LVL beam with a hole was also proposed. The results indicated that beams without a hole failed due to bending, characterized by mid-span tension cracks, whereas beams with a hole exhibited shear failure along the beam's grain direction due to stress concentration around the holes. The maximum normal tensile strain perpendicular to grain around the hole had an angle of 45° or 225° relative to the beam's longitudinal axis, consistent with the crack initiation angle. As the diameter-to-height ratio increased, the cracking and ultimate loads of beams with a hole decreased, indicating more brittle failure characteristics. The circular hole beam showed significant improvements in cracking and ultimate loads compared with the square hole beam with side length equal to the diameter of the circular hole. When the hole center's vertical eccentricity was in the compression zone, an increase in vertical eccentricity led to enhancements in both the cracking load and ultimate loads. Wrapping the beam with CFRP sheet around the hole effectively mitigated crack propagation, enhancing the load-bearing capacity of beams. The simplified formulas provided accurate prediction for the ultimate load, but highly overestimated the cracking and ultimate loads for poplar LVL beams with a hole. The research findings can be provided as a technical support for the design and application of LVL beams with holes. / The full text will be available at the end of the publisher's embargo: 13th Nov 2025