STRUCTURAL STEELWORK & TIMBER DESIGN

ECS328

INTRODUCTION TO STRUCTURAL TIMBER DESIGN

MOHD AZUAN TUKIAR

BKBA 2.12
012-5149452
azuan.tukiar@ppinang.uitm.edu.my
FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING, UITM PENANG

2. STRUCTURAL TIMBER
BEAM DESIGN

1. INTRODUCTION TO
STEEL DESIGN

TIMBER
DESIGN

3. STRUCTURAL TIMBER COLUMN

DESIGN

1. Know different types of defect in

timber (CO2PO3)

LEARNING
OUTCOME

2. Know physical properties that will

affect strength of timber
(CO2PO3)

3. Understand the design concept in

structural timber design (CO2PO3)

4. Understand the definition of stress that used in

structural timber design (CO2PO3)

Timber from well managed forests is one of the most sustainable resources
available and it is one of the oldest known materials used in construction
It has a very high strength to weight ratio, is capable of transferring both tension and
compression forces, and is naturally suitable as a exural member.
Timber is a material that is used for a variety of structural forms such as beams, columns, trusses,
girders, and is also used in building systems such as piles, deck members, railway sleepers and in
formwork for concrete.

Hry-ji pagoda Nara,

Japan- 7th century
Height: 32.5 m
One of the oldest timber
buildings in the world

Kizhi Pogost, Karelia, Russia

18th Century

Claremont Hotel
Oakland, California, USA
1906
Timber frame11 stories
Height: 37 m Tower: 49 m
& 279 rooms

ABUNDANT
RESOURCES

ALLOWED
DIFFERENT
TYPES OF
FINISHES

EASE OF
PROCESSING

RENEWABLE
RESOURCES

ADVANTAGES
OF TIMBER

LOW THERMAL
CONDUCTIVITY

DURABLE
(IF TREATED
PROPERLY)

NONCORROSIVE

AESTETHIC
VALUE

Grain
defects
Wane

Knot

NATURAL
DEFECTS

Fungal
decay

Shake

CONVERSION
DEFECTS

DEFECTS IN
TIMBER

SEASONING
DEFECTS
CHEMICAL
DEFECTS

Annual ring
width
Cracks & fissures
(a long, narrow
crack)

NATURAL DEFECTS
Occur during the growing period
a.

CRACKS & FISSURES (a long, narrow crack): may occur in various parts of the tree
& may indicate the presence of decay or beginning of decay

b.

KNOT: due to branch growth of the timber, cause decrease in physical properties,
such as tensile & compressive stress reduction in strength due to:
I.
distortion of grain passing around the knots
II.
large angle between grain of the knot & grain of the timber

c.

GRAIN DEFECTS: grain is general direction of the arrangement of fibers in wood,

can occur in the form of twistedgrain, crossgrain, flatgrain & spiralgrain

d.

FUNGAL DECAY : may occur in growing mature timber or even in recently

converted timber, good practice to reject such timber

e.

ANNUAL RING WIDTH: can be critical in strength aspect, as excess width can
reduce density of timber, thus reduce strength

f.

SHAKE: fibers separate along the grain, normally occurs between growth rings, it
reduce shear strength, but not significantly affect strength of axially loaded
members

CONVERSION DEFECTS
Conversion Defects - Due to unsound practice in the use of milling techniques
or undue economic attempt to use every possible piece of timber converted
from trunk
a. Wane : Can occur when part of the bark or rounded periphery of the
trunk is present in a cut length, it reduce cross sectional area, thus reduce
strength

CHEMICAL DEFECTS
a. may occur when timber is used in unsuitable positions or in association
with other materials
b. some timbers may contain chemicals which corrode metals
c. gums (a viscous secretion of some trees and shrubs that hardens on drying
but is soluble in water) & resins (a sticky flammable organic substance
exuded by some trees and other plants) can inhibit working properties of
timber & interfere with the ability to take adhesives

SEASONING DEFECTS
a. directly related to movement occurs in timber due to changes in moisture
content
b. have effect on structural strength, fixing, stability, durability & finished
appearance

NATURAL & CONVERSION DEFECTS

SEASONING DEFECTS

1. grain is the longitudinal direction of

the main elements of the timber
2. in some cases, the grain in cut
section is not parallel to the
longitudinal axis. This variation may
due to:
a. poor cutting of the timber
b. irregular growth of the tree
3. It has lesser consequence if timber is
axially loaded, but has significant
drop in bending resistance
4. Increase in grain sloping will result in
strength decrease

DENSITY
1. best single indicator of the properties
of a timber & is a major factor
determining its strength
2. since water volume varies with the
moisture content of the timber,
specific gravity of timber is expressed
at a certain moisture content

KNOTS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES THAT AFFECTING STRENGTH

SLOPE OF GRAIN

1. knots influence the mechanical

properties of timber due to:
a. effect of the local cross
grain which they produce
b. checking which may
develop in & around them
upon drying
2. the influence on strength
depends on size, location,
shape & type of stress
3. timber with knots is stronger in
compression rather than
tension, so it is always
recommended to place the
edge with knots on the
compression side
4. practically, knots have no effect
on stiffness
5. in short or intermediate column,
strength decrease as size of
knots increase
6. in long (slender) column, knots
do not have significant effect as
stiffness is the controlling factor

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES THAT AFFECTING STRENGTH

MOISTURE CONTENT
1.

2.

Influence the
behavior of
timber
Moisture
contained in
green timber
is held both
within the cells
(free water) &
within the cells
walls (bound
water). When
all free water
has been
removed but
cells walls are
still saturated, it
is known as
fiber saturation
point (FSP).
Moisture
Content

To control Drying of Timber, Seasoning Method is applied

a.
Air Seasoning - Timber is stacked & layered with air-space in
open-sided sheds to promote natural drying
Advantage : inexpensive
Disadvantage : space constraint
b.
Kiln Drying - Timber is dried out in a heated, ventilated &
humidified oven
Advantage : controlled environment quicker process
Disadvantage : requires specialist equipment expensive
energy input

Most physical & mechanical properties

remain constant

No change in
strength

FSP
Properties such as weight, strength, elasticity strength
& durability will change considerably

Strength
increase

PRINCIPAL AXES OF SYMMETRY

Force 'A' is applied in the same direction
as fibers (parallel to the grain) and is
termed the longitudinal direction.
Forces 'B' and 'C' are applied across the
fibers (perpendicular to the grain)
Force 'B' is applied in the tangential
direction.
Force 'C' is applied in the radial
direction.
The strongest direction is A. the Longitudinal direction i.e. towards the end grain. It is
unlikely to use this except for columns, pit props, etc.
For all construction purposes no difference is placed on the tangential or radial faces
when calculated strength and deflection of timber.
However more attention should be placed on knots, sloping grain, shakes and other
timber defects which have more affect on the strength of a board.
Therefore the difference between the force directions shown at B and C are negligible
in square section timber.

Unlike concrete & steel design which use limit

state design concept, timber design is based on
permissible stress design concept

Elastic theory is used to analyze structures under various loading

condition to give the worst design case
Some terms that need to be understood are:
Basic stress the stress which can
safely be permanently sustained by
timber containing no strength
reducing characteristics

Grade stress the stress which can safely be

permanently sustained by timber of a
particular grade

Dry stress a stress applicable to timber

having moisture content not exceeding 19%
Permissible stress the stress which can
safely be sustained by a structural
component under particular condition of
service & loading. It is equal to grade stress
multiplied by appropriate modification
factor

Green stress a stress applicable to

timber having moisture content
exceeding 19%
Strength ratio the ratio of grade stress
to basic stress timber section are
chosen so that permissible stresses are
not exceeded at any point of the
structure

Timber obtained from mills may have defects which reduce

the strength, so basic stress cannot be used directly in
design calculation

Grade stresses are for timbers of a particular grade. Grade

stresses are derived from basic stresses of individual species &
governed by the effect of visible gross features of defect such as
knots, sloping grain, fissures, etc.

Malaysian Grading Rules (MGR) classify timber into three

grades: (1) Select Structural (2) Standard Structural & (3)
Common Building (MS 544: PART 2 : 2001 Appendix C (pg. 49))

This grading are done by timber graders using (1) visual

grading & (2) machine grading

GRADE STRESS

GRADE STRESS

GRADE STRESS

DURATION OF LOADING, K1

LOAD SHARING FACTOR, K2

1. If the number in one row > 4 and spacing of the

members <600 mm .: K2 = 1.1 and use average E
2. Otherwise use K2 = 1.0 and use E minimum

LENGTH & POSITION OF BEARING, K3

Clause 11.2, Table 6, Figure 1

NOTCH AT END OF MEMBERS, K4

NOTCH AT END OF MEMBERS, K4

FORM FACTOR, K5

DEPTH FACTOR, K6

MOD. FACTOR FOR COMPRESSION, K8

MOD. FACTOR FOR COMPRESSION, K8