Design of Timber Beams
Design of Timber Beams
Design of Timber Beams
TIMBER BEAMS:
Bending failure
Lateral torsional
buckling
Shear failure
Notch failure
Bearing failure
Excessive deflections
Bending Strength
Linear elastic stresses
max
Design Equation:
My M
I
S
M max S
for rectangular sections
bh 2
S
6
M r Fb S
Where Fb is the characteristic bending strength
For timber it is Fb = fb (KDKHKSbKT)
Bending failure in
compression
Only likely for very high grade material
Benign failure mode
Logging bridge
near Pemberton, BC
Glulam I-beam
Bending capacity
Mr = Fb S KZb KL
where
= 0.9
and
Fb = fb (KD KH KSb KT )
Lateral
torsional
buckling
Glued-laminated beams
better laminations
Glued-laminated beams
better
laminations
Lateral
bending
stiffness
y
y
Le
y
x
Note: The warping stiffness for
rectangular shapes is small compared to
the torsional and bending stiffness
y
y
Lateral torsional
buckling of deep
I-joists
Mr
material failure
Mu
Mr = Fb S KZb KL
combination of
material failure and
lateral torsional
buckling
elastic lateral
torsional buckling
Le
Lateral torsional
buckling factor KL
KL
1.0
KL = 1
0.67
practical limit
0.5
KL = (0.65 E KSE KT) / (CB2 Fb KX)
10
20
30
40
50
CB
Prevention
of lateral
torsional
buckling
KL = 1.0
when lateral
support is
provided as
shown
d/b
d
b
Lateral support
at spacing:
<4
no support
<5
purlins
or tie rods
compression
edge held by
decking or joists
< 610 mm
< 6.5
< 610 mm
< 7.5
<9
top edge
< 8dplus bridging
both edges
d
N.A.
max
= V(0.5A)(d/4)
(bd3/12)b
=1.5 V/A
VAy VQ
Ib
Ib
As
v(max)
Vr = Fv 2/3 A KZv
where
= 0.9
and
Fv = fv (KD KH KSv KT )
v(avg)
v(max)
= 1.5 v(avg)
= 1.5 V / A
UNBC
Prince George, BC
Shear failures
One of the very weak properties of wood
Shrinkage cracks often occur at the ends of
beams in the zone of maximum shear stress
Direct compression
transfer of loads in
the end zones
reduces the total
shear force to be
carried.
45o
critical
section
= 0.9
and
Fv = fv (KD KH KSv KT )
KN = notch factor (see next section)
KN = ( 1 dn/d )2
For e > d :
KN = ( 1 dn/d )
For e < d :
KN = 1 dne/[d(d dn)]
For notches on
the tension side
of supports
(sawn lumber)
In new code:
Reaction
calculation
Notch effect in
sawn lumber
Fr = Ft A KN
= 0.9
Ft = ft (KD KH KSt KT)
NEW !!
Area A
where ft = specified reaction force strength = 0.5 MPa for sawn lumber
KSt = 1.0 for dry and 0.7 for wet service conditions
A = gross cross-section area
KN = notch factor
Notch factor
KN
Based on Fracture
Mechanics theory
d1
d
dn
2 1
K N 0.006 1.6 1 3 1
1 d n d and e d
0.5
Bearing resistance
Ab
m
> 75m
m
< 150m
no high
bending
stress
Bearing factor
Qr = Fcp Ab KZcp KB
= 0.8
Fcp = fcp (KScp KT)
Bearing resistance
(double bearing)
Ab2
Ab1
Bearing factor KB
Bearing length or
diameter (mm)
Bearing factor KB
< 12.5
1.75
25
1.38
38
1.25
50
1.19
75
1.13
100
1.10
> 150
1.0
Deflections
A serviceability criterion
Avoid damage to cladding etc. ( L/180)
Avoid vibrations ( L/360)
Aesthetics ( L/240)