CHAPTER SEVEN

DESIGN OF TIMBER BEAM

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 7.1 Introduction

Comparison between timber and concrete/steel

Concrete/Steel
Timber
Manufactured product
Natural material
Strength can be determine
Characteristics: uncontrolled and keeps
e.g : Grade 30, 40, 50
changing
py 250, 275, 460 N/mm2
Timber axis : elongation, radius, tangent
Compressive and tensile strength
Timber strength : not constant
- bending strength
- tension parallel to grain
- compression parallel to grain
- shear parallel to grain
- compression perpendicular to
grain

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 7.1.1 Physical Properties of Timber

Density

Defects Moisture Content

Condition of TIMBER
growth STRENGTH

Temperature

Position of tree

Grain structure

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 Density
The best single indicator of the properties of a timber and is a major factor determining its
strength

Specific gravity (SG) or relative is a measure of timbers solid substance

SG : Ratio of the oven dry weight to the weight of an equal volume of water

Basic specific gravity of commercial timber ranges from 0.29 to 0.81 and most, falling
between 0.35 0.60

SG varies considerably between species and within individual pieces of the same species

Temperature
Temperature increase, timber strength decrease

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 Moisture Content
Influenced timber characteristics quality
Dry timber : high strength
Strength
Fibre Saturation Point (FSP) and stiffness

- point at which water in cell cavity are

dried, but the cell wall still saturated (moisture inside the
cell wall only)
- 25% of moisture content
19% of FSP are suggested by Malaysian researchers 19% FSP Moisture content

Timber moisture strength must less than 19% to achieve high strength
Moisture content 19%, moist, use wet stresses in calculation (Table1 and 4 MS 544:Part 2:2001)
< 19%, dry, use dry stresses in calculation (Table2 and 4 MS 544:Part 2:2001)
Timber axis elongation, radius, tangent
Strength change/different in each three axis
- bending strength, tension parallel to grain, compression parallel to grain, shear parallel to grain,
compression perpendicular to grain

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 Two important characteristics connected to FSP

i. Shrinkage/expansion :
Due to nature called internal wood motion that can not been vanish but can be reduce by
preservation

ii. Strength
Moisture content > FSP; strength and volume are constant
< FSP; strength increase and volume decrease

Wood motion is inconspicuous in grain length direction but clear in radius and tangent

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 Grain structure
Grain is the longitudinal direction of the main elements of timber (fibres)
The angle of the micro fibrils within the timber also influence the strength of the timber, as
with the effects of the grain, if the angle of deviation increase, the strength decrease

Position in Tree
Wood near tree root is more denser, stronger and harder than at the top of the tree

Condition of Growth
Environment factor influencing tree growth
- temperature, rainfall, soil and spacing between trees

Defects
Defects in timber either natural defects or seasoning defects will effect structural strength as
well on stability, durability fixing, and finished appearance of timber
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 7.1.2 Construction Stage

Timber in dried condition: high strength and durable

Dimension must be uniform and stable
In construction design stage use dry stresses B
If moist : i. defect
ii. Wood pest attack termite, fungus
Use wet stresses for thick size because it is hard to dry ( B 100mm )
Size reduction due to planer
i. nominal size 50 mm reduce 5mm
ii. nominal size > 50 mm & < 300 reduce 10mm

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 7.1.3 Classification/Grouping of Timber
Basically, timber are divided into two groups namely hardwood and softwood. Most tropical wood
inclusive into hardwood
Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) has classified hardwood into three subgroup which are
i. Heavy hardwood
- > 880 kg/m3
ii Medium hardwood - Constructional timber
iii Light hardwood - Balau, Cengal, Merbau,resak, tembusu etc

Heavy Hardwood - = 720 - 880kg/m3

- moderately heavy to heavy construction
- Keruing, mengkulang, tualang,kasai,kalat, punah etc
Timber Classification

Medium Hardwood
- < 720 kg/m3
- general utility timber
Light Hardwood - Nyatoh, meranti, rubberwood,gerutu,medang etc

- Damar minyak, podo, sempilor etc

Softwood
For strength grouping, timber can be divided into four (4) groups namely A, B, C and D
A>B>C>D
Strength reduce

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 7.2 Timber Grade
For each group, grading of timber based on wood defect:
i. Basic - no defect
ii. Select
iii Standard
iv Common

It referred to defect that occurs on timber

i. Grain slope
ii. Curve (not straight)
iii Knot

Need to be graded because defects can not be avoided

Select < Standard < Common

Less defects

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 7.3 Basic and Grade Stresses
1. Basic Stresses
Stress which can be sustained safely and permanently by solid timbers that containing
no visible strength reducing characteristics.

basic ==(x(xks)/Fs
ks)/Fs
basic where; x = average
k = 2.33
s = sisihan piawaian
Fs = safety factor

2. Grade Stresses
Stresses that can be sustained safely and permanently by timber with particular grade
trough the process of reduction by strength ratio

grade ==basic xx strength

strengthratio
ratio
grade basic where; Grade strength ratio (%)
Select 80
Standard 63
Common 50

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3. Permissible Stresses
Permissible strength is calculated by multiplying the grade stresses with appropriate
modification factors (k- factor) to allow for the effects of parameters such as load duration.
Load sharing, moisture content and etc.

permissble ==grade xx modification

modificationfactors
factors
permissble grade

where; modification factors = k1, k2,k3,k4,k5,k6.k9

(K1 K9 is for solid timber design)

Note : Table 1, 2 an 4 is for long term loading

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 7.3.1 Modification Factors
Duration of Loading, K1 (Table 5)
Grade stresses are based to structure service duration. Consideration are made for bigger
strength. Timber is capable for higher loads for short periods (a few seconds). It will effects
timber strength and permissible stress. Factors are given in Table 5 MS 544:Part 2:2001

Load-sharing system, K2 (Cl.10)

Consist four or more members such as rafter, joist, trusses or wall stud, spaced a maximum
of 610mm centre to centre and has adequate provision for the lateral distribution of loads. If
this criteria are fulfilled, used

K2 = 1.1 and used MOE mean in Table 4

If member acting alone, used K2 = 1.0 and take MOE minimum

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 Bearing Stress, K3 (Table 6)
At any bearing on the side of timber, the permissible stress in compression perpendicular to
the grain is dependent on the length and bearing position.

For bearing < 150mm and located 75mm from the end of the member, the grade stresses
should be multiplied by the modification factor K3 given in Table 6

Modification factor for bearings of any length at end members, and bearing 150mm in
length at any position, take K3 = 1.0

75mm Bearing less

or more than 150mm

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 Shear at notched ends, K4 (Cl. 11.4)
Square corner notch at ends of a flexural member cause a stress concentration. It will
reduce the shear and the shear strength should be calculated by using the effective depth,he

(a) for a notch on the top edge

a KK4 ==hhe/h
/h[(h-he)/h
[(h-h e ]e
)/h
2 untuk
untukaa<<hhee
e ]e
2
4 e e

h KK4 ==1.0
he
4 1.0untuk
untukaa>>hhee

(b) for a notch on the underside

KK4 ==hhe/h
4 e/h

he
h

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 Form factor, K5 (Cl.11.5)
Based on the shapes of the solid timber member cross-section where the load acting parallel
to one of main axis

K5 = 1.0 K5 = 1.18 K5 = 1.41

Depth factor, K6 (Cl. 11.6)

The grade bending stresses given in Table 1, 2 and 4, apply to material having depth, h up
to 300mm

For beam depth greater than 300mm, the grade bending stresses should be multiply by the
depth modification factor K6 where

KK
5 ==0.81
0.81[ [(h(h2++92300)/h
2
92300)/h2++56800)]
2
56800)]
5 for solid and glued laminated beams

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