STRUCTURAL TIMBER DESIGN

TO MS544-2001

17-Apr-14 1
Lesson Outcome:

Student will be able:

To describe clearly about structural use of
timber.
To design simple beam and column.

 References:
MS544:2001
Mohd Zamin Jumaat (Prof. Dr., UM), Lecture
Note Dec 2005.
17-Apr-14 2
MALAYSIAN STANDARD (MS544:2001)

The Malaysian Standard MS544 was developed by the Technical

Committee on Structural Use of Timber under the authority of the
Building & Civil Industry Standard Committee.
The development of this standard was carried out by the Construction
Industrial Development Board (CIDB) which is the Standard-
Writing Organisation (SWO) appointed by SIRIM Berhad to develop
standards for the construction industry.

MS544 was first published in 1957 which closely follows CP112. It was
and perhaps is still widely being used by local engineers until
recently the newly devised version was made available.
The materials in the new code were sourced from several codes such
as AS1720.1 and BS5268 part 2. The data from the various
research and test result performed locally were also incorporated
into the revised code.

17-Apr-14 3
Parts and Sections under Code of Practice
for Structural Use of Timber
Part 1 : General
Part 2 : Permissible stress design of solid timber
Part 3 : Permissible stress design of glued laminated timber
Part 4 : Timber panel products i.e. Structural and marine plywood, cement
particleboard and oriented stand board
Part 5 : Timber Joints
Part 6 : Workmanship, inspection and maintenance
Part 7 : Testing
Part 8 : Design, fabrication and installation of prefabricated timber for roof
trusses
Part 9 : Fire resistance of timber structures
Part 10 : Preservative treatment of structural timbers
Part 11 : Recommendation for the calculation basis for span table for floor
and ceiling joists, ceiling and rafters
Part
17-Apr-1412 : Laminated Veneer Lumber for structural application 4
 WORKING STRESS DESIGN
1. Sometimes referred to as permissible stress design, allowable stress
design or elastic method.

2. Older Codes of Practice namely BS 5268 (since CP 112) and our own
MS 544 strictly follow this approach

3. General concept of this method is based on assuring the structure is

strong and stiff enough so that it will respond elastically. The main
feature of working stress design is that the working or service loads i.e.
dead load and live load are estimated and members are designed so
that applied stress would not exceed the permissible stresses.

4. The permissible stress = (failure stress of the material) / (safety

factor). The safety factors for new materials were estimated in
comparison with those for traditional materials by taking into account the
nature of failure for the new material and its uncertainty or variability.

5. Allowable stress design has formed the basis of structural codes and
standards for most of this century.
17-Apr-14 5
 LIMIT STATE DESIGN
 Two basic requirements for all structures are safety from collapse and
satisfactory performance of the structure during its lifespan.
 The limit states define the various ways in which a structure fails to
satisfy these basic requirements.
 Ultimate limit states relate to safety and correspond to strength, stability
and very large deformation.
 Serviceability limit states relate to satisfactory performance and
correspond to excessive deflection, vibration and local deformation.
 Limit states design refers to the calculations made by designer to ensure
that both limit are abide to, thus, failures do not occur.

 The serviceability limit state mandates that the structure remain

elastic and allows for very limited damage. The performance criteria
such as drift are most often determined by the nonstructural elements
such as doors and partitions. Often, this limit state will control the
stiffness of the structure as the deformation capacity of nonstructural
elements, and thus the allowable drifts, are quite small.

 Note: Wood lost strength over time – about 50% in 15 years

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DERIVATION OF PERMISSIBLE STRESSES
for the DESIGN OF TIMBER STRUCTURAL MEMBERS

Grade Stresses
(Individual Species)
• Select
• Standard Modification factors
• Common

Strength Properties Basic PERMISSIBLE

Of Small Clear Stress STRESSES,
• Green
Specimens • Dry
fall

Grade Stresses
(Strength Groups)
Modification factors
• Select
• Standard
• Common

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TIMBER STRESSES

BASIC STRESS
‘’The stress which can safely be permanently sustained by timber containing no
strength reducing characteristics”

GREEN BASIC STRESS

“Green basic stress taken directly from test results”

DRY BASIC STRESS

“Dry basic stress (stress at 19% moisture content) obtained from the
Madison Formula”

Strength Full Saturation Point (FSP): At

Wet
Dry this point increase in moisture
content will not effect the
strength of timber
17-Apr-14 19% 25% 8
Moisture
Content, m.c.
MADISON FORMULA

Log S3 = log S1 + (M1 – M3) Log S2

(M1 – M2) S1

Where ;
S3 = Dry Ultimate Stress (Ultimate Stress at 19% m.c.)
S1 = Ultimate Stress at FSP (i.e. 25%)
( assume equal to Green Stress)
S2 = Ultimate Stress from Air-Dry test
M1 = 25% (assumed FSP)
M2 = Air-Dry m.c. from test (i.e. 15.5%)
M3 = 19% (m.c. for dry condition)
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 Example for Dry Basic Stress for Kempas
(using Madison Formula)
Log S3 = log S1 + (M1 – M3) Log S2
(M1 – M2) S1

Log S3 = log 100 + (25-19) log (122/100)

(25 – 15.5)

S 3 = 113.38 N/mm (Ultimate Stress at 19 % m /c)

Therefore; (for bending parallel to grain)

Dry Basic Stress= Dry Ultimate Stress, S3 Wet Basic Stress

Wet Ultimate Stress, S1

= 113.38 25.8 (from table in MS544)

17-Apr-14
100 10
= 29.2 N/mm²
Example for Derivation of Green Basic
Stress for Kempas
Bending parallel to the grain:

Basic stress (green) = MOR – 2.33 σ

Factor of Safety

= 100 – 2.33 (15.23) N/mm²

2.5

= 25.8 N/mm²

Where:
MOR = Modulus of Rupture
σ = Standard Deviation
17-Apr-14 Both variables obtained from experiment 11
GRADE STRESSES
“The stress which can safely be permanently sustained
by timber a particular grade”

Reduction Factor expressed in terms of ‘ Strength Ratio ‘ i.e. ratio of strength of a

piece of timber with defects to the strength of the same piece without defect

Derivation of Green Grade Stresses for Kempas

Bending Parallel to the grain:

GRADE STRENGTH RATIO BASIC STRESS GRADE STRESS

Select Grade = 0.80 25.8 = 20.6 N/mm²
Standard Grade = 0.63 25.8 = 16.2 N/mm²
Common Grade = 0.50 25.8 = 12.9 N/mm²

GRADE STRESS = Basic Stress Reduction Factor

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STRESS GRADING
(Visual Grading)

 Strength of timber determined from the standard tests on ‘clear specimens ‘

from each species.

 Test include bending , tension , compression parallel and perpendicular to

the grain and shear parallel to the grain

 Tests were in two series in wet and dry. Wet are for specimens having mc
25% or greater , whereas dry are for mc ≤ 19%

 Short term loadings

 Codes for visual grading in Malaysia is the Malaysia Grading Rules (1984)

 MS 544 divides for structural application with select, standard and common
grade.

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STRESS GRADING
(Mechanical Stress Grading)
 It determined the relationship between the
deflection of a piece of wood under an applied
loading to its strength to withstand fracture.
 Each piece of timber that is to be graded will
pass through 3 rollers
 2 rollers are fixed in position while the other is
moving. The two fixed rollers are placed in a
determined distance and the moving roller are
exert pressure on the timber

17-Apr-14 14
Table 4.

17-Apr-14 15
Table 4. Partial

17-Apr-14 16
Table 4. Continue

17-Apr-14 17
DESIGN OF STRUCTURAL MEMBERS
( NORMAL BEAM DESIGN )

Lateral stability ( Table 7, pg. 24, MS 544 )

Deflection limit ( 0.003 x span: Clause 11.7, pg. 24) )

Bending stress

Shear stress

Bearing stress

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BEAM DESIGN

To design floor joist for a laboratory

Given

D1 ( Self weight , floorboards ,etc ) = 1.1 kN/m2

Imposed load = 3.0 kN/m2 ( to be taken from Uniform Building By laws)

Total Design load = 1.35(1.11) + 1.5(3) = 6.0 kN/m2

Effective span = 3.8 m

Joist spacing = 400 mm , ( more than 4 joints )

Timber: Strength group : SG1 , standard grade , dry

Required to find : Size of joist

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PERMISSIBLE STRESS

“The stress which can safely be permanently sustained by a

Structural component under the particular condition of series
and loading “

Permissible stress = K1 x K2 x K3 x K4 x K5… x Grade stress

( Beam bending )
where,
K1 = Load duration factor (Table 5, pg. 20) ≥ 1 for short duration stress
K2 = Load Sharing Factor (Clause 10, pg. 20) (see next slide)
K3 = Length and position of bearings (Table 6, pg. 22) for Cp
K4 = Notching factor (Clause 11.4, pg. 22)
K5 = Form ( shape ) factor (Clause 11.5, pg. 23)
K6 = Deep beam factor (Clause 11.6, pg. 23) (h > 300mm only)
K7 = min E mod. Factor (Table 8, pg. 26)

17-Apr-14 20
LOAD SHARING FACTOR, K2

“ For 4 or more members acting together to support a

common load and are spaced not exceeding 610 mm
(24”) apart and adequate provision should be made for
lateral distribution of load , then a load sharing factor
of 1.1 maybe applied to the grade stress (else use 1).”

. Members include rafters , joists, trusses and stud-walling .

. E mean should be used instead of E min

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 BEAM DESIGN

w = 6 kN/m2 x 0.4 m spacing

w = 2.4 kN/m

3.8 m

SFD VEd = 4.56 kN

K1 = 1 (Long Term Load)

K2 = 1.1 (Load sharing)
K3 = N.A. (< 75mm from end)
K4 = 1 (unnotched)
BMD
K5 = N.A. (normal shape)
K6 = N.A. (h < 300mm)

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MEd = 4.33 kN.m
Table 4.

17-Apr-14 23
Solution
The imposed load for floor joists is considered as long term loading , but
qualifies for load sharing . Hence the following permissible stresses are
Used.
Std Dry load sharing factor

Bending stress (f) = 26.5 x 1.1 = 29.2 N/mm2

Compression perp. Stress (c) = 3.74 x 1.1 = 4.1 ( for standard grade )
or = 4.67 x 1.1 = 5.1 ( for basic grade)

Shear stress (q) = 2.28 x 1.1 = 2.5 N/mm2

Mean E = 18800 N/mm2

17-Apr-14 24
i) Bending
From BMD:
MEd = 4.33 kN.m = 4.33 x 106 N.mm
Required Section Modulus, Z = MEd / f = (4.33 x 106) / 29.2 = 148 x 103 mm3

ii) Shear stress, q = 3 VEd / 2 bd where VEd = 4.56 kN (from SFD)

Required bd = 3 VEd / 2 q = ( 3 x 4560N) / ( 2 x 2.5 N/mm2 )
A = bd = 2736 mm2

iii) Deflection, δ = ( 5/384) x ( wL4/ EI ) (for UDL-Uniformly Distributed Load)

where δp = 0.003 L = 0.003 x 3800 mm = 11.4 mm (maximum deflection
allowed)
Required I = ( 5/384) x ( wL4/ δ E )
= ( 5/384) ( 2.4 x 38004) / ( 11.4 x 18800 ) A= ?
Ixx = ?
= 30.4 x 106 mm4
Zxx = ?
From Table B4 (MS544)
A joist 63 x 200-nominal, 58 x 190-minimum
Zxx = 349 x 103 mm3 > Zreqd. Zyy = 107 x 103 mm3
A = 11020 mm2 > bdreqd.
Ixx = 33.2 x 106 mm4 > Ireqd. Iyy = 3.09 x 106 mm
Where
17-Apr-14 I = bd3/12 (for rectangular section) 25
Z = I/y = bd2/6 (where y = d/2, for rectangular section)
 The maximum depth to breadth ratio ( d/b ) recommended by MS 544-
Table 7 ( for flexural solid members with ends held in position and
compression edge held in line by floor panel) is 5,

For a beam of 58 x 190 , d / b = 3.3 < 5

therefore TIMBER SELECTED OK

Bearing length required = V / ( cp x b ) where V = wL/2 w kN/m

= ( 2.4 x 3800 ) / ( 4.1 x 58 ) Bearing
Length
2
= 19 mm
V = wL/2
If wane (defect at end) is not included , Bearing Length
= Bearing Length x ( Std gd stress/ Basic gd stress)
= 19 x ( 4.1 / 5.1 )
w kN/m
= 15 mm Bearing
Length Joist

V = wL/2
17-Apr-14 26
COLUMN DESIGN

The principle consideration in the design of column are:

i. Axial stress
ii. Positional restraint of ends
iii. Directional restraint of ends ( i.e. fixity )
iv. Lateral restraint along length
v. Effective length and slenderness ratio
vi. Deflection form
vii. Bearing at bottom and top

Effective length

MS 544:2001 : Part 2 provided Table 9 to be used to determine the effective length of column for
the particular end condition.
For column on compression members , the effective length can also be determined from the
deflected form of the member as affected by any restraint and / or fixing moment (s)
The effective length is given as the distance between adjacent points of zero bending between
which the members is in single curvature

17-Apr-14 27
COLUMN DESIGN

Critical load P c r = ( π2 EA ) / (L/r)2

Where Pcr = critical or Euler load E = Modulus of elasticity

A = cross sectional area L/r = slenderness ratio
L = effective length r = radius of gyration = √ I/A
I = second moment area

For a member having the same effective length about both principle axes, buckling under axial
compression occurs about the axis with the smaller ‘r’ or smaller ‘I’ i.e. the direction of the
maximum slenderness ratio (L/r)

For members having differing L and r values about each principle axis , say ( L/r )x and ( L/r )y
and hence differing slenderness ratios, then the larger value will determine the permissible
compression stress.

MS 544:2001 also placed maximum limit to L/r as follows:

( L/r ) < 180 for compression members carrying dead + live load
( L/r ) > 180 for compression members carrying wind load only (however, L/r < 250 )

17-Apr-14 28
COLUMN DESIGN

Permissible Stress ( Cpll )

Permissible stress for compression member carrying axial loads only should be
determined as follows

Cp = CBg x K8 x K1 x K2

Where, CBg = Grade compression stress from either Table 1, 2 or 4 of the MS 544
K8 = Modification factor as given in Table 10 or Appendix D of MS 544
K1 = Load duration factor (Table 5, pg. 20)
K2 = Load sharing factor (Clause 10, pg. 20)

Modulus of elasticity to be used is generally E minimum see Clause 12.5

17-Apr-14 30
COLUMN DESIGN

To design a column for a factory building

Given
Axial Design load ( DL + imposed ) per column = 60 kN
Design Wind load acting as lateral load = 500 N/m2 (short-term load)
Actual length = 3.0 m
Assume column is restrained at both ends in position (but not in rotation)
Hence, pinned end, effective length = 1.0 x 3.0 = 3.0 m
Spacing of column = 4.5 m
Timber : Strength group: SGI , standard grade , green ( green stress is assumed
because columns are normally wet when constructed because of their size)

Required to find = Size of column

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 y
60 kN
150

190
x

0.5 kN/m2

3m

4.5 m 4.5 m

17-Apr-14 33
Table 4.

17-Apr-14 34
Solution
Take a long term loading and no load sharing (K2 = 1)
From Table 4: (K1-short term due to wind only)
Bending stress (fp) = 23.0 x 1.5 = 34.5 N.mm2
Compression stress ( Cg ) = 21.1 N.mm2
Minimum E = 13300 N/mm2

Estimate A > N/ C P// ~ 4N/ Cg = 4 x 60000/21.1 = 11,374 mm2.

From Table B4 (MS544):
Try a column 150 x 200 mm ( reduced to 140 x 190 mm )
Assume wind is blowing perpendicular to xx axis.

Hence Ixx = 80.0 x 106 mm4 Iyy = 43.0 x 106 mm4 I = bd3/12
Zxx = 842 x 103 mm3 Zyy = 621 x 103 mm3 Z = I/y
A = 26.6 x 103 mm2 A = 26.6 x 103 mm2 rx = d/√12
rxx = 55.0 mm ryy = 40.0 mm
ry = b/√12
λxx = ( L/ r ) xx = 54.5 ( L / r ) yy = 75

So : (L / r )max = (L / r )yy = ( L / r ) col = 75 < 180 … Ok

17-Apr-14 35
Bending action spacing
Lateral load due to wind, ww = 500 x 4.5 = 2250 N/m = 2.25 N/mm
MEd = Mw = ( wwL2 ) / 8 = ( 2.25 x 30002) / 8 = 2.53 x 106 N.mm

or M = P(100+h/2) – moment due to eccentricity (if applicable)

Compression action
Applied: C a// = N/A = 60000 / 26.6 x 103 = 2.26 N/mm2
Permissible: C P// = Cg x K1 x K2 x K8
= 21.1 x 1.0 x 1.0 x K8
K8 to be obtained from Table 10 or Appendix D
λ = ( L / r ) = 75
E / Cg// = 13300 / 21.1 = 630
Hence K8 = 0.448 ( should be interpolated )

C P// = 21.1 x 0.448

17-Apr-14
= 9.45 N/mm2 > C a// (2.26 N/mm2 ) OK 36


Axial compression and bending

interaction (Clause 12.6):
fa// + Ca// ≤ 1.0
fp// 1 - 1.5Ca// x K8 Cp//

Ce

Ceuler = Pcr/A = π2 E / ( Le/ r )2

= π2 ( 13300 ) / 752

= 23.34 N/mm2

fa// = Mw / Zxx = (2.53 x 106 ) / (842 x 103 ) = 3.00 N/mm2 (Applied bending stress)

fp// = 34.5 N/mm2 (Permissible bending stress) > fa// therefore bending OK

3.00 + 2.26 = 0.33 ≤ 1.0

34.5 1 - 1.5 x 2.26 x 0.448 9.45 OK
23.34
17-Apr-14 37
Deflection check

δp = 0.003 L = 0.003 ( 3000 ) = 9mm

δa = ( 5 wL4 ) / ( 384 E Ixx )

= 5 ( 2.25 ) ( 30004 ) / 384 ( 13300 ) ( 80 x 106 )

= 2.23 mm < 9 mm

therefore TIMBER SELECTED OK

17-Apr-14 38
END

17-Apr-14 39