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4: UNIT 1: WOODEN
STRUCTURES
Objectives: Wooden
1: To understand the versatility of wood as Beams
a Material
2:To understand the advantages of
Wooden Structures
3: To understand the disadvantages of
wooden structures and to overcome them.
4: To study wooden beams and how to
design them.
1
http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/infrastructure/g2679/best-wooden-
structures-in-the-world/
Wood is an organic cellular material. Absolutely dry wood weight is an index of the cell wall
substance present which is an indicator of the strength and finishing characteristics. Density
of wood determines the changes in the moisture content. The Strength of structural wood
(many a times referred as Timber) depends on natural characteristics like •Knots • Checks
and Shakes • Slopes of grain • Specific Gravity •Moisture Content
Low cost of some varieties of Timber make it the preferred material for •Temporary
Structures •Formwork •Scaffolding
1A.II. The life of a Timber Structure is long if maintained either dry or wet continuously
1. Knots: Knots are caused by the trunk of a tree growing around a limb (Branch).
The appearance of a knot does not mean that the timber piece is inferior
Knots affect the strength because the grains deviate from regular direction in passing around
them and the weakening effect is felt more in tension than in compression
Knots have no effect on the Stiffness.
In a simply supported beam a Knot on the lower side will affect the carrying capacity.
In short or Intermediate columns Knots will reduce the strength in proportion to their sizes
In Long Columns whose load carrying capacity is dependent on Stiffness, the knots have no effect.
3. Slope of Grain: When the fibers of a wood are not parallel to the edge of the piece cross
grains exists.
Wood is least strong across the grains and hence slope of grain is important in Structural Timber
Up to a slope of 1 in 10 Compressive Strength is not affected
Modulus of Elasticity is affected at a slope of 1 in 15
Shock Resistance decreases rapidly at a slope of 1 in 15
4. Rate of Growth: The cross section of a tree shows concentric rings and the number of
rings per unit width is an indication of the growth of the tree.
For Structural Timber 5 rings per 20 mm width may be specified
5. Specific Gravity: The material of which the cell walls are composed of is called wood
substance with a specific gravity of 0.64. Being a Natural Material this differs from wood
to wood
The Strength of wood depends on its Specific Gravity
6. Moisture Content: After a tree is cut the wood begins to lose water till equilibrium with
the surrounding atmosphere (depending on temperature and relative humidity) is
reached.
As Moisture content (weight of water contained in wood expressed as percentage of oven dry
weight) is reduced increase in Strength Properties expected.
Some more terms associated with wood and their importance are noted below
1. Shrinkage is generally in the direction of annual growth rings and longitudinal shrinkage
is negligible
2. Heartwood (central portion of the Log) consists of inactive tissues giving strength to the
tree trunk and Sapwood (portion between Heartwood and Bark) is made up of Living
Cells. Sapwood is permeable to liquids and has to be treated for increasing resistance to
•Decay •Insect Attack •Fire
3. Live and Dead Trees: Wood cut from trees killed by insects, fungi, wind or fire is good
structurally compared to “Cut Live Trees “. Those portions from these dead cut trees
that are free from insects and decay should be used.
4. Seasoning of Timber: To determine the Working Stresses in Timber the effect of
seasoning and use conditions is important to consider. Seasoning should not have a
dimensional change on the Timber. The moisture content of Structural Timber lies
between the two limits of seasoned condition and unseasoned condition. The values of
working stresses are arrived at on the basis of unseasoned Timber.
5. Destructive Agencies: Engineering Materials are not absolutely permanent under all
conditions of service and use. Wood is also vulnerable to •Decay •Fire •Insects •Marine
Borers •Mechanical Wear •Weathering and •Chemical Resistance
Decay: This is brought about by fungi which live on the wood substance. Constantly
submerged parts of piling in fresh water and foundation piles under buildings, do not
decay if ground water level is constantly higher than the top of the piles. To protect
wood preservative treatment using Oil Preservatives or Oil Borne Preservatives or Water
borne preservatives should be used either with a pressure process or a non-pressure
process.
Fire Resistance: Time Element is vital to the destruction of buildings by fire. Non-
combustibility of material is not the most important factor but collapse of structural
members within due to heat so as not to allow a person to enter or exit is vital. Wood
9. Wood is a Durable Material but generally assumed that it is perishable and therefore
only suitable for temporary structures. This cannot be true as is evidenced from century
old timber built structures and bridges. Wood if properly protected from attack by fungi,
insects, borers does not change its strength and properties with time. If years of
satisfactory service are a measure of permanence No other Material is more
permanent than Timber.
1A.IV. Disadvantages of Wooden Structures: There are a few disadvantages but they are
easy to disregard, and eliminate as long as the cause is known.
1. Shrinkage and Swelling of Wood: Wood is a hygroscopic material. This means that it
will adsorb surrounding condensable vapors and loose moisture to air below the
fiber saturation point.
2. Deterioration of Wood: Wood can have biotic degradation (mold fungi, bacteria and
insects) and Abiotic degradation (Sun, wind, water, certain chemicals and fire).
3. Wood easily catches fire. Wood consists of organic compounds which are composed
mainly of carbon and hydrogen. They can combine with oxygen and burns. When
combined with oxygen and a temperature between 250 and 270 degrees Celsius,
wood can start to burn even without a flame. Wood is classified as a combustible
material because of these properties.
• Chemical materials, especially extractives in woods structure cause the burning
point to change. Fire resistance can also be improved by either impregnating
wood with some chemicals or coating the wood with a non-combustible paint
• Using thick wood as a structural element is another way of extension of burning
point. Outer surface burns and turns into charcoal. Charcoal, which forms on the
surface of wood as it burns, is a very effective heat insulator. Therefore large
timbers burn very slowly. In addition to this, wood is very good heat insulator
too.
Babul 7.7 10.59 x 10³ 17.86 15.11 12.16 2.16 10.99 10.01 7.85 6.38 4.91 4.02
Deodar 5.34 9.32 x 10³ 10.01 8.63 6.87 0.98 7.65 6.87 5.49 2.55 2.06 1.67
Mango 6.76 8.93 x 10³ 12.16 10.01 7.85 1.37 7.26 6.47 5.1 3.04 2.35 1.86
Indian
Oak 8.48 12.26 x 10³ 14.52 12.16 9.61 1.67 9.03 7.85 6.47 4.41 3.43 2.84
Sal 8.48 12.46 x 10³ 16.48 13.73 10.98 1.28 10.4 9.22 7.65 4.41 3.43 2.84
Teak 6.27 9.42 x 10³ 13.73 11.38 9.22 1.37 8.63 7.65 6.28 3.92 3.04 2.4
7. Timber Beams:
A. Bending in Timber is based on the Flexural Formula and based on the following.
1. Plane Section Remains Plain After Bending
2. The Stresses are within Elastic Limit
3. Young’s Modulus is same for Tension and Compression
Tests have shown that Timber does behave like a homogenous material and has almost
equal capabilities in compression and tension.
B. Form Factor: In a deep Beam the stress decrease from the outer most fiber towards the
neutral axis is less than in a shallow beam. The carrying capacity of a Deep Rectangular
Beam is less. The Form Factor K is applied for rectangular Beams greater in depth than
300mm.
²
= 0.81 Where D = Depth of the Beam in mm to be applied to the stress value
²
Different Types of Wooden Sections may have different Form Factors which are also based
on the shape of the section and may have values lesser than 1 or greater than 1. E.g. for
square sections where the load is in the direction of the girder the form factor shall be taken
as 1.414
C. Effective Span: Least of the Following for Simple Supported Beams
1. Centre to Centre between supports or
2. Clear span + Half of Required Bearing at each end
And Centre to Centre between Supports for Continuous Beams
Effective Span to be considered from Face of Support to Free End for Cantilever
D. Width: The minimum width of a beam shall greater of the following
1. 50mm
2. 1/50 of the Span
E. Depth: The depth of the Beam shall not be three times the width without Lateral
Stiffening
F. Stiffening: All beams with depth more than 3 times the width and span more than 50
times the depth shall be laterally restrained from twisting and buckling and the distance
between such restraints shall not exceed 50 times the width
1B.II. Design of Rectangular Timber Beams
1. Design for Bending Stress:
M=σ z
M= Bending Moment Maximum, σ= permissible Bending Stress in Compression and Tension
Z = Section Modulus of a Rectangular Section = bd²/6
To find the dimensions of the section either assume d=3b or b= 1/50th of span or 50 mm
1B.III. Problems:
Problem 1 A room of size 10.0m X 4.0m with 230 thick walls on all four sides is to be provided with a
concrete slab 110 mm thick to be supported on timber joists 3 in number (2.5m center to center)
along the shorter span. The concrete slab is to be finished with 25mm thick tiles laid on 25 mm
thick c.m. screed and is part of a commercial building. Design the Timber Joists assuming that
the wood is teak Wood. (I am not recommending this kind of construction detailing but for the
sake of simplicity have formulated the problem; the next problem is more of a timber
construction). At the end I would like to compare this to the last STEEL girder problem we solved
to compare between the two materials.
Solution:
1. Load Calculations:
1. Live Load 2.5m x 4kN /m² = 10.00kN/m
2. Slab Load 2.5m x 0.11m x 25kN/m³ = 6.87kN/m
3. Floor Finish 2.5m x 0.05m x 25kN/m³ = 3.12kN/m
4. Assume Self Weight = 0.50kN/m
Total Load = 20.5kN/m
Let us take a load of = 21kN/m
A.
B. Design of Secondary Beams:
1. Load Calculations:
1. Live Load 1.2m x 4kN /m² = 4.80kN/m
2. Block Board + Flooring 1.2m x (0.04+ .008)m x 09kN/m³ = 0.52kN/m
3. Assume Self Weight = 0.50kN/m
Assignments:
A) Theory Questions:
1 Explain the structural properties of Timber w.r.t the following
a Checks and Shakes
b Knots
c Slope of Grain
d Moisture Content
e Heart Wood and Sapwood/ Live Trees and Dead Trees
f Fire Resistance
2 What are the advantages of Timber as a structural Material w.r.t (any two)
1 Tensile Strength
2 Decorative Material
3 Acoustic Material
4 Natural Material
5 Durability
6 Thermal Resistance
4 Bearing
5 Form Factors
Problems:
1. A balcony of 1.5m cantilever is to be constructed using wooden cantilever beams, 1.2m
c/c supporting wooden planks 35mm thick and finished with 12mm thick wooden slats.
Design the wooden beam considering the following.
• Take d = 2.5b
• Type of Wood – Teak Wood, for beam, planks and flooring Density-6.27kN/m³
• Permissible Bending Stress for outside location – 11.38 N/mm²
• Permissible Shear Stress – 1.37 N/mm²
• Allowable Deflection – Span/180
• Take live load as 4kN/m².
• E= 9.42 x 10³ N/mm²
3. A Wooden beam is simply supported across a span of 4.23m and is of size 90 x 270
What safe u.d.l can it carry if the Bending Stress is not to exceed 12.16 N/mm²? Also
Find the actual deflection of the beam and compare it with the Allowable deflection of
Span/240. E= 8.93 x 10³N/mm²
4. Design a Timber Beam to take a load of 9kN/m over a Simply Supported effective span of
4.56m considering the following.
• Take d = 3b
• Permissible Bending Stress for inside location – 12.16 N/mm²
• Permissible Shear Stress – 1.37 N/mm²
• Allowable Deflection – Span/240
• E= 8.93 x 10³N/mm²