LONGE TERM

DIFLECTION OF
COCONUT RAFTERS
M.R.M.KIYAS 10/158

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
SCOPE, OBJECTIVE
LITERATURE REVIEW
COCONUT RAFTERS PRODUCTION
PROPERTIES OF COCONUT RAFTERS
METHODOLOGY
WORK SHEDULE

INTRODUCTION
There are various types of roof structures in the industry, which are concrete,
steel, timber and etc.
In Sri Lanka the most of residential buildings are of timber roof structure. Purlin,
rafter, reaper and joist the major parts of timber roof structure.
conventionally in Sri Lanka people use various type of timber for rafter
preparation however mostly use the coconut timber, because the availability of
coconut timber in Sri Lanka is higher than the any other timber and prices of
coconut rafters are also lower than the others.
Also the usage and handling of coconut timber is also very easy than other
timbers available.

 Even though coconut timber is conventionally used for roof structure the major
problem of this is the long term deflection often referred as creep. Thus, I define
my scope to increase the strength of the timber using metal sheet.

I assume that when I apply the metal sheet with the timber I can improve the
strength of the timber and in my objective I try to test the properties of coconut
timber.

I got some properties of coconut timbers I try to test my self because Im try to
test for our country climate and coconut timbers. I assume that the properties of
coconut timber will be helpful in testing of deflection when loaded.

When I apply the metal I consider some configuration of the metal sheet.
They are;
1. Can drive nail.
2. The metal sheet should be get the proper connection with the rafter
3. The sheet should be economical
4. Metal sheet should not corrode.
I check the aluminums and Amano sheet for the metal sheet, I analyze these two
selected the Amano sheet because it is satisfy the entire properties said above.

Scope
Strengthening of coconut rafter and joists using the metal sheet.
That is when we apply the metal sheet the deflection will be controlled and strength
also will be increase.

Objective
1. Determine the deflection of the rafter with metal sheet and without metal seat and
compare each other.
2. Determine the properties of coconut timber.

LITERATURE SURVEY

Coconut has been cultivated by man for 4000 years. The main produce of coconut
is copra, which is converted into oil.

The coconut tree bears fruit until approximately 70 years of age.

Coconut timber has two advantages that can make it aviable timber substitute for
certain end uses. It has low raw material cost and a green image being a plantation
by-product.

There are many houses and buildings in Sri Lanka with roof structures built of
coconut woods that are still in use after 100 years. Nowadays in Sri Lanka, more
than 395,000ha are under coconut palms. Kurunegala, Chilaw.

The colour tones are range from golden to near ebony, with dark brown flecks.
There are colour divisions which can be related to timber density as dark brown
tones, medium brown tones and light golden tones.

The seasoned, high density product colour ranges from medium to dark brown with
prominent, darker, quill-like streaks.

Coconut timber (Rafter) production

The actual operation of sawing coconut trunks is difficult, this is probably

mainly due to extremely hard sclerenchyma fibers and the parenchyma
tissue disintegrates into a fine abrasive which is not easily removed from the
cut and which causes frictional heat increase.
In Sri Lanka, processing of coconut timber traditionally involves the use of
an axe and edges to obtain nearly rectangular cross section. Four or six
pieces can be obtained from each annular potion.

Traditional method of cutting and cutting using machine

Properties of coconut timber

01. Physical properties
The coconut palm has a smooth, slender stem that grows to a height of about 25
meters with an average diameter of 300 mm.
The hardest, densest part of the wood is found on the outer perimeter of the trunk,
which gives the palm its strength, while the woods high silica content gives the
palm elasticity.
Towards the center of the trunk, the wood gets relatively softer.
Physical properties depend on
Density
Moisture content
Shrinkage

Density
A: Center (very light/faint grains), Low density.
B: Towards the outer ring (light grains), medium density
C: Outer ring (deep grains), High density or hard wood

Moisture content
Wood has very good water transportation properties because it needs water to

grow. After the tree is cut down and sawn in to timber many of these water
transportation properties remain.
Wood is a hygroscopic material which means that it absorbs and desorbs moisture
from the surrounding air.
The moisture content in wood is therefore dependent on the relative humidity of
the surrounding air.
Moisture in wood can either be found as moisture in the cell wall or as free water
inside the lumens.
The moisture content is influenced by various factors, amongst others by the
ambient temperature and the relative humidity of the air.

Describes the variation of initial moisture content for different

densities of coconut wood
90

80

390

70
60

50

Initial
moisture
/%

258

40

172

Density / (kg/m 3)

130
30

86
20

10

200

400
Through center of stem

600
Through radial direction

800

Shrinkage
The tangential shrinkage as coconut wood is greater than the radial
shrinkage and longitudinal shrinkage of coconut wood is negligible.
The variation of shrinkage with oven dry density content and initial
moisture content are given below in figures in radial and tangential
directions of coconut wood.

Shrinkage with Oven dry density content

7

5.92
5.77
5.12
4.97

Shrinkage %

4.32
4.17

3.52
3.37
3

Oven dry
density
(kg/m3)

0
200

400

600
Radial

Tangential

800

Shrinkage with Initial moisture content

5.42
5.14
4.62
4.42
3.82
3.7
3.02
2.98

Shrinkage/%

20

40

60
80

Initial
moisture
content/
(%)

Radial

Tangential

Physical properties of coconut wood

Physical properties (units)

Range =lowhigh density wood

Density - basic (kg/m)

100 1020

Density - air dry (kg/m)

200 1170

Density for flooring products (Janka hardness >700

>7kN) (kg/m)
Specific gravity

0.26 - 0.59

Shrinkage: tangential, green to dry (%)

3.0 - 6.0

Shrinkage: radial, green to dry (%)

2.7 - 7.4

Unit shrinkage: tangential

0.050.42 | high density:

Unit shrinkage: radial

0.050.34 | high density: 0.240.3

0.320.38

Engineering properties of coconut timber

Density

Moisture

Static

range

content / (%) Bending

Stress

Compression

Compression

parallel to grain

perpendicular

at

grain

proportional Modulus of Maximum

Stress

Limit/(Mpa) Elasticity/

Crushing

proportional

Strength

/ limit /(MPa)

(MPa)

at Impact
Bending /
(N)

(MPa)

High

Medium
Low

57
12
107
12
240
12

51.6
61.7
30.4
38.4
13.1
15.4

to

7988
9747
5151
5282
2287
2914

49
57
31
38
15
19

8.3
9
2.8
3.4
1.3
1.7

20.2
20.1
18.3
10.1
8.4
9

Mechanical properties with density range of coconut timber

Mechanical properties (units)

Range =lowhigh density fiber

Modulus of elasticity: dry (GPa)

225

| high density:11.4

Modulus of rupture: dry (GPa)

28205

| high density: 104

Maximum

crushing

strength:

dry 1957

(MPa)
Janka hardness : dry (kN)

0.7 23.9

| high density: 40

Chemical properties with density range of coconut timber

Chemical

properties Range =lowhigh density fibre

(units)
Inorganic pure ash (%)

0.75 (0.252.4)

Silica (%)

0.07 (0.010.2)

Lignin (%)

25.1

Holocellulose (%)

66.7

Pentosans (%)

22.9

Starch (%)

4.34.6 , (>6 months old; starch reduces with

age)

Applications of coconut wood

Coconut wood, it has many applications as both a structural and interior design
materials such as in building and bridge construction, but also for tools, toys and
other items of daily necessity.

High density timber is suitable for general structural purposes such as pillars,
trusses, rafting, furniture, window and door frames

Medium density timber can be used for walls, ceiling joists and horizontal studs.
Low density is used in non-load bearing applications like wood paneling, internal
trim and ceiling, as well as home wears.
But low density material never use for construction.

 As a rule, experts suggest that coconut wood with density below 400kg/m3
should not be used as structural framing material but only in the internal parts of a
building such as ceilings and wall linings in the form of boards and wall shingles.

In Sri Lanka, where coconut wood is becoming widely used in house

construction, a coconut wood resource of 95 million senile trees would give 14.25
million cubic meters of sawn wood for economic utilization

Based on this estimate, 50 coconut palms are sufficient to build one housing unit.
Hence, with 360 million senile coconut palms, a total of about 7.2 million
housing units could be built.

Durability

Untreated coconut wood had limited natural durability, suggesting it cannot be

used in weather exposed conditions. However, above ground durability greater
than 10 years has been observed for higher density wood.
Particularly when the middle 1/3 of stem is used for roof structure, a preservative
such as so weignum. But for bottom 1/3 of stem treatment is not needed.
Untreated coconut wood is not resistant to termite attack.
So, timber exposed to weathering should always be treated. The wood must be
dried to a wood moisture content corresponding to the climate in which it is to be
used.
According to exposure classes and situations, coconut woods life time could be
varied. Natural durability above ground is identified as approximately 7 years for
high density coconut wood.

PROPERTIES OF COCONUT TIMBER

Availability of coconut timber
In Sri Lanka extensively I have coconut trees but mostly I have in a coconut triangle area that are
Kurunagal, Kandy and Colombo and in the coastal areas of the North and East of the country.
Coconut plantation area : 395000 ha
No of trees
: 6.3million
Trees available per year : 315000
Replanting cycle
: 20yrs

METHODOLOGY
Generally, coconut timber is not used as a load carrying member or
structural member in construction industry due to low or (unreliable)
tensile strength and its flexible behavior allow high deflection.

Our objective is to find the possibility of deflection control and tensile

strength improvement method so I proposed composite model with thin
metal sheet to achieve our objective.

Comparative material properties

Cost estimation of the project

Details

Unit

Unit

Quantity

Feet

42

210

sample(aluminium+Amanosheet)

Item

360

360

Rafter for creep test(4"x2")

Feet

500

2500

Amano sheet(1.5 feet)

Feet

110

330

Nails

250

125

125

Item

2800

2800

rate(Rs)

Total (Rs)

Sample collection for property test(coconut

1

timber sample)
Nails

Transport
6

Total amount

and

metal

sheet

6325

Work schedule for my report

Thank you