TIMBER DESIGN

TIMBER DESIGN
In the design and investigation of wooden
beams there are four checks to be made:
a. Check for bending or flexure
b. Check for shear
c. Check for deflection
d. Check for end bearing
 A. Bending Stress
• Beam is safe for flexure as long as the internal
resisting moment, MR is equal or more than
the external bending moment, ME.
General formula for bending stress

where:
fb = actual unit stress for extreme fiber in bending
M = bending moment
c = distance from the neutral axis to extreme fiber
I = moment of inertia of the section

Pa = Pascals = 1 N/m2
(for homogeneous beams – any section)
MPa = megaPascals = 1,000,000 Pa = 1 N/mm2
• If section modulus, S = I/c, the resulting
formula is shown below. This can be used in
the design of all homogeneous beams. (Ex.
Design of wood and steel)
 Bending Stress for rectangular
sections:
• (Note: Wooden beams are usually rectangular
in cross section)
• In the general formula, if c = d/2 and I =
(1/12)bd3, the resulting formula is shown
below.
Note:
In investigation problem:
fb is compared with Fb = allowable unit
stress for extreme fiber in bending
In design:
Fb value is used in place of fb. (Note: Fb is
reduced if d > 300 mm)
Bending Stress for triangular sections:
• In the general formula, if c = (2/3)d and I =
(1/36)bd3, the resulting formula is shown
below.
 Bending Stress for circular sections:
• In the general formula, if c = r = d/2 and I
= (π r4)/4, the resulting formula is shown
below.
 B. Shearing Stress
• General formula for shearing stress
where: fv = actual unit horizontal shear
stress
V = shear force
Q = statical moment abt. the neutral
axis of the part of The section
where shearing is considered
I = moment of inertia of the cross
section
b = width, often cross-sectional
Shearing Stress for rectangular
sections:
• Note:
• In investigation problem:
fv is compared with Fv = the
allowable unit horizontal
shear stress of the wood
• In design:
Fv value is used in place of fv.
• Shearing Stress for triangular sections:

• Shearing Stress for circular sections:

• Note:
In the design of beams, commercial sizes should
always be employed.
However, if the beam will be exposed to view or
whenever the member is going to be straightened
and planed, dressed dimensions should be used.
Following reductions from the commercial sizes
should be made to obtain dressed dimension:
a. for size ranging from 1” to 6” – reduce by
1/8” to ¼”.
b. for sizes higher than 6” reduce by 3/8” to ½”.
 Example:
• 2” x 4” lumber - actually measures 1.5” x 3.5”
(surfaced or dressed dimension)
or: 5 cm x 10 cm - actually measures 3.8 cm x
8.9 cm (surfaced or dressed dimension)
• S2S stands for surfaced two sides and means that
the two wider faces of the lumber (front and
back) are planed smooth. The edges will still be
rough.
• S3S stands for surfaced three sides
• S4S stands for surfaced four sides
 Illustrative Problem 1:
(Design for bending only)
• Using the flexure formula for homogeneous beams, compute
for the dimensions of the section of the beam loaded as
shown. Use allowable bending stress of the wood as 8.30 MPa
and use d = 2b for the beam section. Neglect the weight of
the beam and round off the dimensions to the nearest whole
number. Suggest a commercial size for the beam.
 C. Deflection
• Deflection, is the deformation that accompanies
bending.
• It is the vertical distance moved by a point on the
neutral surface when a beam bends.
• A certain amount of deflection is present in all beams,
hence a designer should see to it that the deflection
does not exceed the allowable limits.
• The dimensions of a beam may be sufficient to carry
the imposed loads, but the deflection may be too great
that cracks develop on a plastered ceiling underneath,
cause misalignment of shafting, and the vibration of
the floor.
• Therefore, the beam should be designed not only for
strength but also for stiffness.
Below are the different values of allowable and
actual deflections:
Allowable deflection, ΔA LL only DL+LL
Roof beams:
Industrial L/180 L/120
Commercial
plaster ceiling L/240 L/180
no plaster L/360 L/240
Floor beams:
Ordinary Usage L/360 L/240
Roof or floor (with damageable elements) L/480
 Moment Diagrams and Equations for
Maximum Deflection, Actual Deflection, ∆s
 Moment Diagrams and Equations for
Maximum Deflection, Actual Deflection, ∆s
 Illustrative Problem #2:
A concentrated load of 24 kN is applied at the free end of
a 1.5 m – span cantilever wooden beam with section
200 mm x 300 mm. The weight of the wood used is 5.6
kN/m3.
a.) Draw the beam and its section showing the given span
and dimensions and all the applied loads including its
own weight.
b.) Determine the maximum bending stress of the beam.
c.) If the allowable bending stress of the wood used is
13.8 MPa, is the beam safe to carry the applied load
and its own weight? Support your answer.
 Illustrative Problem #3:
(Design problem - for bending, shear and deflection
• Calculate the dimension of the timber beam shown.
Use Fb = 16.4 MPa ; Allowable deflection, ΔA =
Span/240; Fv = 1.80 MPa E = 5430 MPa
• Neglect the beam weight. Use d = 2b
Lateral Support
• Solid-sawn rectangular lumber
beams, rafters and joists shall
be supported laterally to
prevent rotation or lateral
displacement in accordance
with the following:
If the ratio of depth to width of section, based on
nominal dimensions, is:
1. Two to 1, no lateral support is required. (d = 2b)
2. Three to 1 or 4 to 1, (d=3b to d=4b), the ends shall be
held in position, as by full-depth solid blocking,
bridging, nailing or bolting to other framing members,
approved hangers or other acceptable means.
3. Five to 1, (d=5b), one edge shall be held in line for its
entire length.
4. Six to 1, (d=6b), bridging, full-depth solid blocking or
cross-bracing shall be installed at intervals not
exceeding 2.4 m unless both edges are held in line.
5. Seven to 1, (d=7b), both edges shall be held in line for
their entire length.
• In lieu of providing lateral support by the
methods specified above, the allowable
stresses used in design of beams and joists
shall be reduced by the slenderness factor
provided by the code.
• A more precise method of beam design which
accounts for lateral stability is given below.
The slenderness ratio for a bending member
shall be calculated by the formula:
where: Cs = slenderness factor
b and d = dimensions of section in mm.
le = effective span length of beam in mm.
For values of le: le = 1.61 (lu) for single-span
beam, load concentrated at the center
le = 1.92(lu) for single-span beam, uniformly
distributed load
le = 1.69(lu) for cantilever beam, load concentrated
at unsupported end
le = 1.06(lu) for cantilever beam with uniform load.
where: lu = unsupported length of beam, mm
• When slenderness factor does not exceed 10,
the full allowable unit stress in bending, Fb
may be used as in our solved examples of
design of beam.
• Between 10 and 50, Fb shall be reduced
accordingly during design. (Formulas for the
reduction factor can be found in the structural
code). In no case shall Cs exceed 50.
•
 Horizontal Shear in Notched Beams
• Where girders, beams or joists are notched at points
of support on the tension side, they shall meet the
design requirements of that section in bending and
in shear. The shear at such point shall not exceed the
value calculated by the following formula:
where:
Fv = allowable unit horizontal
shear stress
d’ = actual depth of beam at
the notch
d = total depth of beam
 Illustrative Problem 4:
(Design Problem)
A yacal rectangular beam with a span of 5.5 m is
carrying a total uniform load of 55 kN. It has
been designed for flexure and has a size of 4”
x 16”. Compute the depth, d’, to allow
notching at support. Use 50% stress-grade
yacal.
 Illustrative Problem 5:
(Investigation Problem)
A wooden rectangular beam 200 x 350 mm (with notch
at the end as shown in the figure) has a simple span
of 6 m. Neglecting the weight of the beam, compute
the safe load, P, that can be placed at its midspan.
Allowable bending stress, Fb = 10.35 MPa and
allowable shearing stress, Fv = 1.10 MPa.
 Investigation of Axially-loaded
Columns
• Columns - are vertical members carrying
primarily axial load but generally subjected to
axial load and moment.
• Buckling is defined as an instance of lateral
bending or bowing of the column shape due to a
compressive load on a column.
• Effective Length: In the design formulas, the
effective length of column, le = Ke(l).
Ke value can be found below. l = unsupported
length of the column.
 Formulas for allowable compressive
stresses
(for square or rectangular simple solid columns)
• These allowable stresses must not exceed
values for compression, parallel to grain, Fc,
tabulated in the structural code.
• Short Column:
le / d = 11 or less F’c = Fc
• Intermediate Column:
le / d is more than 11 but less than K

• Long Column:
le / d = K or more
 Illustrative Problem # 6
(Column- Investigation problem)
A timber column 200 mm x 250 mm x 7 m long
is laterally supported at a point 3 m from the
bottom.
Determine the maximum axial load that it can
carry if the allowable compressive stress
parallel to the grain is 10.34 MPa and
Ew = 13800 MPa.
•
 Illustrative Problem #7:
(Design of wood floor system – Joist /Beam and Girder)
• A panel of building as shown has 300 mm x 300
mm columns 4.50 m on both ways. The beams
frame into the girders at the third points and the
flooring consists of a 100 mm planking weighing
56 N/m2 per cm of thickness. The building is used
for manufacturing purposes for which the live
load is 4.8 kPa. Allowable working stresses are 8.3
MPa for bending and 0.70 MPa for shear and
modulus of elasticity is 11030 MPa. Allowable
deflection is 1/360 of span. Design the beams
and the girders. Assume the weight of wood to
be 6.3 kN/cu.m. Use commercial sizes only.