DESIGN IN TIMBER

TO MS 544
BY: MUHAMMAD FAIZ MAZLEE
 COURSE OUTCOME
At the end of the lecture student will be able to;

◦ Design compression members

Design of compression
members
i.e. column and struts
 Introduction
• Example: columns, vertical wall studs, stanchions
or struts and girders.
Stud walls Top rail/plate Cladding material

Studs

Noggings

Diagonal braces

Bottom rail/plate

(a) Elevation
y
Studs

x x

610 mm maximum for

load sharing
y
(c) Cross-section
 The terms struts is usually used when
referring to members in lattice/truss
frameworks, whilst the others generally
refer to vertical or inclines members
supporting floors and/or roofs in
structural frames.
 Standard test is for square specimen with
length 3 or 4 times their breadth.
 Mode of failure:
 Column is generally applied to relatively heavy vertical members.
 Mode of failure in short column is crushing or shearing at an angle of
approximately 45 degrees to the axis But actually in construction L/b > four.
 Struts are commonly used for smaller compression members which may not
be in vertical position. Fail in buckling.
 Long column will fail in buckling and the failure load is dependent on the
modulus of elasticity and is governed by the well known Euler formula.
 Column of ‘intermediate’ length will fail by a combination of crushing and
buckling.
 Because of these, the design of columns requires a modification factor to take
care of buckling which is related to the slenderness ratio of the member.
 The effects of these characteristics are to introduce initial curvature,
secondary bending and consequently premature failure by buckling before the
stress in the material reaches the failure value. The stress at which failure will
occur is influenced by several variables, e.g.
 The cross-sectional shape of the member
 The slenderness of the member
 The permissible stress of the material
 DESIGN CONSIDERATION

The principle consideration in the design of the

compression members are:
•Axial stress
•Positional restrained at ends
•Directional restraint at ends (i.e. fixity)
•Lateral restrained along length
•Effective length and slenderness ratio
•Deflected form
•Bearing at each end
The main design considerations for
compression members are:
 Slenderness ratio. This relates to position
restraints of ends, lateral restraint along the
length and cross-section dimensions of the
member.
 Axial compression and bending stress.
 Consideration on the design of compression
members
a) Straightness of the compression members (Clause 12.1)
- the straightness of columns should put more attention.
- the limiting bow is to approximately 1/300 of lengths.

b) Size factor (Clause 12.2)

- the grade compression stress in table 4.3 to 4.5 apply to all solid members
graded to MGR.

c) Effective length (Clause 12.3)

- the effective length of a compression member should be derived from
either:
i) the deflected form of the compression members as affected by any
restraint and/or fixing moment (s), the effective lengths being the
distance between adjacent points of zero bending between which the
member is in single curvature or
 i) Table 9 (MS 544 Part 2) for the particular end
conditions;
Table 5.1 Effective length of compression members (Table 18, BS 5268 : Part 2)

End Conditions Le/L

Restrained at both ends in position and in direction 0.70

Restrained at both ends in position and one end in direction 0.85
Restrained at both ends in positions but not in direction 1.00
Restrained at one end in position and in direction and at the 1.50
other end in direction but not in position
Restrained at one end in position and in direction and free at 2.00
the other end

The effective length is determined by:

 Positional restrained at each end of the column (i.e. whether or not there
is relative sway between the two ends)
 Directional restrained at ends (i.e. whether or not there is fixity at one or
both ends)
 Lateral restrained along the length
Effective lengths and end conditions.

Le = 0.7 L Le = 0.85 L Le = 1.0 L Le = 1.5 L Le = 2.0 L

 Effective length. No sway

o o
Pin Pin Fixed
end end end
No restrained along
length

Le = effective length

Pin Fixed Fixed

end o end end

Le = 1.0 L Le = 0.85 L Le = 0.7 L

Effective length x-x axis. No sway

Effective length. Points of contra-flexure

Point of contra-flexural Point of contra- Le

flexural
C

A
 Bracing Buckle shape of
braced column
length
Without sideways

Column

Buckled shape
Unbraced
of column
length
With sideways

Column
d) Slenderness ratio
Slenderness ratio = λ = Le
i

Le = Effective span i = radius of gyration

= Coefficient x L  Table 6.1

- For timber of rectangular section, the equivalent slenderness ratio can be

expressed more easily as Le/b, became the relationship of i to b is constant
which is i  b where b is the breadth of the member.
12

- Clause 12.4 (MS 544 Part 2) states that the slenderness ratio, λ should
not exceed 180 for
(i) any compression member carrying dead and imposed loads other than
loads resulting from winds; and
(ii) any compression member, however loaded, which by its deformation
will adversely affect the stress in another member carrying dead and
imposed loads other than wind.
 - λ should not exceed 250 for
(i) any member normally subjected to tension or combined tension and
bending arising from dead and imposed loads, but subject to a
reversal of axial stress solely from the effect of wind
(ii) Any compression member carrying self weight and wind loads (i.e.
wind bracing)

e) Axial compression strain

δ c,ɑ,II = F F = axial load
A A = cross sectional area
applied
PERMISSIBLE COMPRESSION
STRESS
 The permissible compressive stress for any
column having an equivalent slenderness ratio
Le/b equal to or grater than 5 is required to be
reduced by a modification factor which takes
into account the slenderness ratio. The
modification factor is

 1 (1   ) 2 .E   1 (1   ) 2 E 
2
  2E 
2

K8 =       
 2 2 N  2
 
   2 2 N 2
c  N2 c 
c

 Where,
  c = compression parallel to the grain
grade stress modified only for moisture
content and duration of loading.
 E = modulus elasticity of timber subjected
to load sharing or non load sharing
 = slenderness ratio (Le/b)
  = eccentricity factor (taken as 0.005)

 N =1.5 taken account of the reduction factors
used to derive grade compression stress and
moduli of elasticity
f) Permissible stress (Compression without bending)

For λ < 5 – without undue eccentricity loading

δ c,adm,II = δ c,g,II x modification factor K1, K2

Load duration Load sharing

For λ ≥ 5
δ c,adm,II = δ c,g,II x modification factor (size, moisture content,
duration load and load
sharing and K8)
K8 = modification factor for compression member
Steps of design of solid timber column (without bending)

1. Find a trial section from Table 3 MS 544 Part 2.

2. Find the grade compressive stress parallel to grain and Minimum E from Table
4.5. (δ c,g,II and E min)

3. Calculate the following properties.

(if no bracing, use weaker axis,
I xx h
ixx   b
A 12 i.e. , i yy  )
12
A = bh
Le
Slenderness ratio, λ =
i xx
4. Obtain the permissible compressive stress parallel to grain.
For λ < 5
δ c,adm,II = δ c,g,II x K1, K2, K8
= C x K8

For λ ≥ 5
δ c,adm,II = δ c,g,II x K1, K2, K3, K8
= C x K8 x (K2, K3)
if applicable

5. Calculate axial compressive stress

δ c,a,II = F F = axial load
A A = Cross sectional area

6. Members subject to axial compression only

δ c,a,ll ≤ δ c,adm,II
Axial concentric and eccentric loads.

Load P y y ey y ye
y

ey
x x x x x
ey

y y y y
(Concentric load (Eccentric load (Eccentric load (Eccentric load
Load = P Load = P Load = P Load = P
M=0 Mxx = P · ey Myy = P · ex Mxx = P · ey
Myy = P · ex
To design a solid column without lateral loading

Example 1

Given
Axial load (Dead load + Imposed load) per column = 60 kN
Actual length of column = 4.7 ,
Column is fixed at one end and pinned at the other, i.e.
column is restrained at both ends in position and one end
direction.
Spacing of column = 4.5 m
Timber : Strength group SG3. Standards grade, green.
Required : Size of column
Solution

a) Effective span = 0.85 x L = 0.85 x 4.7 = 4.0 m

b) Calculate stresses.
Take medium term loading and non load sharing.

Compressive stress (C) = δ c,g,ll x modification factor

= δ c,g,ll x K1
= 12 x 1.25
= 15 N/mm2
Emin = 9800 N/mm2

E = Emin = 9800 = 653

C C 15
Le
To find modification factor K8, from Table 10. We need slenderness ratio, λ =
i xx
Since we don’t know the size of the column, by trial and error, let the size of the
column be 125 x 125 mm (reduce to 120 x 120). Then need to check that the
permissible axial load is not exceed

Fp
Fa < Fp where,  p 
A

A = 120 x 120 = 14400 mm2

b 120
i   34.6mm
12 12
Le 4000
λ =   116
i 34.6
Note: there is some mistakes in
E = 653 Table 10> at λ = 80 and 90 , the
C values in both tables are the
same. In this case, you need to
Table 10 calculate K8 manually.
Therefore, modification factor K8 = 0.26
Permissible compressive stress
δ c,adm,ll = K8 x C
= 0.26 x 15
= 3.9 N/mm2
δ c,adm,ll = Fp
A

Fp = Permissible axial load = 3.9 x 14400

1000
= 52.6 kN

but Fp < Fa = 60 kN *not satisfied

Change size to a bigger size, let size 150 mm x 150 mm

 To design a solid column without lateral loading

Example 2

A timber column of SG3 std and dry consist of a 100mm

square section which is constrained at both ends in position
but not in direction. Assuming that the actual height of the
column is 3.75m, calculate the maximum axial long term
load that the column can support.
Solution

Since both ends are pinned, Le = 1.0L

Effective span, Le = 1.0 x 3.75 m = 3750 mm

Le 3750
Slenderness ratio, λ = 
i i

I db 3 12 b 100
i     28.867
A db 12 12

λ = 3750 = 129.90 < 180 *OK for only axial load

28.867

Grade stresses and modulus of elasticity, compression parallel to grain,

δ c,g,ll = 14.1 N/mm2

Modulus of elasticity, E min = 10300 N/mm2

Modification factor, K1 = 1.0 (long term)

C = δ c,g,ll x K1 = 14.1 N/mm2

E min = 10300 = 730.5

C 14.1
λ = 129.9 ≈ 130

Therefore K8 from Table 6.2, K8 = 0.232

Therefore permissible compression stress parallel to grain,

δ c,adm,ll = C x K8
= 14.1 x 0.243
= 3.434 N/mm2
The maximum applied axial long term load

Fa = δ c,adm,ll x A
= 3.434 N/mm2 x (100 x 100) mm2
= 34.35 kN
Design for members subject to axial compression
and bending
Members subjected to axial loads as well as side pressure caused by wind
So the column should satisfy the interaction formula,

 m,a  c ,a
 1
   c ,a    c ,adm
 m,adm 1  1.5  K8 

 
 e  
Where δ m,a : applied bending stress
δ m,adm : permissible bending stress
δ c,a : applied compression stress
δ c,adm : permissible compression stress (including K8)
 2E  2E
δe : Euler critical stress = 
 Le i
K8 : modification factor for column as given in Table 10
Note :
For load sharing member multiply by K7 = 1.1

Z   c ,a   m,a 
Deflection, y '  n   0.005Le
A   e   c ,a 
Under wind load

5 WL4
 X  0.003Le
384 E1
In general
 Step in design of solid timber column with bending
including lateral loads
1. Find a trial section (Table 3 MS 544 Part 2)
2. Calculate the geometrical properties

bh 2 i
I

h i, A, λ
Z xx  A
6 12

3. Find the grade stresses

Compression // and bending and Emin
4. Bending
a) Obtain max bending moment due to wind loading.
wL2 M
M 
and calculate applied bending stress, m ,a 
8 Z

b) Calculate permissible bending stress = δ c,adm,ll x K2 x K7 x K8

Check that δ m,adm > δ m,a
 P
5. Compression  c ,a 
A
a) Obtain applied compressive stress,

b) Calculate the compressive stress for short column.

δ c,adm = δc x K1 x K2

Calculate buckling modification factor K8 if λ ≥ 5

Check that δ c,adm > δ c,a

6. Check the interaction formula i satisfied.

Example

Solid hardwood column with lateral load. Solid timber column of strength
grade SG7 tropical hardwood dry has cross section 75 x 125 mm and
effective length 3600 mm and carries 19 kN axial load. One of a series
spaced at 2400 mm centers with 600 N/mm2 wind loading and braced
against buckling in the weaker direction. Assume very short term
loading. Check that the interaction formula does not show or seem
greater than unity.
Solution

Geometrical properties

bh 2 75 X 1252
Z   195312mm3
6 6
12
I bh 3 h 125
i      36.08mm
 A 12bh 12 √12 12

Le 3600 If the column is braced,

λ=   99.78 use weaker axis.
i 36.08

A = bh = 75 x 125 = 9375 mm2

Applied UDL per column b
W = windloading x spacing = 600N/mm2 x 2400 mm = 1440 N/m

Check bending moment

Wl 2 N 3.6
M  1440 x3.6mx  2.33x106 Nmm
8 M 8

Applied bending stress, δ c,a = M

Z

2.333x106 Nmm N
 c ,a   11.94
195312 mm3 mm2

δ m,adm = δ m,g,ll x K1
= 6.5 N/mm2 x 1.50
= 9.75 N/mm2 Table 5
Dry grade stress in
bending Table 4.5
Compressive stress

P 1900 N N
 c ,a    2.027
A 9375 mm2 mm2

Permissible compressive stress

δ c,adm,ll = δ c,g,ll K1
= 5.4 x 1.50 = 8.1

Emin = 3400 = 419.75 ~ 420

δc,adm,ll 8.1

K8 = 0.234

The permissible axial stress is then

δ c,adm = δ c,adm,ll x K8
= 8.1 X 0.234
= 1.89 N/mm2
The interaction formula is
P
M A
7

 m ,a  c,a ,ll
,ll
 1
 1.5 c,a ,ll   c ,adm,ll
 m,adm,ll 1  K8 ÷
÷
  e 
δ c,g,ll x K1 x K8
δ m,g,ll x K1,K2 π2 Emin
λ2

Euler critical stress , δe = π2 Emin

λ

If < 1 (less than unity), so the maximum combined stress due

to compression and bending does not exceed the permissible
condition and the column is satisfactory for the given loading.