Architecture 544
Wood Structures
Flitched Beams
Strain Compatibility
Transformed Sections
Flitched Beams
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 1/27
Strain Compatibility
With two materials bonded together, both
will act as one, and the deformation in
each is the same.
Therefore, the strains will be the same in
each material under axial load.
In flexure the strains are the same as in Axial
a homogeneous section, i.e. linear.
In flexure, if the two materials are at the
same distance from the N.A., they will
have the same strain at that point
because both materials share the same
strain diagram. We say the strains are
compatible.
Flexure
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 2/27
Strain Compatibility (cont.)
The stress in each material is determined
by using Youngs Modulus
Care must be taken that the elastic limit of
each material is not exceeded. The elastic
limit can be expressed in either stress or
strain.
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 3/27
Axial Compression
Stress Analysis: P =50 k
Determine the safety (pass or fail) of the
composite short pier under an axial load.
By Considres Law:
1. P = f A = fs As + fw Aw
(the actual stresses are unknown)
2. Xpier = Xs = Xw (equal strains)
X=f/E
fs / Es = fw / Ew
fs = (Es / Ew) fw
3. Substitute (Es / Ew) fw for fs into the
original equation and solve for fw
4. Use second equation to solve fs
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 4/27
Example - Axial Compression
Pass/Fail Analysis:
Given: Load = 50 kips
Section: Aw = 19.25 in2
Ew = 1000 ksi
As = 2x 0.875 = 1.75 in2
Es = 29000 ksi
Reqrd: actual stress in the material
1. P = f A = fs As + fw Aw
(the actual stresses are unknown )
2. fs = (Es / Ew) fw
3. P = (Es / Ew) fw As + fw Aw
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 5/27
Example - Axial Compression
Pass/Fail Analysis:
4. Use second equation to solve for fs
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 6/27
Flexure Stress using
Transformed Sections
In the basic flexural stress equation, I is
derived based on a homogeneous section.
Therefore, to use the stress equation one
needs to transform the composite section
into a homogeneous section.
The scale factor is called the modular ratio,
n.
Homogeneous Section Transformed Section
For the new transformed section to behave
like the actual section, the stiffness of both
would need to be the same.
In order to also get the correct stiffness for
Since Youngs Modulus, E, represents the
the moment of Inertia, I, only the width of
material stiffness, when transforming one
the geometry is scaled. Using I from the
material into another, the area of the transformed section (ITR) will then give the
transformed material must be scaled by the same flexural stiffness as in the original
ratio of one E to the other. section.
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 7/27
Calculate the Transformed Section, ITR
1. Use the ratio of the E modulus from Transformed material
each material to calculate a modular
ratio, n. Base material
2. Usually the softer (lower E) material is
used as a base (denominator). Each
material combination has a different n.
3. Construct a transformed section by
scaling the width of each material by its
modular, n.
4. Itr is calculated about the N.A. using the
transformation equation (parallel axis
theorem) with the transformed section.
5. Separate transformed sections must be
created for each axis (x-x and y-y)
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 8/27
Flitched Beams & Scab Plates
Compatible with the wood structure,
i.e. can be nailed
Lighter weight than a steel section
Less deep than wood alone
Stronger than wood alone
Allow longer spans
The section can vary over the length of the
span to optimize the member (e.g. scab plates)
The wood stabilizes the thin steel plate
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 9/27
Flitched Beam Analysis Procedure
1. Determine the modular ratio(s). Transformed material
Usually the softer (lower E) material is
used as a base (denominator). Each Base material
material has a different n.
2. Construct a transformed section by
scaling the width of the material by its
modular, n.
3. Determine the Centroid and Moment of
Inertia of the transformed section.
4. Calculate the flexural stress in each
material separately using:
Transformation equation or solid-void
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 10/27
Analysis Example:
For the composite section, find the
maximum flexural stress level in each
laminate material.
1. Determine the modular ratios for
each material.
Use wood (the lowest E) as base
material.
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 11/27
Analysis Example cont.:
2. Construct a transformed section.
Determine the transformed width
of each material.
Transformed Section
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 12/27
Analysis Example cont.:
2. Construct a transformed section.
3. Calculate the Centroid and the
Moment of Inertia for the
transformed section.
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 13/27
Analysis Example cont.:
Find the maximum moment.
By diagrams or by summing moments
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 14/27
Analysis Example cont.:
4. Calculate the stress for each
material using stress equation with
the transformed moment of inertia.
Compare the stress in each material to
limits of yield stress or the safe
allowable stress.
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 15/27
Capacity Analysis (ASD)
Flexure
Given
Dimensions
Material
Required
Load capacity
1. Determine the modular ratio.
It is usually more convenient to
transform the stiffer material.
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 16/27
Capacity Analysis (cont.)
2. Construct the transformed
section. Multiply all widths of
the transformed material by n.
The depths remain unchanged.
3. Calculate the transformed
moment of inertia, Itr .
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 17/27
Capacity Analysis (cont.)
4. Calculate the allowable strain
based on the allowable stress
for the material.
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 18/27
Capacity Analysis (cont.) Allowable Strains:
5. Construct a strain diagram to find which of
the two materials will reach its limit first. The
diagram should be linear, and neither
material may exceed its allowable limit.
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 19/27
Capacity Analysis (cont.)
6. The allowable moments (load
capacity) may now be determined
based on the stress of either material.
Either stress should give the same
moment if the strain diagram from
step 5 is compatible with the stress
diagram (they align and allowables
are not exceeded).
7. Alternatively, the controlling moment
can be found without the strain
investigation by using the maximum
allowable stress for each material in
the moment-stress equation. The
lower moment will be the first failure
point and the controlling material.
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 20/27
Design Procedure:
Given: Span and load conditions
Material properties
Wood dimensions
Reqd: Steel plate dimensions
1. Determine the required moment.
2. Find the moment capacity of the wood.
3. Determine the required capacity for steel.
4. Based on strain compatibility with wood, find
the largest d for steel where Xs < Xallow .
5. Calculate the required section modulus for
the steel plate.
6. Using d from step 4. calculate b (width of
plate).
7. Choose final steel plate based on available
sizes and check total capacity of the beam.
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 21/27
Design Example:
1. Determine the required moment.
2. Find the moment capacity of the wood.
3. Determine the required capacity for steel.
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 22/27
Design Example cont:
4. Based on strain compatibility with
wood, find the largest d for steel
where Xs XALLOW.
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 23/27
Design Example cont:
5. Calculate the required section modulus for
the steel plate.
6. Using d from step 4. calculate b (width of
plate).
7. Choose final steel plate based on available
sizes and check total capacity of the beam.
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 24/27
Design Example cont:
8. Determine required length and location of
plate.
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 25/27
Applications:
Renovation in Edina, Minnesota
Four 2x8 LVLs, with two 1/2" steel
plates. 18 FT span
Original house from 1949
Renovation in 2006
Engineer: Paul Voigt
Todd Buelow used with permission
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 26/27
Applications:
Renovation
Chris Withers House, Reading, UK 2007
Architect: Chris Owens, Owens Galliver
Engineer: Allan Barnes
Chris Withers used with permission
University of Michigan, TCAUP Structures II Slide 27/27
