University of Antique

Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs

Instructional Materials Development Committee
Sibalom, Antique

Structural Design of Timber

Design of structures using timber is commonly used on rural areas where supply of timber is abundant.
Some of the benefits of using timber for structures are they lightweight, not prone to rust if located along
the shoreline and aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
Timber as a structural member is capable of carrying a certain load depending on the species. In this
subject the different species of lumber available in the market are introduced according to its bending and
compressive strength.

Properties of wood

Bark – outer layer

Wood – inner sections of the trunk
Cambium – continuous ring of reproductive tissue located between the sapwood and the inner layer of the
bark
Annual rings – determines the age of the wood
 Principal axes of wood

Wood is an anisotropic and orthotropic

material

Longitudinal axis – parallel to the fiber

(grain) direction

Tangential axis – perpendicular to the fiber

(grain) direction and tangent to the growth
rings

radial axis – perpendicular to the fiber

(grain) direction and normal to the growth
rings.

Advantages of wood as a structural material

1. Not a processed material
2. Organic material
3. Product of the saw and planning mill
4. Cut to the proper length
5. Extremely versatile
6. Mechanical properties vary from each species of wood
7. Renewable resource
8. Exceptional strength-to-weight ratio
9. Building structures / products made of wood requires less overall energy

Disadvantage of wood as a structural material

1. Susceptible to termite attack
2. May not be suitable for critical structures where durability through time is required.
3. Wood may be renewable but can’t replenish fast enough.
4. Ductility in earthquakes may be a problem if not detailed properly.
Some Typical parts in a structure
 Classification according to size and use

Joists and planks

Height: 2” to 4” Width: 4”

Graded for bending strength

Beams and stringers

Nominal dimension: 5”x8” or larger

Graded for bending strength

Posts / Columns
 Square with 5” minimum dimension.
Graded primarily for use as columns Length varies from 6’ – 16’

Nominal and Dressed Sizes

Nominal size

Commercial size designation before dressing and seasoning.

Typical designations are 2x4, 2x6, etc. These are the designations
found in a typical lumber store

Actual size
Refers to the size after dressing and seasoning
Ex: a 2x4 can actually have a size of 1 ½ x 3 ½
Generally there is ¼- 3/4” inch difference from nominal
Use actual size in computing properties of wooen members

Nominal and Dressed Sizes

Prudent design practice for wooden members:
If: b = 1” Subtract ¼”
If b = 2” to 4” Subtract ½” from b

d < 8” – subtract ½” from d

d > 8” – subtract ¾” from d

For beams / columns 6”x6” or larger

Subtract ½” for b and d
 Grading of Lumber
Lumber grading refers to the process of sorting sawmill production according to certain classifications.

Grading is either done through

1. Visual Stress Grading (VSG)
2. Machine stress Grading (MSG)

In the Philippines, the visual grading rules of the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA) of the USA
is used Visual Grading of Lumber (VSG)

VSG is based on the premise that wood’s properties are affected by growth characteristics that can be
easily seen by the eye.

These growth characteristics or wood defects are used to sort the lumber into stress grades.

Each stress grade has a pre-assigned strength and stiffness values. Visual Grading of Lumber (VSG)

Philippine Wood species are grouped into four:

I. High Strength Group (e.g. Yakal, Molave)
II. Moderately High Strength (e.g. Guijo, Narra)
III. Medium Strength (e.g. Apitong, Lauan)
IV. Moderately Low Strength (e.g. Barok, Raintree)

Each strength group or wood specie is then graded into three stress grades
a. 80%
b. 63%
c. 50%

Allowable Stress from NSCP

Species 80% Stress Grade
(Common and Botanical Names)
Bending and Modulus of Compression Compression Shear parallel
tension elasticity in parallel to perpendicular to grain
parallel to bending grain to grain
grain
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
Mpa 1000 MPa MPa MPa MPa

1. High Strength Group

 Agoho (Casuarina equisetifolia Forst) 26.3 8.22 14.5 5.91 2.95

Liusin [Parinari corymbosa (Blume) Miq.] 25.0 9.36 15.6 4.31 2.64

Malabayabas (Tristania spp.) 28.7 8.30 15.8 8.70 3.02

Manggachapui (Hopea spp.) 25.8 9.63 16.0 6.03 2.78

Molave (Vitex parvitlora Juss.) 24.0 6.54 15.4 6.34 2.88

Narig (Vatica spp.) 21.8 8.33 13.7 4.97 2.61

Sasalit [Teijmanniodendron ahernianum 31.3 9.72 21.60 10.2 3.38

(Merr) Bkh]
Yakalit (Shorea spp.) 24.5 9.78 15.8 6.27 2.49

80% Stress Grade

Species Bending and Modulus of Compression Compression Shear Parallel to grain
(Common and Botanical tension parallel Elasticity parallel to grain perpendicular to
Names) to grain bending grain
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
Mpa 1000 Mpa Mpa Mpa Mpa

I.HIGH STRENGTH GROUP

Agoho 26.3 8.22 14.5 5.91 2.95

Liusin 25.0 9.36 15.6 4.31 2.64
Malabayabas 28.7 8.30 15.8 8.70 3.02
Manggachapui 25.8 9.63 16.0 6.03 2.78
Molave 24.0 6.54 15.4 6.34 2.88
 Narig 21.8 8.33 13.7 4.97 2.61
Sasalit 31.3 9.72 21.6 10.2 3.38
Yakal 24.5 9.78 15.8 6.27 2.49

II. MODERATELY HIGH STRENGTH GROUP

Antipolo 18.6 5.35 10.8 3.90 2.06

Binggas 18.9 6.57 11.4 3.90 2.24
Bokbok 18.1 6.36 11.3 3.41 2.18
Dao 16.2 5.43 9.44 2.27 1.92
Gatasan 20.8 6.84 13.5 3.52 2.36
Guijo 21.8 8.47 13.2 4.26 2.40
Kamagong 20.9 7.20 11.7 4.39 2.47
Kamatog 19.0 7.56 11.2 3.95 2.35
Katmon 18.8 6.82 11.9 4.84 2.29
Kato 18.4 8.04 10.6 3.46 1.96
Lomarau 19.8 7.92 11.8 2.98 2.18
Mahogany 16.5 4.66 10.5 3.83 2.71
Makaasim 20.5 6.72 11.4 3.70 2.40
Malakauayan 18.9 6.66 11.2 2.32 2.14
Narra 18.0 5.94 11.4 3.07 1.91
Pahutan 16.6 6.53 10.0 2.50 2.05

80% Stress Grade

Species Bending and Modulus of Compression Compression Shear Parallel to grain
(Common and Botanical tension parallel Elasticity parallel to grain perpendicular to
Names) to grain bending grain
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)
Mpa 1000 Mpa Mpa Mpa Mpa

III. MEDIUM STRENGTH GROUP

Apitong 16.5 7.31 9.56 2.2 1.73

Bagtikan 16.6 6.48 9.89 2.33 1.82
Dangkalan 16.3 6.38 9.20 2.48 1.98
Gisau 14.3 5.33 8.16 1.99 1.90
Lanutan-Bagyo 15.0 6.06 8.96 2.02 1.84
 Lauan 13.9 5.83 8.18 1.72 1.48
Malaanonang 13.8 5.41 8.54 1.96 1.59
Malasaging 16.8 5.94 9.51 2.92 1.85
Malugai 15.4 6.30 9.33 3.07 2.07
Maiau 15.7 6.50 8.83 2.78 2.06
Nato 16.2 5.56 9.17 2.33 1.98
Palosapis 13.8 5.98 8.38 2.73 1.68
Pine 14.7 6.66 9.29 1.88 1.56
Salakin 15.7 5.67 8.83 2.94 2.39
Vidal Lanutan 19.5 5.83 8.54 2.65 2.39

II. MODERATELY LOW STRENGTH GROUP

Almaciga 11.8 5.47 6.27 1.44 1.47

Bayok 12.6 4.75 7.33 1.30 1.20
Lingo-lingo 13.2 4.13 6.85 2.00 1.66
Manggasinoro 12.8 5.36 7.46 1.97 1.44
Raintree 11.9 2.75 7.23 3.32 2.07
Yemane 12.6 4.09 7.87 3.40 1.96

Visual Stress Grading - Disadvantages

Species identification is required to determine the value of the working stress.
Absence of labels to differentiate stress grades. Problem in identifying the wood species have prompted
designers to use 50% stress grades. Some grades and sizes may not be available in the market. Check
availability of construction material prior to design.

Mechanical Stress Grading

Uses non-destructive evaluation
Material is tested to get Modulus of Elasticity, E (E can be known when the stress and strain of the material
are known given a force).
The Forest Products Research & Development Institute (FPRDI) proposed MSG in sorting structural lumber
into groups according to strength, with each group having a set of predetermined structural design
properties.
Mechanical Stress Grading (MSG)

The MSG stress groups are M5, M10, M15, M20 and M25. For Example M5 means the allowable bending
strength is 5MPa.
No need to identify wood species.
Design Stresses M5 M10 M15 M20 M25

Allowable Strength Properties (MPa)

 Bending 5 10 15 20 25

Tension Parallel to grain 3 6 9 12 15

Tension Perpendicular to grain 0.29 0.29 0.29 0.29 0.30

Compression Parallel to grain 4 8 12 16 20

Compression Perpendicular to grain 2.3 3.3 4.3 5.2 6.2

Shear

Stiffness Properties (GPa)

Modulus of Elasticity (mean) 6.2 6.8 11.3 13.9 16.4

Modulus of Elasticity (20th percentile) 5.1 7.6 10.1 12.6 15.1

Shear Modulus 0.39 0.52 0.65 0.78 0.91

Wood Defects
Checks, shakes and splits all constitute separations of wood fibers
 Wood Defects

Mechanical Properties
Bending and Tension Parallel to grain
Compression Parallel to grain
Note: this property refers to the strength of the material for compression.

Buckling is usually the determining factor for compression members

Compression Perpendicular to grain
Shear parallel to grain
Modulus of Elasticity – varies for each specie

BENDING STRESS

Mc
fb = (Bending stress)
I

M
fb = (Bending stress)
S

bd ²
S= (Section Modulus)
6

bd ³
I= (Moment of inertia at the neutral axis)
12

d
c= (distance of the outermost fiber from the neutral axis)
2
w L²
M = the maximum moment (ex. M= simply supported uniformly distributed load )
8

Derivation of formulas
d
M( )
2
fb =
bd ³
12
Simplifying cancel d/d³ and 2/12
 6M
fb = (Bending stress formula for designing timber)
bd ²

SHEARING STRESS
VQ
fv = (Shearing stress)
Ib

Q = A y (Statical moment area)

A = Area above neutral axis
Y = distance from centroid of area to the neutral axis

Derivation of formulas
bd d
V ( )( )
2 4
fv = simplify by cancellation
b d³
( )b
12

3V
fv = (Shearing stress formula for designing timber)
2bd

DEFLECTION

5WL ⁴
δ= 384 E I (Deflection of simply supported uniformly distributed beam)
W = uniformly distributed load in N/mm
L = length in millimeters
E = Modulus of elasticity in N/mm²
bd ³
I= Moment of inertia at the neutral axis
12
 PL ³
δ= 48 E I (Deflection of Axial load at mid-span of simply supported beam)
P = load in Newtons
L = length in millimeters
E = Modulus of elasticity in N/mm²
bd ³
I= Moment of inertia at the neutral axis
12

Allowable deflection (NSCP code provisions)

L/360 and L/240 in millimeters
L = length or span of beam
Problem Solving

1. A simply supported timber beam 4 inches x 12 inches in cross section is loaded uniformly 8 kN/m all
throughout its entire span of 3.5 meters. Assuming that the weight of beam is neglected compute
for the following values: (use 1 inch = 25mm for conversion of units)

a. fb (Bending stress) in Mpa

b. fv (shearing stress) in Mpa
c. Deflection in mm if E = 8220 Mpa