Timber Structures

• Sawn Lumber
• Glulam
• Plywood
 Sawn Lumber
• Highly variable
• Classified by grade
• Visually or Mechanically graded
• Grade depends on number and location of
defects
• Defects – shakes, checks, splits and knots
Sawn Lumber is available in lengths up to 20’ to 25’
with the following cross sectional dimensions:

Nominal Size Actual Size

Boards 1 x (2→12) ¾” x 1 ½ →11 ½
Dimension 2x2 1½x1½
Lumber 2x4 1½x3½
2x6 1½x5½
2x8 1½x7¼
2 x 10 1½x9¼
2 x 12 1 ½ x 11 ¼
4x4 3½x3½
 Glulam
• Composed of strips of sawn lumber glued
together
• Can form larger sections than can be
obtained from trees
• Can optimize placement of wood
 Glulam
Member can be any length that can be shipped in the following cross-sections:

Western Species Southern Pine

1 ½” thick laminations 1 3/8” laminations
Width, in. Laminations Width, in. Laminations
2½ 6 to 18 3 4 to 18
3 1/8 4 to 16 5 4 to 26
5 1/8 4 to 24 6¾ 5 to 35
6¾ 5 to 32 8½ 6 to 46
8¾ 6 to 42 10 ½ 7 to 56
10 ¾ 7 to 54
 Plywood
• Made from sheets of wood peeled from
logs
• Glued together to from large panels
• Typically 4’ by 8’
• Available in ¼” to 1 1/8” thicknesses
• Use American Plywood Association
literature for strengths
Allowable Stress Design of Timber
• ASD design still in use in timber
• Service load stress ≤ allowable stress

The allowable stress depends on the species and grade.

The following table gives allowable stress values in psi:
Allowable Stress Adjustment Factors
Adjustment Factors are used to modify the
allowable stress for various use conditions.

The following table lists the adjustment factors and their applicability:
Timber Beam Design Example p. 7 notes
Consider a wood frame house with dimensions shown.
The first floor will be supported by joists 16” c.c., which,
in turn, will be supported on wood sills on basement
walls at the exterior, and on spine beams on the interior.
The spine beams, in turn, will be supported on columns
placed 20’ c.c. in order to leave maximum clear space in
the basement. Service live load will be assumed as 40
psf, and service dead load, 15 psf. We will assume
plywood structural flooring, and No. 2 Southern Pine for
the joists and spine beam. The self weight of the joists
and spine beams will be assumed to be included in the
dead load.
 60’-0 c.c.

20’-0 c.c.
joists@16”c.c

Spine beam

20’-0 c.c. 20’-0 c.c.

20’-0 c.c.
Allowable Stress Values, psi
 Adjustment Factors
CD = Load Duration Factor
= 1.0 for maximum intensity live load for 10 years, p. 3 notes

CM

Ct
 Adjustment Factors
CL – Beam Stability Factor – for sawn lumber only,
CL = 1.0 for the following conditions (d and b are
nominal dimensions):
• d ≤ 2b → no lateral support required (2x4)
• d ≤ 4b → both ends held in position to prevent
overturning (2x8)
• d ≤ 5b → one edge of beam laterally supported for
entire length. (2x10)
• d ≤ 6b → compression edge laterally supported for
entire length… (2x12)
• d ≤ 7b → both edges continously laterally supported
(2x14)

If these conditions are not met CL must be calculated (eq. p. 6 notes).

 Adjustment Factors
CF - Size Factor

CV – Volume Factor – Only applies to Glulam, p. 3 notes

Typ.
Cfu – Flat use Factor – allowable stress factors are based
on
Flat use
loading the narrow edge. Flat use factor modifies the
allowable stress when the load is applied to the wide face.
 Adjustment Factors
• Cr – Repetitive use factor – For sawn lumber
whenever three or more beams in contact or not more
than 24” c.c. share a load
Cr = 1.15
• Cc – Curvature factor – applies only to glulam
• Cf – Form factor – For circular or diamond shape
cross-sections
• CH –Shear Stress Factor – Can increase allowable
shear stress of beam if location and extent of defects
is known
 Detail of Beam Resting on Sill
• Critical shear for design is a distance d from face of
support
20’-0 2 x 12 joist

d
2 x 6 wood sill

basement wall
Can consider plywood flange
composite section
when calculating
deflection if sub-
floor is properly
connected to joists 2 x 12 joist
 60’-0 c.c.

20’-0 c.c.
joists@16”c.c

Spine beam

20’-0 c.c. 20’-0 c.c.

20’-0 c.c.
Spine beam showing loading from joists
 Available Glulam
Western Species Southern Pine
1 ½” thick laminations 1 3/8” laminations
Width, in. Laminations Width, in. Laminations
2½ 6 to 18 3 4 to 18
3 1/8 4 to 16 5 4 to 26
5 1/8 4 to 24 6¾ 5 to 35
6¾ 5 to 32 8½ 6 to 46
8¾ 6 to 42 10 ½ 7 to 56
10 ¾ 7 to 54
Allowable Stress Values, psi
Adjustment Factors
 Cp = Column stability factor

• CD = 1.0 for continuous lateral support

• CD ≤ 1.0 no intermediate lateral support
equation p. 6 notes
 Southern Pine Span Tables
1. What is the maximum span for Grade 2, 2 x 10
floor joists, spaced 16” c.c., carrying 40 psf live
load?
2. Choose a ceiling joist to carry a live load of 20
psf for a span of 15 ft. The joist will be spaced
at 24” c.c.
3. An existing floor system is composed of Grade
1, 2 x 12’s, spaced 12” c.c. The joists span 14
½’. What is the maximum allowable live load
based on the Southern Pine Span Tables?
Biaxial Bending of Beams Example
• Choose a W-shape beam for the factored loading shown using grade 36 steel.
The simple beam span is 25 feet and it is continuously braced against
instability. It is not necessary to check shear and deflection for this problem.

4
5
2 k/ft 3 k/ft
3