Strengthening Timber Floors using (Gluing and) Screwing

Strengthening of Timber Floor by (Gluing and) Screwing

Sk1 -Existing Floor Section Sk2 - Strengthened Floor

Existing Properties

Section Modulus Z = (50 X 2252) / 6 = 421.9 x 103 mm3

Mom. of Inertia I = (50 x 2253) / 12 = 4746.1 x 104 mm4

Strengthened Floor Properties

Calculate y’ (First Moment of Area about O-O)

y’ = {(225 x 50) x (132.5) + (350 x 20) x (10)} / {(225 x 50) + (350 x 20)}

= 85.5mm

Composite Mom. of Inertia Icomp

= (350 x 203) / 12 + 7000 x (85.5 – 10)2 + 4746.1 x 104 + (20 + 112.5 – 85-5)2

= (23.3 + 3990.2 + 4746.1 + 2485.1) x 104

= 11244.7 x 104 mm4

Top Section Modulus ZT

= 11244.7 x 104 / 85.5 = 1315.2 x 103 mm3

Bottom Section Modulus ZB

= 11244.7 x 104 / 159.5 = 705.0 x 103 mm3

Strengthening Timber Floors using (Gluing and) Screwing

Consider the Following Arrangement

Floor Span = 5m

Dead Loading = 0.5 kN/m2

Live Loading = 3.0 kN/m2

W (per joist) = 0.35 x 5 x 3.5 = 6.125 kN R = 3.063 kN

M (per joist) = 6.125 x 5 x 0.125 = 3.83 kN-m

Existing Joists

fmax = (3.83 x 106) / 421.9 x 103 = 9.07 N/mm2

Strengthened Joists

fmax = (3.83 x 106) / 705.0 x 103 = 5.43 N/mm2

Check Horizontal Shear between Boarding and Joist

Consider following Free Body Diagrams (FBDs)

FBD – Joist Element FBD – Flooring Element

Joist Element

Resolving vertically

Q + w(dx) = Q + dQ → dQ/dx = w

Moments about A

M + w(dx) / 2 + (Q + dQ) dx = M + dM

Ignoring 2nd orders → dM/dx = Q

Strengthening Timber Floors using (Gluing and) Screwing

Flooring Element

Sy (dx) bj = ∫ (𝑑𝑀)𝑦(𝑑𝑦)𝑏(𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔)/𝐼

.
Sy bj /bf = ∫ .
𝑄𝑦(𝑑𝑦)/𝐼 where dM/dx = Q

Sy = 0.5 x [(85.5)2 – (65.5)2] (Q / I) (bf / bj)

Where bf & bj are the widths of the flooring and joist, respectively.

At the support,

Q = 3.063 x 103 mm3, I = 11244.7 X 104 mm4, bf / bj = 350 / 50 = 7

So,

Sy = 0.5 x (150 x 20) x (3.063 x 103 x 7) / (11244.7 x 104)

= 0.29 N/mm2

Ignoring gluing and assuming screws with a safe capacity of 300-400N (say 350N)

Required screws per metre = (0.29 x 50 x 1000) / 350 = 41 !

Spacing = 1000 / 41 = 25mm – too close - permissible = 10d = 50mm

At 1m out from support Q reduces to 3.063 – (0.35 x 3.5) = 1.835 kN

Sy then becomes (1.835 / 3.063) x 0.29 = 0.174 N/mm 2, and spacing is now 41 mm

→ Gluing is critical