Documentos de Académico
Documentos de Profesional
Documentos de Cultura
Lilita Ozola
Assistant Professor
Latvia University of Agriculture
Jelgava, Latvia
Tnu Keskkla and Jaan Miljan
Professors
Estonian University of Life Sciences
Tartu, Estonia
Summary
This study provides the description of classification system proposed by authors for assessment of
load bearing timber structures as regard anticipated their ability to resist the actions and to abide
stiff, strong and steady for all predicted service life. The classification system consists of three
classes to be determined according recommended criteria of conformity evaluated by
measurements, proof tests, repeated verification of design conditions and/or by professional
judgement.
The current work is aimed to the development of system for assessment of large span bearing
structures in order to identify structural deficiences in due time, to remedy the unfavourable service
conditions, and to undertake activities for improving the state of art with structural reliability in
practice.
Key words: timber structures, assessment.
1. Introduction
There is observed nontraditional fast-track approaches to project delivery in East Europe now,
like the problems discussied in 1980s (Feld, 1997) when new profession construction
management came into existence trained to complete the best project in the shortest possible time
and for the least initial cost, i.e., the low-bid-is-the-best-bid psychology continues to entrench
firmly in the construction industry during the last decade.
New engineering software provides the processing of information very rapidly. Result in the best
structural solution may be carried out if qualified designer peculiar to high sense of responsibility is
leading for design procedure.
The necessity for the considering the reliability level of timber structures stems from the experience
with some accidents happened and from many ecessively controversial points in reality when
structures are constructed disregarding some requirements of building codes or in the cases when
different code formats concurrently exist as the situation set in for some new EU countries. The
decisions for dismantling of structures having errors are adopted in extremely rare cases, yet at least
it should be necessary to do the record of the corresponding assessment for further service life.
Comprehensive design practice entails some risk when the most unfavourable loading situations for
whole structure or some elements are not analysed, and/or increase of deformations with time and
influence of service conditions is ignored. Tolerance of this risk varies widely between countries
and emerges from legal code system and content, and clearance in definitions of criteria for
Classification system
Proposal for development of some system for assessment of load bearing structures results from
experiences that of the authors and many others. It is necessary both - from the safety and
economical considerations to classify the structures as related to thats capacity to resist sufficiently
to actions during the service life. There is made attemption to point out more significant properties
and behaviour consequences inherent timber structures. The system introduced in practice may
force to do assumption about foreseen behaviour of structure and point out the elements trended to
overstresses, and to take precautions to ensure more safety.
It is recommended to classify the timber structures in three classes (Keskkla, Ozola, 2003, 2004).
The criteria described briefly in Table 1 are presented for assessment.
Table 1.
II
III
3 (plastic or brittle
failure mode
expected)
6 (plastic failure
mode expected)
4 (risk to life
medium)
1 (design loads
according decreased
values f)
2 (design loads
according normal
values f)
3 (extreme action
values and complete
models considered)
1 (visual grading)
2 (mechanical
grading)
3 (direct controll of
properties by testing)
2 (simplified)
4 (correct)
6 (correct including
analysis of
consequences)
1 (overall code
requirements are
considered)
1 (minimum of
performance criteria
and system integrity)
2 (confirmity with
design requirements)
3 (confirmity checked
by periodical
inspection)
2.2
Description of criteria
2. Examples of assessment
2.1
Relatively large (clear span 30 m) framing system consisting of heavy glue-laminated timber trusses
supported by timber columns, and placed with on-center spacing of 7 meters, is constructed to cover
the space of industrial warehouse (Fig. 1.). The decking of light-weight steel panels attached
directly to the top chord elements of trusses serves as lateral restrictions simultaneosly. The
maximal depth of truss is 2.6 m, chords are made from glulam GL28h with section sizes - 200x360
mm. Transferring of forces in nodes is provided by dowelled connections with central steel plates.
The value of design load proclaimed by designer is 20 kN/m. Strength verification of truss proved
that sections of bottom chord inherent weakening trend to overloading on 20-50 percents according
analysis of more unfavourable design model for system to be anticipated accomplishing before limit
state.
Verification of serviceability limit state condition proved that vertical displacements of nodes are
allowable as regard elastic behaviour of elements including slips in joints (u inst L/300), and yet it
is possible that after years, when creep expected, the deflections may be will exceed the limit value.
It is pointed out that the web system of truss with heavy loaded tension diagonals (at the support
sides) is not the more reliable solution for timber structure.
The slenderness ratio of bottom chord exceeds 500 as that is free in lateral direction along full span.
The structural composition may be characterised as trended to brittle failure in limit state as it is
anticipated that tensile elements will be overstressed at first even though any kind of models to be
accomplished.
Condition
Points
Class
Recommendations
FM
RF
DL
II
MP
II
DM
QC
II
IM
2.2
The pitched steel-timber trusses were dismantled and transported from old building and after were
installed in new site to support the roof of riding hall. There was not possible to ensure that trusses
remain intacted during these processes. Some diagonal elements have deep and wide splits over full
length. There is observed visible deflections of bottom chord for some trusses. The steel elements
are subjected to corrosion almost for all trusses.
The class I is assigned for this system with recommendation for repair in due time.
The space of shop building is covered by structural system consisting of glue-laminated post-beam
frames (Fig. 3) restricted in space by means of attached enclosure panels only. The free span is 20
meters, spacing 6 m, maximal depth of double tapered beams - 1050 mm, minimal depth for
section at the support 650 mm, section sizes of columns 200 x 270 mm, free height 6 m. The
normative value of snow load defined by codes for this region is sk= 1.2 kN/m2.
Extremely high percentage of overloading for both- beam and column elements in more stressed
sections has revealed when verifying the strength and stiffness conditions (EN 1995-1-1) for
predicted action of snow load and/or wind pressure. The strength conditions are satisfied for selfweight loading, and yet stiffness of beam is predicted to be ensured for first years of service life
only. Due to creep inherent glulam the deflection is expected reaching to inadmissible value.
Result in, the assesment of reliability of this structure is crucially negative. The repeated legally
signified expertise must be carried out and permanent inspection for these structures must be
ensured. The defined class from proposed system is not assigned leading to the opinion that the
classification system should be supplemented with class 0.
Fig. 3 Glue-laminated frame structure for shop building: a- frames, b-restrained support joint of
column
2.4
Timber frames were installed as bearing structure for boat service building. The prefabricated units
of frames were produced from glued timber materials like that known as solid wood panels used for
flanges, and webs made from plywood. There was no protective coating made and therefore rain
suddenly coming up before roofing initiated the moistening of wood material, and the delamination
of sheating took place result in. The frame structure having extremely complicated constitution was
disclosed. Experts asked to do the judgement stated that section is constituted from two webs, one
of which being discontinued over middle part of span (see Fig. 4) and therefore succeeding for
torsion and warping of element. It is point of interest that some peculiar twisting of elements have
been observed during erection of frames. The frames were dismantled.
plywood webs
sheating
4700
2210
635
20490
Fig. 4 Timber frame structure with complicated section inherent trend to warping from plane
4. Conclusions
It is anticipated that reliability based assessment of timber structures to be developed in order to
promote the desired improvements for the following:
-
4. References
[1]
Feld J. 1997. Construction Failure. By Jacob Feld and Kenneth L. Carper. 2nd Ed.- New
York: John Wiley & Sons, 512 pp.
[2]
[3]
Keskkla T., Ozola L. 2003. Codified design and reliability aspects of structural timber
elements. System-based Vision for Strategic and Creative Design. Proceedings of the Second
International Conference on Structural and construction Engineering. September 23-26,
2003, Rome, Italy, Balkema Publishers, Volume 1, pp. 25-30.
[4]
Ozola L., Keskkla T. 2003. Predicted reliability of elements and classification of timber
structures. CIB-W18. Proceedings of Meeting Thirty-six. Colorado, USA August 2003, Paper
36-102-1. pp. 1-11.
[5]
[6]
[7]
[8]
EN 1991-1-1. Eurocode 1: Actions on structures - Part 1-1: General actions - Densities, selfweight and imposed loads for buildings
[9]
EN 1995-1-1. Eurocode 5 - Design of timber structures - Part 1-1: General - Common rules
and rules for buildings
[10] Timber Engineering. 1995. Step 2. Design- Details and Structural systems/ Edited by
H.J.Bla, P.Aune, B.S.Choo, R.Grlacher, D.R.Griffiths, B.O.Hilson, P.Racher, G.Steck.Netherlands.