Course content

• Properties of timber as a building material
• Engineering wood products
• Timber components and timber structural systems
• Design of cross-sections and stability of one-dimensional timber components (solid timber, glued-laminated timber, laminated veneer lumber)
• Design of connections with metal fasteners
• Principles for structural analysis of timber structures
• Introduction to Serviceability Limit State requirements

Learning outcome

Timber Structures is concerned with design of timber structures. The course provides the basis for analysis of timber structures consisting of one-dimensional elements and for the structural design of linear timber components and connections according to Eurocode 5.

Timber Structures has the following learning objectives:

Knowledge. The students shall have knowledge about:

• Timber as a structural material: environmental properties and contribution to sustainable construction, micro- and macro- structure of wood, defects, anisotropy, mechanical properties, failure modes, moisture effects, time-dependent effects (creep and stress relaxation), durability.
• Strength-grading.
• Engineering wood products and their properties: solid timber, glued-laminated timber, cross-laminated timber, laminated veneer lumber, plywood, timber panels, etc.
• Timber components and timber structural systems (beams, columns, trusses, portal frames, arches, light-timber frames, cross-laminated timber buildings, post-and-beam systems, bracing systems).
• Capacity of cross-sections of one-dimensional timber components subjected to axial or shear force, bending or torsional moment, as well as combination of these.
• Stability of one-dimensional timber members, subjected to axial compression or bending moment, as well as combinations of these.
• The most common types of connections in timber structures.
• Deformation, capacity, and failure modes of connections with metal fasteners (nails, dowels, bolts, screws).
• Serviceability Limit State requirements for timber structures.

Skills. The students shall be able to:

• Perform all necessary Ultimate-Limit State design verifications of one-dimensional timber components (solid timber, glued-laminated timber, laminated veneer lumber), according to Eurocode 5and determine the necessary cross-sectional dimensions.
• Calculate the forces, stresses, and deformations in timber connections with metal fasteners and perform the necessary design verifications according to Eurocode 5, considering all possible failure modes.
• Evaluate and propose structural timber systems consisting of one-dimensional components (trusses, portal-frames, arches, post-and-beam systems) and describe the transfer of gravity and lateral loads to the foundation.
• To identify and assess the implications of anisotropy, moisture, time- dependent effects, and connections’ flexibility on the response of timber components and timber structures.
• Carry out Finite Element analysis and determine load effects of timber structures consisting of one-dimensional components.

General competence:

• The theoretical foundation for analysis and design of timber structures.
• The structural analysis of timber structures consisting of one-dimensional elements and the structural design of their components and connections.
• The background for relevant clauses in Eurocode 5.

Digital competence:

• Modelling of timber systems consisting of one-dimensional components, by skilled use of Finite Element software. 1st order linear-elastic analysis, linearized-buckling analysis and simple 2nd order analysis.

Sustainability competence:

• Designing of simple timber structures which are safe, cost-effective and material-efficient.
• Evaluating the feasibility of using timber for simple structures, to take advantage of wood being a renewable material with low greenhouse gas emissions.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures, exercises (hand calculations and PC) and laboratory demonstration.

2/3 of assignments must be approved for admittance to examination. The lectures, exercises and exam are given in English. Students are free to choose Norwegian or English for written assessments.

Compulsory assignments

• Exercises

Recommended previous knowledge

Basic knowledge of statics and structural mechanics corresponding to MEKT1201 Mechanics 1 og BYGT2101 Structural Engineering. Basic knowledge of loads and load combinations corresponding to BYGT2101 Structural Engineering.

Course materials

Eurocode 5 (EN 1995-1-1, Amendments and Norwegian National Annex) and related standards.

Lecture notes and presentations given during the semester.

Recommended supplementary textbooks:

- KIT,Blaß and Sandhaas: Timber Engineering - Principles for Design, ISBN 978-3-7315-0673-7

- Swedish Wood, Design of Timber Structures, ISBN 978-91-985212-5-2

Credit reductions