Wooden Columns

Column
• It refers to all types of compression
member, including members forming part of
trusses or other structural components
2015 NSCP

• Mainly subjected to axial forces. The principal stress in

a compression member is therefore the normal stress.
 Short Compression Member
• The failure resulting from the compression axial
force.
 Intermediate length Compression Member
• Kneeling occurs when some areas yield before
buckling
 Long Compression Member
• Buckling occurs way before the normal stress
reaches the strength of the column material.
Unsupported Length – Length of span or height of
column
Intermediate Lateral Supports
 Effective Length
2015 NSCP

Le = Factor x Unsupported Length

2015 NSCP
2001 and 2010NSCP
2015 NSCP
 Effective Column Length, Le = Ke L
Note: The effective length of a
column is the distance between
points of zero moment when the
column is deflected
2015 NSCP
 Fixed

Fixed
Hinged

Fixed
Roller

Fixed End
 Hinged

Hinged
Free End

Fixed
For simple solid columns
 • 
Short Columns:
When the slenderness ratio:
2001 and 2010NSCP

Fc’ = Fc
Note: F’c is the allowable unit stress in Mpa of cross – sectional area of square or
rectangular simple solid columns
Fc = allowable compressive stress parallel to the grain
E = modulus of elasticity of wood
Le = effective column length
D = least dimension of the column
 • 
Intermediate Columns:
When
2001 and 2010NSCP

(K is the maximum limit of slenderness ratio)

k=

Fc’ = Fc

Note: F’c is the allowable unit stress in Mpa of cross – sectional area of square or rectangular simple solid
columns
 • 
Long Columns:
When but less than 50
2001 and 2010NSCP

(K is the maximum limit of slenderness ratio)

k=

Fc’ =

Note: F’c is the allowable unit stress in Mpa of cross – sectional area of square or rectangular simple solid
columns
•For Machine Stress – unit
lumber
For Machine Stress – unit lumber
 

Short Columns:
When the slenderness ratio:

Fc’ = Fc
 • 
Intermediate Columns:
When
2001 and 2010NSCP

(K is the maximum limit of slenderness ratio)

k=

Fc’ = Fc

Note: F’c is the allowable unit stress in Mpa of cross – sectional area of square or rectangular simple solid
columns
 • 
Long Columns:
When but less than 50
2001 and 2010NSCP

(K is the maximum limit of slenderness ratio)

k=

Fc’ =

Note: F’c is the allowable unit stress in Mpa of cross – sectional area of square or rectangular simple solid
columns
 Allowable Bending Stress
Considering Lateral Stability
2001 and 2010NSCP
 To determine the allowable
unit stress for bending
2001 and 2010NSCP

Slenderness factor
For Visually Graded Sawn Beam
 For Visually Graded Sawn Beam
/Intermediate
  beam
2001 and 2010NSCP

𝐶 𝑠 <𝐶 𝑘
 
 For Visually Graded Sawn Beam
 𝐿 𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑈𝑛𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑑 𝐵𝑒𝑎𝑚
2001 and 2010NSCP

𝐶 𝑠 >𝐶 𝑘
 
Allowable Bending Stress for
Laterally Unbraced Beams
with Less Variability
Short Beam
 For glued- laminated beam and machine stress –
rated lumber
Intermediate beam
2001 and 2010NSCP

  4
1 𝐶𝑠
′
𝐹𝑏 =𝐹𝑏
[ 1−
( )]
3 𝐶𝑘
 
𝐸
 

𝐶 𝑠 <𝐶 𝑘
√
𝐶 𝑘 =0.956
𝐹𝑏
 For glued- laminated beam and machine stress –
rated lumber
Long beam
2001 and 2010NSCP

but less than 50

0.609 𝐸
 

′
𝐹𝑏 = 2
𝐶𝑠
Example 1.
A timber column of square cross section has a length of 3.6 m and a
dimension of 150 mm x 150mm. It is fixed at both ends so that K=0.67.
The relevant code on the compressive strength Fc is given on the
specifications and also a table of timber with their corresponding
working stresses for visually stress – graded unseasoned Apitong with
80% stress grade.
1. Is the column short , Intermediate, long or not allowed by the code?
2. Determine the allowable compressive stress.
3. Determine the allowable axial load.
Example 2.
An old Apitong post 200 mm x 200mm x 4.25 m long has been
previously designed with an allowable compressive stress of 9.56 Mpa
and a modulus of elasticity of 7310 Mpa. It is designed to substitute the
old post with a Yakal post of the same length as the old post. Allowable
compressive stress for Yakal is 15.8MPa with a modulus of elasticity of
9870 Mpa.
1. What is the capacity of Apitong?
2. What size of Yakal post is required to replace Apitong?
3. What is the percentage increase in the capacity of the new post to
the old post?
   𝑇
𝑓 𝑡=
𝐴

  𝑀𝑐
2001 and 2010NSCP

𝑓 𝑏=
𝐼

To check if the member is safe, unsafe, not

allowed by the code
2015 NSCP
Example 3.
• A single span member is 3m in length is made up of Apitong 150 mm x 300
mm wooden section, with an allowable stress based on 80% stress grade as
shown on the table.
Bending and tension parallel to grain = 16.5 Mpa
Modulus of elasticity in bending = 7310 Mpa
Compression parallel to the grain = 9.56 Mpa
Compression perpendicular to the grain = 2.20 Mpa
Shear parallel to the grain = 1.73 Mpa

The beam carries a uniform load of 18 kN/m besides its own weight. Weight of
wood = 7.5 kN/m3. The beam carries an axial tensile load of 180 kN.
1. Determine the actual tensile stress if only tensile force is acting.
2. Determine the interaction value of both bending and tensile stress.
3. Determine the ratio of the difference between its actual bending and tensile
stress to the adjusted bending stress for slenderness
2001 and 2010NSCP
2001 and 2010NSCP
d
 Example 4.
• A timber wall is 50mm x 150 mm deep and having a height of 2.5 m is
assumed to be hinged at the top and bottom. It is subjected to an axial
load of 40 kN and a uniformly distributed load of 300 N/m acting along
the weaker axis of the entire height.
Allowable bending and tension parallel to the grain Fb= 16.5 Mpa.
Allowable compression parallel to the grain Fc= 9.56 Mpa.
Modulus of Elasticity Ew= 7310 Mpa.
1. Compute the allowable compression stress of the wall if only axial
load is acting.
2. Compute the allowable bending stress of the wall if only bending
moment is acting.
3. Compute the interaction value due to axial and bending.
Concepts on Eccentricity
• Eccentricity is the distance from the center of
gravity of the column section to the center of
gravity of the applied.
Introducing the concepts of Bolted
connection with eccentric loadings

To
Theconsider
The bolts
force arethe
in assumed
aforced situation
to be in
particular
The
the additional
subjected
bolts, an
to upward
a Load force
Pand
that due
has an
bolt will, therefore, equal
to the magnitude
downward
eccentricity force
of e from
– eachtheequal
c.g. to
to P
P(centerdivided
– is assumed
of by by
gravity) the
to act number
ofcouple
the
at the
boltc.g of
caused
of bolts
the
in the group
the
groupbolt group.
was shown
Furthermore, the eccentricity
between the gravity axes and
gage line of bolted members
may be neglected for statically
loaded members.
Applications in Timber Column

𝑃𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 <𝑃𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒
• 

Capacity due to the Eccentric load

′
𝐹 𝑥𝐴
 
Capacity due to the Weight of the Column
𝑐
 
+  Note:the columns rest on concrete
footing at the same level, thus: = 0
Example 5.
An elevated water tank with a gross weight of 150 kN is
acted upon by a horizontal wind pressure of 200 KN acting
9m from the top of the footing. The tank is supported by
five – 200 mm diameter wooden posts battered 1 horizontal
to 5 vertical, whose lower ends (resting on concrete
footings) lie equally spaced in a circle 4.86 m in diameter.
Neglecting wind pressure on the posts and bracings.
Unsupported height of column is 3.5m and the allowable
compressive parallel to the grain is 11 Mpa with the
modulus of elasticity of 13800 Mpa.
1. Compute the capacity of each column section.
2. What is the actual load acting on each column section?
3. If the column is not safe, what size would you
recommend? (Sizes to the nearest 10mm)
Example 6.
A water tank having a total weight of 140
kN is supported by three (3) wooden post. It
is subjected to a seismic force of 90 kN
acting 9m above the concrete foundation
which is arranged forming an equilateral
triangle having a length of one side equal to
4m. The wooded posts is battered 1
horizontal to 4 vertical. Assume
unsupported length of post to be 4m.
Allowable compressive stress parallel to the
grain is 10.5 Mpa. Modulus of Elasticity of
wood is 13800 Mpa. Neglect the wind effect
on bracings.
1. Compute the maximum reaction of the most stressed wooden post.
2. Determine the min. reaction of the wooden post.
3. Determine the size of the wooden post to carry such load.
Example 7.
A cylindrical water tank with 4m inside
diameter is supported by four wooden
posts with an average diameter of
250mm. The four points of supports A,
B, C and D under the tank from a
square with 4.6 m sides and 6m below
the tank, the corresponding four points
of supports form a bigger square of
7.6m sides. When empty, the tank
weighs 65 kN. Each post will carry one
fourth of the total load equally and
that the load is concentric with the axis 1. Compute the allowable compressive stress
of the post. Allowable compressive
stress parallel to the grain Fc= 10.50 of the wooden post.
Mpa. Modulus of elasticity is 13500 2. Compute the capacity of the wooden post.
Mpa. 3. Compute the maximum height of water in
the tank that the posts could safely carry.
If an eccentric load is given
•  Actual Bending moment:
  6𝑀
𝑓 𝑏= 2
𝑏𝑑
M= Pe   𝑃 1 + 𝑃2
𝑓 𝑎=
𝐴
Total Interaction Value:

+ < 1.0
Example 8
• A timber column having a cross section of 300mm x
300mm has a total height of 6m which are supported at
both ends. It carries an axial load of 360 kN and an
eccentric load of 90 kN acting at an eccentricity of 500mm
at a point 2m above the bottom of the beam.
Allowable bending stress = 10.5 Mpa
Allowable compressive stress parallel to the grain = 12.60
Mpa
Modulus of elasticity of wood = 10800 Mpa
1. Compute the allowable compressive stress of the
column section.
2. Compute the actual bending stress of the column
section
3. Compute the total interaction value due to axial and
bending
2015NSCP
The beam stability factor is to ensure that weak-axis buckling or
torsional buckling does not occur over long non-laterally supported
spans
Slenderness ratio is defined as the ratio of effective length
to the radius of gyration of beam