DETERMINATION OF THE LOAD-DEFLECTION PROPERTIES OF GLUED LAMINATED TIMBER BEAMS

ABSTRACT

The work investigated the effects of varying the position of laminated timber beams with the objective of testing the tension, compression and bending characteristics of laminated timber beams so as to establish their feasibility as a structural member in the construction industry. The study investigated the production process of laminated timber species, fabricated the timber species on a 15 x 40 x 40mm measurement and the laminates were glued with and adhesive to form timber beam specimens of different species and they were tested for their physical and mechanical properties. Solid sawn timber beams of the six species (i.e., Opepe, Ekki, Apa, Iroko, Okwen, Mahogany) act as controls for the combined timber species. The results obtained indicated the possibility of varying the position of the timber beams (i.e., switching tension members to compression members and vise-versa) to obtain a better timber beam that would sustain more load especially in compression and bending relative to the solid sawn timber. The study indicated via physical and mechanical testing, that the qualities of laminated timber beams may be varied by various assemblages, which can either increase or decrease their strength properties. Nonetheless, the majority of the tested beams exhibited enhanced strength, especially in compression and as well as bending. These findings are noteworthy because they demonstrate that laminated timber beams are a robust and lasting structural element that may be substituted for other building materials.