Introduction
Wood and Masonry are environmentally friendly materials. Masonry is commonly used for walls and buildings since it offers high resistance against weather, attractive rustic and elegant look. Similarly, wood provides incredible range of aesthetic options and varied mechanical, acoustic, thermal properties.
Wood Structures
Block failure of a double shear timber to steel connection in tension
The plates are pulled apart subjecting the timber to a tension force. The timber-to-steel connection has been designed to ensure that failure occurs in the timber without any yielding of the steel bolts. As expected the connection experiences a sudden brittle failure in the timber due to both direct tension and splitting.
Source: YouTube Video @ Materials Lab Online
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Tensile failure of a double shear timber to steel connection in tension
The plates are pulled apart subjecting the timber to a tension force. The timber-to-steel connection has been designed to ensure that failure occurs in the timber without any yielding of the steel bolts. As expected the connection experiences a brittle failure in the timber. Splitting of the timber occurs around one of the bolts and a shear failure occurs at the other.
Source: YouTube Video @ Materials Lab Online
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Compression failure of a timber block parallel to the grain
The specimen is placed between steel plattens which are then pushed together subjecting the block to a compression force. Failure occurs due to buckling of individual fibres forming the sample.
Source: YouTube Video @ Materials Lab Online
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Compression failure of a timber block perpendicular to the grain
The specimen is placed between steel plattens which are then pushed together subjecting the block to a compression force. Failure occurs due to buckling of the sample with significant lateral displacement of the timber occurring as the test proceeds.
Source: YouTube Video @ Materials Lab Online
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Bending failure of a softwood beam with a defect near the bottom
The beam is subjected to four-point bending. As the test proceeds, cracks start to appear within the knot. Splitting failure eventually occurs above the knot. The ultimate failure load is approximately half that of a beam free of defects.
Source: YouTube Video @ Materials Lab Online
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Bending failure of a softwood beam grain parallel to beam axis
The beam is subjected to four-point bending. Failure occurs suddenly, with brittle fracture of the wood fibers occurring in the tension zone of the beam.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Bending failure of a glulam beam grain perpendicular to beam axis
The beam is subjected to four-point bending. Failure occurs very suddenly, demonstrating the limited strength of the timber parallel to the grain.
Source: YouTube Video @ Materials Lab Online
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.