EXPERIMENTAL AND ANALYTICAL ASSESSMENT OF TIMBER PORTAL FRAME USING EURO CODE 5

Abstract

The study conducted an experimental and analytical assessment of timber portal frame using Euro code 5. Three species of timber namely: Obeche (Triplochiton Sclereoxylen), Mahogany (Swietenia Macrophylla) and Ekki (Lophira Alata) were used for the study. The timber species was subjected to experimental testing. The test conducted on the species are bending strength test, bending stiffness test and charpy impact energy test. The study also assigned strength class to the selected species of timber. Results obtained from bending strength test, bending stiffness test and charpy impact energy. Results obtained from bending strength tests revealed that Ekki yielded the highest the bending stiffness while the lowest bending stiffness was produced by extract from Obeche, the bending strength results showed that Ekki yielded the highest bending strength while the lowest bending strength was recorded for extract from obeche. Assessment of the impact energy of the hardwood timber species revealed that the impact strength of Ekki, Obeche and Mahogany were 2.86joules/cm2 , 2.72joules/cm2 and 2.64joules/cm2 . Allocation of strength class to the selected species of timber revealed that Ekki with a strength class of D60 was allocated the highest strength class; the strength class of obeche and mahogany were the same.