The Finite Element Modelling of Glulam Tropical Timber Beam in Bending

Abstract

A full scale bending testing of glued laminated (glulam) timber beam can be costly and time consuming. Therefore, computer modeling is an economical and an efficient tool to achieve the result within the acceptable accuracy. Among other modeling techniques, the finite element modeling (FEM) is widely used for its reliability to simulate and to verify the behaviour of structural elements exactly in the same way the elements perform in the experimental test. Further results of different structural element dimensions or materials can be predicted by modifying the input parameters that are of interest to the study. This study presents the verification of FEM with experimental bending test results on simply supported glulam timber beams made of Keruing and Resak species. The two dimensional (2D) FEM with LUSAS 14.3 software was used. The verification showed an acceptable agreement between the FEM and the experimental results.

Flexural Performance of Strengthened Glued Laminated (GLULAM) Timber Beam Using Glass Fibre-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP)

“…Up to this writing, no publications reported on the strengthening of glulam beams using Malaysian timber. Few related Malaysian glulam beam studies include the finite element modelling of glulam tropical timber beam in bending (Shakimon et al 2016) and bending strength of selected tropical glulam (Wan Mohamad et al 2014). In contrast, Moya et al (2013) andCampos et al (2012) tested solid wood for I-beam.…”