Republic of the Philippines

NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY

Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE
IM No.:CE 1-1S-2020-2021

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Bayombong Campus

DEGREE PROGRAM BSCE COURSE NO. CE 22

SPECIALIZATION COURSE TITLE STRUCTURAL DESIGN 3(TIMBER
DESIGN)
YEAR LEVEL 5 TIME FRAME WK NO. 1 IM NO. 1

I. UNIT TITLE/CHAPTER TITLE

Introduction

II. LESSON TITLE

Characteristics and Classifications of Wood

III. LESSON OVERVIEW

Physical Properties of Wood, Classifications of Wood, Defects of Wood, Seasoning of Wood, Nominal
and Dressed Sizes of Wood, Working Stresses of Philippine Woods, Timber Specifications, Review of
the Types of Beams, Classifications of Beam loads, Review of the Flexure and Shear Stress Formula,
Flexure, Shear, and Deflection Failures of Beams

IV. DESIRED LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. discuss the physical properties of wood;
2. summarize the classifications of wood;
3. enumerate and explain common defects that are inherent in wood;
4. differentiate nominal and dressed sizes of wood;
5. discuss the specifications that are adopted for Timber Design;
6. explain the advantages of seasoning wood;
7. describe the different types of beams;
8. discuss the classifications of beam loads;
9. describe the bending and shearing failures of beams that are fully braced laterally;
10. differentiate bending failure from deflection failure of beams that are adequately supported
laterally.

V. LESSON CONTENT
A. Physical Properties of Wood
1. Cambium – continuous ring of reproductive tissue located between the sapwood and the
inner layer of the bark
2. Sapwood – moist, light, living layer packed with tubes called xylem that help a tree pipe
water and nutrients up from its roots to its leaves
3. Heartwood – much darker, harder, part of the tree which is dead, where the xylem tubes
have blocked up with resins or gums and stopped working
4. Annual rings – rings making up the cross-section that tell us how old a tree is
5. Grain – Cut vertically through a tree trunk and you'll see lines inside running parallel to the
trunk formed by the xylem tubes

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 Republic of the Philippines
NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE
IM No.:CE 1-1S-2020-2021
B. General Classification of Wood
Wood is divided into two distinct kinds called hardwood and softwood, though confusingly the
names don't always refer to its actual hardness or softness:

1. Hardwoods – are ones that come from broad-leaved (deciduous) trees (those that drop their
leaves each fall, also known as angiosperms because their seeds are encased in fruits or pods).
Examples include mahogany, maple, oak, teak, and walnut. Hardwoods have lovely, attractive
grains and are used for such things as making fine furniture and decorative woodwork,
2. Softwoods – come from evergreen (coniferous) trees (those that have needles and cones and
retain them year-round, also called gymnosperms. Examples include cedar, cypress, pine, and
redwood. Softwoods often come from very tall, straight trees, and are better suited for construction
work (in the form of planks, poles, and so on).

C. Three Principal Axes of Wood

Wood is an anisotropic and orthotropic material
 Longitudinal axis – parallel to the fiber (grain) direction
 Tangential axis – perpendicular to the fiber (grain) direction and tangent to the growth rings
 Radial axis – perpendicular to the fiber (grain) direction and normal to the growth rings.

D. Defects of Wood

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 Republic of the Philippines
NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE
IM No.:CE 1-1S-2020-2021

E. Seasoning of Wood
1. Natural Seasoning - wood is dried in the open air (which takes anything from a few months to a
year)
2. Kiln Seasoning – if speed is important, wood is dried in vast heated ovens called kilns (which
cuts the drying time to days or weeks).

Seasoned wood is still not completely dry: typically, its moisture content varies from about 5–20
percent, depending on the drying method and time.

F. Mechanical Properties of Wood

Bending and Tension Parallel to grain
Compression Parallel to grain
Compression Perpendicular to grain
Shear parallel to grain
Modulus of Elasticity

G. Nominal and Dressed Sizes

 Nominal size – Commercial size designation before dressing and seasoning. Typical
designations are 2x4, 2x6, etc. These are the designations found in a typical lumber store
 Actual size – refers to the size after dressing and seasoning. Ex: a 2x4 can actually have a
size of 1 ½ x 3 ½. Generally, there is ¼- 3/4” inch difference from nominal. Use actual size
in computing properties of wooden members

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 Republic of the Philippines
NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE
IM No.:CE 1-1S-2020-2021

Prudent design practice for wooden members.

If: b = 1” (25mm)
Subtract ¼” (6.25mm) b(breadth)
If: b = 2” to 4” (50 to 100mm)
Subtract ½” (12.5mm) from b
d < 8” (200mm) – subtract ½” (12.5mm) from d d(depth)
d > 8” (200mm) – subtract ¾” (18.75mm) from d
For beams / columns 6”x6” (150mm x 150mm) or larger
Subtract ½” (12.5mm) for b and d

H. Classification of Lumber According to Size and Use

1. Dimension – 50mm to 100mm (nominal) thick and 50mm (nominal) or more in width
2. Beams and Stringers – 125mm (nominal) or more thick, with width 50mm greater than
thickness
3. Posts and Timbers – refers to lumber of square or approximately square cross section, 125mm
x 125mm (nominal) and larger, with width not more than 50mm greater than thickness.
4. Decking – refers to lumber from 50mm to 100mm (nominal) thick, tongued and grooved,
intended for use as a roof, floor or wall membrane

I. Lumber Grading
Lumber grading refers to the process of sorting sawmill production according to certain
classifications. Grading is either done through Visual Stress Grading (VSG) or Machine Stress
Grading (MSG). In the Philippines, the visual grading rules of the National Hardwood Lumber
Association (NHLA) of the USA is used.

Visual Stress Grading (VSG)

VSG is based on the premise that wood’s properties are affected by growth characteristics that can
be easily seen by the eye. These growth characteristics or wood defects are used to sort the lumber
into stress grades. Each stress grade has a pre-assigned strength and stiffness values.

Philippine Wood species are grouped into four:

1. High Strength Group (e.g. Yakal, Molave)
2. Moderately High Strength (e.g. Guijo, Narra)
3. Medium Strength (e.g. Apitong, Lauan)
4. Moderately Low Strength (e.g. Barok, Raintree)

Each strength group or wood specie is then graded into three stress grades 80%, 63% and 50%.

Machine Stress Grading (MSG) or Machine-Graded Lumber (MGL)

Uses non-destructive evaluation. Material is tested to get Modulus of Elasticity, E (E can be known
when the stress and strain of the material are known given a force). The Forest Products Research
& Development Institute (FPRDI) proposed MSG in sorting structural lumber into groups according
to strength, with each group having a set of predetermined structural design properties. The MSG
stress groups are M5, M10, M15, M20 and M25. For example, M5 means the allowable bending
strength is 5MPa. No need to identify wood species.

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 Republic of the Philippines
NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE
IM No.:CE 1-1S-2020-2021
J. Review on the Different Types of Beams and Loadings

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 Republic of the Philippines
NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE
IM No.:CE 1-1S-2020-2021

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 Republic of the Philippines
NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE
IM No.:CE 1-1S-2020-2021

K. General Requirements from NSCP 2015

Decay and Termite Protection
1. Preparation of Building Site
- Stumps and roots shall be removed to a depth of 300mm below ground surface
2. Wood Support Embedded in the Ground
- Shall be treated wood unless continuously submerged in freshwater
3. Under-floor Clearance
- Joists shall be located at least 450mm to exposed ground; and girders shall be
located 300mm to exposed ground unless approved wood of natural resistance to
decay or treated wood is used.
4. Plates, Sills and Sleepers
- Shall be treated wood
5. Columns and Posts Located on Concrete or Masonry Floors or Decks Exposed to Weather or to
Water Splash
- Shall be supported by concrete piers or metal pedestals projecting 200mm above
ground or at least 25mm above finished floors unless treated wood is used.
6. Girders Entering Masonry or Concrete Walls
- 15mm air space on top and sides shall be provided unless treated wood is used

L. Typical Parts in a Timber Structure

LIGHT FRAME CONSTRUCTION

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 Republic of the Philippines
NUEVA VIZCAYA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
INSTRUCTIONAL MODULE
IM No.:CE 1-1S-2020-2021

FLOOR FRAMING OF A POST AND BEAM CONSTRUCTION

VI. LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Research
Online Discussion

VII. EVALUATION (Note: Not to be included in the student’s copy of the IM)

VIII. ASSIGNMENT
Write your answers on the blank provided.
1. What is the reference design value for Molave in bending parallel to grain at 80% stress grade? See
Table 615.2 of the NSCP. ____________
2. Molave belongs to what strength group? _________________________
3. What is the specific gravity of Molave? See Table 619.1-1 of NSCP. ________________
4. Estimate the actual dimensions of a Molave beam having a nominal dimension of b = 50mm and d =
150mm. __________________________________________
5. Compute the cross sectional area in m2 and the unit weight in kN/m3 of the beam in item #4.
______________________________________________________________________

IX. REFERENCES
NSCP 2015
Building Construction Illustrated. Francis D.K. Ching
Strength of Materials. Andrew Pytel & Ferdinand Singer
Internet-based References(Images)

Numbering the IM No.: IM-CCCCCC-SSSSSS-NNNN-NNNN

School Year
Semester
Course Number
e.g.:
IM-COURSE NO-SEMESTER-SCHOOL YEAR
IM-MCB180-1STSEM-2020-2021

Prepared by: JKMaleek

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