CIB-W18 Växjö 2012

GLUED LAMINATED TIMBER PRODUCED FROM VISUALLY

GRADED TIMBER

Christophe Sigrist1

ABSTRACT: The quality and strength of glue laminated timber (GL) depend on many parameters: strength class of
individual boards composing GL, strength of finger joints, face gluing of the laminates and on the production process
itself. The product ranges from industrial, homogeneous low strength glulam from visually graded timber to high
strength glulam using inhomogeneous layups formed by machine graded timber. Various models to estimate glulam
strength [1],[2] have been developed for visually and mechanically graded timber. The standard prEN 14080 under
development regulates the properties and minimal production requirements for glulam. The strength properties for GL
are lowered on one side and the requirements regarding the strength of the boards and the finger joints are increased on
the other side. The research presented here deals with the strength properties of GL produced from visually graded
timber (maximum GL28) as SME in Switzerland are not in the position of acquiring the expensive installations to
machine grade the timber. In order to optimise the flow of material, to carry out the adequate grading process at the
right moment, the saw millers and the producers of GL work out a common process along the production line in order
to become more competitive on the market. To date about 1000 boards have been assessed visually and by mechanical
grading tools and tested. 30 full size glulam beams (22 produced from visual graded timber only) have been tested so
far. The results will be verified by computer models at KIT in order to support the actual requirements regarding board
and GL properties.

KEYWORDS: Strength and stiffness of GL, visual grading, board properties, test results

1 INTRODUCTION 123 methods to determine the density of the timber were

The project develops an integral production method for
glulam and is based on a close collaboration within the
timber processing industry. The goal is to reduce grading
and production costs, to optimise the utilisation of the
resource and to guarantee the strength and stiffness
properties of both the individual boards used for the
production of glulam and the final product. The focus
lies on visual grading methods. Pre-grading the resource
into two lots of timber considering “heart in” or “free of
heart” material or applying established appearance
developed.
The strength properties of glulam primarily depend on
the strength properties of the boards to be used and the
coefficient of variation of these properties. The
combined results and conclusions by Schickhofer [4]
from investigations on glulam over the last decades in
Europe are presented in principle in the Figure below.
34
32
Biegefestigkeit Biegeträger [N/mm 2]

grades as “industry” and “normal” should ease the 30

grading operation in the glulam factory. A focused and
simple grading for the saw miller and the glulam 28

producer must be determined. All investigations are visuell

26
maschinell
backed up using several non destructive, machine
24
grading systems in order to find out if the visual
(pre)grading could eventually be improved by the usage 22

of simple, low cost and efficient grading tools. All major 20

sawmills, glulam producers from Switzerland and three
18
producers of grading chains from Europe are involved in
10 12 14 16 18 20 22
the project. Zugfestigkeit Lamelle [N/mm 2]

2 STATE OF THE ART KNOW-HOW

Investigations by Gloss [3] have indicated that the
separation of “heart in” material and side boards leads to
a better utilisation of the timber properties. Based on
these results grading chains using a balance or other
1
Christophe Sigrist, Bern University of Applied Sciences,
Architecture, Wood and Civil Engineering BFH-AHB,
Solothurnstrasse 102, P.O.Box, CH-2500 Biel-Bienne 6,
Email: christophe.sigrist@bfh.ch
C. Sigrist
Figure 1: Simplified representation of strength models for
GL from visually (blue) and mechanically (red) graded
timber (tensile strength of boards on abscise, bending
strength of glulam on ordinate)
Visually graded timber presents a higher coefficient of
variation (35% +/- 5%) than mechanically graded timber
(25% +/- 5%). Also visually graded timber is generally
sorted into a smaller number of grades as if mechanical
grading is applied. As the visual grading is less precise
both low and high quality bards will be found within an
1 15/02/2012
attributed stress grade. Due to this effect boards with
lower strength properties in tension (ft,k ≈ 16-17 N/mm2)
compared to mechanically stress graded timber (ft,k ≈ 19-
20 N/mm2) could be used to obtain a desired strength for
a glulam beam. The simplified graph shows the example
for GL28 with a characteristic target bending strength of
fm,k = 28 N/mm2. The higher system effect on material
showing higher variation further increases this effect.
These results are of particular interest to SME producing
GL who generally process smaller amounts of timber
than the large, industrial counterparts. As grading of
timber represents an important and costly step it would
be ideal to divide the timber in two to or maximum three
grades in the saw mill. The efficiency of the grading
depends on the interaction between the different
processing industries.
3 RESULTS
3.1 TENSION PROPERITES OF BOARDS
Based on earlier research [5] the goal is to obtain a
grading method in order to achieve the required
properties for the material to be used to produce GL
according prEN 14080. The current investigation focuses
on visually graded C24 and C30 timber. Before sawing
the centre part of the logs was marked in colour in view
of distinguishing properties form “heart in” material and
side boards and to study the effect of sawing patterns and
log diameters / provenance. The results from visual
grading according to DIN 4074, grading using simple
mechanical grading tools and a sophisticated grading
chain were compared to an empirical separation of sawn
bards into “normal” and “industrial” grades carried out at
the sawmill. The following results have been obtained so
far:
 Large differences between various log diameters /
provenance were observed
 No usable difference of strength properties between
“heart in” and “free of heart” material was observed
 Slightly higher MOE for sideboards compared to
“heart in” material was obtained
 The original sorting by the sawmill (appearance)
seems to be quite efficient and successful indicating
better properties for boards classified as “normal”
no lateral knots / spike
knots allowed
Figure 2: Grading rules for C30+
 The strength class of at least C30 can be achieved
after elimination all lateral knots, however recovery
is quite small
 It is generally difficult to achieve C24 as low
density boards can not be identified easily.
3.2 BENDING PROPERTIES OF GL24 AND GL28
Various producers fabricated beams (160 mm / 600 mm /
L=12 m) in GL24h, GL24c and GL28c using boards
with identical properties to the board sample that was
tested in tension. Marking the boards by RFID allowed
to trace back the original properties of the boards and to
draw relevant conclusions relating to the grading
efficiency.
Figure 3: Bending test on full scale GL beams
Mostly excellent results were obtained from these tests,
ultimate bending strengths for GL28c ranging from
25,3 N/mm2 to 47.0 N/mm2 were obtained. The clearly
distinct average bending strength of GL24 is situated
around 30.0 N/mm2. The GL fulfils the requirements
regarding the required average stiffness.
4 CONCLUSIONS
The failures at low stresses (2x in GL24, 1x in GL28) in
the more or less defect free tension zone are still under
investigation tracing back the properties of the single
boards in the laminates in question. Tension tests on
parent board samples are currently carried out to confirm
the board strengths. The investigations will be extended
to all remaining industry partners involved leading to
statistically significant data. The findings will finally be
verified by modelling and will be relevant for prEN
14080.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The research is carried out thanks to funding from KTI /
CTI, Switzerland, Project Nr. 9843.1 PFES-ES.
REFERENCES
[1] Blaß H.J., Frese M., Glos P., Denzler J.K.,
Linsenmann P., Ranta-Maunus A. (2008).
Reliability of spruce glulam - modelling the
characteristic bending strength, research report KIT,
Karlsruhe
[2] Frese M., Hunger F., Blaß H. Glos P. (2009).
Verifikation von Festigkeitsmodellen für die
Brettschichtholz-Biegefestigkeit, Eur. J. Wood Prod.
Springer-Verlag
[3] Glos P., Pahler A. (2005). Chances of lumber
quality grading. Proc. of 5th COST Action E40
Conference on “Large diameter timber - problem or
chance?” HSB Biel, Switzerland, pp 29-33
[4] Brandner R., Schickhofer G. (2007). Bearing model
for glued laminated timber in bending – new aspects
concerning modeling. COST E55 Workshop - Graz.
(2007), S. 1 - 31
[5] Sigrist C., Engels I. (2004). Zugfestigkeit von BSH-
Lamellen. Kontrolle der Wirksamkeit der visuellen
Sortierung zur Erzeugung von BSH gemäss Entwurf
SIA 265: Holzbau, Forschungsbericht Buwal
2002.06