HYBRID TIMBER-CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION IN GHANA – MATERIALS AND

COST ANALYSIS

ABSTRACT
Material tests and cost analysis constitute an integral part of any major construction work. This
study considers hybrid construction of timber and concrete. The objectives of the study were Commented [A1]: In recent years, material tests and cost
analysis constitute an integral part of any major construction work.
to assess the engineering properties of the timber and concrete used for the construction and This paper presents the results of hybrid construction of timber and
concrete.
also to estimate the cost of timber-concrete structure as compared to concrete-brick structure. Commented [A2]: Engineering properties of timber and
concrete used for construction are studied in this paper. The cost
Structural size timber species were tested for their mechanical properties based on three-point analysis of timber-concrete structures and concrete-brick structures
are also presented.
bending test in accordance to EN 408 (2003) and physical properties. Schmidt hammer was
used to determine the compressive strength of the concrete. The results of the tests showed that
six out of the seven timber species tested had MOR of 94-134N/mm2, MOE of 9000-
19000N/mm2, and basic density of 350-900Kg/m3 at 12% moisture content, they were
Terminalia superba, Terminalia Ivorensis, Milicia excelsa, Celtis zenkeri, Petersianthus
macrocarpus, and Blighia sapida, making them suitable for construction. Concrete
compressive strength of 25 N/mm2 was recorded. It was also observed that the cost of building
slab with timber was approximately halve the price of concrete, whiles the cost of building a
unit wall with timber was twice the cost of using blocks. From the study, building hybrid
timber-concrete structure with some of the tested timber species was possible. It is
recommended that testing of other timber species to know their engineering properties be
carried out. Commented [A3]: The implications of the results are then
discussed for the design of robust hybrid timber-concrete
key words: Hybrid structure, Engineering properties, Timber, Compressive strength, Cost structures.