Bending Strength Properties of Keruing and Light Red Meranti in Structural Size in Accordance with Eurocode 5

Abstract

In designing timber structures based on Eurocode 5, the referencestrength data are given in EN338 where the data are formulated from testing structural size specimens. Malaysian standard established strength grouping using grade stresses based on small clear specimens where as in EN 338 is in characteristic strength. . Therefore, it’s important to obtain the data of strength properties from the structural size specimen as its represent the real behavior of the timber even though the timber strength might be reduce due to the nature of the timber characteristics. This paper reports the investigation on the bending strength properties of keruing and light red meranti from the Malaysian tropical hardwood species in structural size in accordance with EN408. The characteristic values of bending strength, mean modulus, and density are 47.63 N/mm2, 19440.3N/mm2 and 603.38kg/m3, respectively for keruing and 23.05N/mm2, 12182.19 N/mm2 and 302.39kg/m3 respectively for light red meranti. At this moment Keruing can be group in strength class D40 and light red meranti in class D25. These results were different from BS 5268 where Keruing is grouped as D50 and light red meranti as C22 in MS 544 Part 2.