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GLUED LAMINATED COLUMN, AXIAL LOAD

DESIGN DATA

Subject
It is required to select a suitable cross-section for
to support an axial load of 76.0 kN. The column
ends. Full lateral restraint is provided about the
internal column in an unheated warehouse which

a 4.2 m long glulam column of strength class GL24

is restrained in position but not in direction at both
weaker bending axis. The member is to act as an
is entered infrequently.

Service class
Service class 2

Service class 2 corresponds to an average moisture content in most sofrwoods of between

12% and 20%. It is normally appropriate for members in unheated buildings.
Clause 3.1.5

Properties of glulam strength class GL24

Material propenies for glued laminated timber are given in prEN 1194, and in Table 2 of
the Introduction to the Design Examples. GL24 has a stiffness similar to that of LB grade
whitewood glulam.

Compression strength parallel to grain

Minimum modulus of elasticity parallel to grain

=
=

24.0
8 800

N/rtm9
N/mm*

G,

Qk

30.4
45.6

kN
kN

Actions
Total dead weight (permanent duration)
Imposed snow load (short-term)

Partial

safety factors

=
=

for loads and materials

For single-storey buildings which are occupied only occasionally,

partial safety factors for loaa!s may be used.

Modification

factor for short-term

Yc

YQ

YM

1994. C

TRADA,

Table 2.3.3.1

1.2
1.35
1.3

Table 2.3.3.2

loads in Service class 2 for glulam

L

@TRADA

reduced values of the

Clause 2.3.3.1(4)

Hughenden

0.9

Valley, High Wycomhc,

Table 3.1.7

Bucks. HP14 4ND. UK

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ULTIMATELIMIT

GLUED LAMINATED COLUMN, AXIAL LOAD

STATE

Design value of actions

Design compression force parallel to grain

Permanent duration load case
Nd.pt-rmnnmt =

YCG

1.2x30.4x

lOOO=

36480N

Short-term load case

Nd.short-term =

YG%

(1.2 x 30.4 + 1.35 x 45.6) x 1 000 =

TQQ~

98 040 N

By inspection, the short-term load case, in which both permanent and short-term actions
are applied, is critical.

Estimation

of trial cross-section

Standard &dam cross-sections are given in Table 5 of the Introduction to the Design
Examples. A trial cross-section will be chosen such that the design value of the
compression stress is half the design compression strength, making no allowance for
buckling.

Design compression stress

%.O,d

Design compression strength

fC,o,g,d

NC3

= %f.%

N/mm*

LNifSO,O.

(2.2.3.2a)

YM

when

%O,d

0.9 x 24
1.3

0e5fc.0.g.d

98

040

0.5 x 16.62

16.62 N/mm2

11800

mm*

A suitable standard cross-section of

Section dimensions

_____Y

and properties

Breadth of column section

Depth of column section

b
h

=
=

65mm
18Omm

l-J-4
Z

l-l

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GLUED

LAMINATED

COLUMN,

AXIAL

LOAD

In order to determine the effective length of a compression member, reference may be made
to TUADA s Design Aid: Beam and Column Modt@cation Factors. For columns restrained
in position but not in direction at both et.&, Table I gives Lc/ = L.

Effective length of column

L,,

4200mm

Strength modification factors

The rules on column design are given in EC5 Clause 5.2.1.

Essentially the sum of the
ratios of the design compression stress to the design compression strength and of the design
bending stress to the design bending strength must not exceed 1.0. Buckling is taken into
consideration by reducing the compression strength by a factor k, that depends on the
Since the column
critical bending stress, the slenderness ratio and the initial straightness.
is restrained against bending about its minor axis, only buckling about its major axis needs
to be considered. Since there is no lateral load, there are no applied bending stresses, a,.
An approximate value of k, may be read directlyjrom
the full calculation method will be illustrated.

Figure 2 in the Design Aid, butJrst

Slenderness ratio
=

4 2oo@

80.83

180
(5.2.1~)

Critical compression stress

x2Eo
05%
A

%NY

5~~x 8 800

13.29 N/mm2

80.832

G2

(5.2.la)

Relative slenderness ratio

Ll,Y

Since &e,,Y >

satisfied

0.5,

J===Jzi
the combined

compression

1.344

and bending

ratio

condition must be
Clause 5.2.1(3)

It must be shown that

(This is a simpltjiedform
stresses).
Therefore the compression

ib IRADA

1994. C

TRADA,

of (5.2.18, f or columns which are not subject to applied bending

strength modification,

kc,Y, must be calculated.

Hughenden Valley, High Wycombe,

Bucks. HP14 4ND. UK

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For glulam /3,

k,

kY

GLUED LAMINATED

COLUMN,

Clause 5.2-l(4)

0.1

0.5 (1 + P, (hc,,y - 0.5) + hncl,y>

0.5 (1 + 0.1 (1.344 - 0.5) + 1.3443

AXIAL LOAD

(5.2. lh)
=

1.445

$+/i&-2

(5.2. lg)

1.445 + J1.4452

0.5061

- 1.3442

Use of Design Aid

Table 2 of Beam and Column Modification

Factors gives values of kc,+,

for glulam based

on L&

L CSY

42~
180

23.3

This gives a value of $,

0.50

In this example, the use of Table 2 gives an accurate value for kc,?, and much more quickly
than the calculation method does.

Design value of effect of actions

Design compression stress

k,

bh

(Jc.0.d

Compression stress ratio

98 040

%c,O.d

8.379

0.5061

fsOd,d

8.379 N/mm2

0.996

65 x 180
< 1.0

x 16.62

Cross-section
adequate for
axial loads

Since the compression stress ratio is so close to 1.0, it is obvious that a smaller crosssection would be inadequate. The trial cross-section of 65 X IS0 mm is therefore suitable.
In the complete design of a column inside a warehouse, it would be necessary to consider
also the eflects of accidental impact, and a larger cross-section might then prove to be
necessary.

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TRADA,

Hughenden

Valley,

High Wycombe,

Bucks. HP14 4ND. UK

Q TRADA

1994. C