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The South African construction trade can benefit from making use of laminated timber beams for structural applications , says Abe Stears . Image : RSB Beams
Laminated timber viable for structural applications
As a country whose available natural resources need to be conserved and used optimally , the South African construction trade can benefit from making use of laminated timber beams for structural applications .
So says Abe Stears , managing director of the South Africa Technical Auditing Services ( SATAS ), which offers certification and inspection services for the timber , chemical , metallurgical and plastic pipe industries . He also issues a word of caution with respect to manufacturing and using this material correctly and according to national regulations .
“ Unfortunately , not many people know how to use structural laminated beams properly , and in some instances they are used in structural applications for their aesthetic appeal without any consideration for their load bearing ability or capacity .”
Random tests conducted on laminated timber beams at the University of Pretoria by Professor Walter Burdzik reveal that a large percentage of such laminated timber beams do not comply with the bending strength ( MOR ) and modulus of elasticity ( MOE ) requirements for stress grade 5 as published in SANS 10163 parts 1 and 2 , which govern both the allowable stress design and limit-states design of the structural use of timber .
WHAT IS STRUCTURAL LAMINATED TIMBER OR ' GLULAM '?
A laminated timber or ‘ glulam ’ beam is an engineered product made up of layers of wood ( usually pine or eucalyptus ) that have been glued together with an approved adhesive specifically designed for structural applications . The various components that go into making a laminated timber beam must meet certain requirements prior to assembly .
56 FEB / MARCH 2017 //