Accuracy of shear properties of wood obtained by simplified Iosipescu shear test

We examined the accuracy of the shear properties of wood by the Iosipescu shear test using specimens whose shape was simplified. Quartersawn boards of sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis Carr.) and shioji (Japanese ash,Fraxinus spaethiana Lingelsh.) were used. Two types of specimen for the Iosipescu shear test were compared: a standard specimen whose notch angle is 90° and a keyhole type specimen, which is more easily prepared than the standard type. The shear modulus, yield shear stress, and failure shear stress of the keyhole-type specimen were compared to those of the standard specimen. Shear stress analysis was conducted using the finite element method (FEM). The results obtained were as follows: (1) The failure pattern obtained by the simplified Iosipescu shear test was similar to that seen with the standard Iosipescu shear test. (2) The shear modulus, yield stress, and failure stress obtained by the simplified Iosipescu shear test coincided with those by the standard Iosipescu shear test. (3) The principal strain angle and principal stress angle of the simplified Iosipescu shear test were about 45°. (4) It is recognized that pure stress is applied to the strain-gauge regions in the simplified Iosipescu shear test, and it is expected that the shear properties are independent of the notch angle.     

Applicability of the losipescu shear test on the measurement of the shear properties of wood

We examined the applicability of the Iosipescu shear test for measuring the shear properties of wood. Quarter-sawn board of sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis Carr.) and shioji (Japanese ash,Fraxinus spaethiana Lingelsh. were used for the specimens. Iosipescu shear tests were conducted with two types of specimen whose longitudinal and radial directions coincided with the loading direction. The shear modulus, yield shear stress, and shear strength were obtained and were compared with those obtained by the torsion tests of rectangular bars. The results are summarized as follows: (1) The Iosipescu shear test is effective in measuring the shear modulus and the yield shear stress. (2) To measure the shear strength properly by the Iosipescu shear test, the configuration of specimen and the supporting condition should be examined in more in detail.     

Evaluation of a modified Iosipescu shear test method for determining the shear properties of clear wood

A modified Iosipescu shear test method is proposed as an alternative for measuring the shear properties of clear wood. The method adopts four-point asymmetric loading procedure in the Iosipescu shear test but with the loading positions shifted to the neutral axis of the specimen. The original V-notched specimen is replaced by a combination of polyvinyl chloride blocks at two ends and a bow-tie-shaped wood specimen in the middle to provide a better stress pattern at failure. The measured shear strength and shear moduli are compared with results from compression test and off-axis tension test. Finite element analysis is also carried out to study the stress distribution in the wood specimen. Results show that the new shear test setup can provide close-to pure shear stress state in the specimen yielding better estimates of the shear properties of wood. The shear strength obtained by the new test setup is slightly lower than that from the off-axis tensile test which is probably due to the relatively thick specimen chosen in this study.     

In-plane shear properties of the wood-based sandwich panel as a small shear wall evaluated by the shear test method using tie-rods

 The fundamental in-plane shear properties were investigated for the wood-based sandwich panel of plywood-overlaid low-density fiberboard (SW) manufactured at a pilot scale to develop it as a shear wall. The shear test method using tie-rods standardized for shear walls was applied to SW with dimensions of 260 mm square and 96 mm thick as a small shear wall and to plywood (PW) and thick low-density fiberboard (FB). The shear modulus and shear strength of PW, FB, and SW were determined. To measure the shear deformation angle, a displacement meter and strain-gauge were used. The shear moduli of PW (0.68 g/cm³) and FB (0.25–0.35 g/cm³) were 460 and 21–58 MPa/rad, respectively. The shear modulus of SW as a composite was analyzed. Some experimental models of SW were proposed (i.e., rigid-α, rigid-β, flexible, and semirigid models). The shear modulus of SW (0.35–0.40 g/cm³) evaluated based on the rigid-α and semirigid models were 73–89 and 109–125 MPa/rad, respectively. The theoretical shear modulus of SW was calculated to be 110–129 MPa/rad. Received: May 9, 2001 / Accepted: June 26, 2002 RID="*" ID="*" Part of this report was presented at the 50th Annual Meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Kyoto, Japan, April 2000; and the 5th Pacific Rim Bio-Based Composite Symposium, Canberra, Australia, December 2000 Acknowledgments The authors express our deep gratitude to Mr. Noritoshi Sawada (Hokushin Co.), Dr. Wong Cheng, and their cooperative members for their expert technical support for the preparation of manufacturing the thick fiberboard and sandwich panel. We are grateful also to Drs. Min Zhang, Kenji Umemura, Wong Ee Ding, and Guangping Han for their great help and advice in manufacturing the thick panels. The authors are grateful to Hokushin Co. for the fiber and resin and to Ishinomaki Gouhan Co. for the plywood. We thank Mr. Makoto Nakatani for his expert assistance when preparing the specimens for the shear test. Funding provided by the Research Fellowship of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science for Young Scientists as a JSPS Research Fellow is also gratefully acknowledged.     

Study on half-scale model test for light-frame shear wall

A half-scale model of a light-frame shear wall was developed to evaluate the racking performance of a fullscale shear wall (prototype). The effect of nail size on the performance of the shear wall was also investigated using models constructed with three types of nail. Materials for the model were determined through experimental methods, which included nail-head push-through, stud-to-sheathing nail connection, and static bending tests. Materials with which the model was made to be in similarity to the prototype were three-layer 4.8-mm plywood, 39.72-mm long nails, and 1 × 2 lumber cut from 2 × 4 studs. In accordance with ASTM E 72 and ASTM E 564, racking resistance tests were conducted on 20 shear walls. The results showed that the maximum load capacities of the prototype walls could be evaluated by the model without significantly different failure modes. Tests on the effect of nail size revealed that increasing the nail head diameter may improve the performance of shear walls.Parts of this paper were presented at the International Conference on Effective Utilization of Plantation Timber (ICEUPT'99), Chi-Tou, Taiwan, May 1999; and the World Conference on Timber Engineering (WCTE2000), Whistler, Canada, July–August 2000     

Shear strengths of wood measured by various short beam shear test methods

We conducted three types of short beam shear tests of western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla Sarg.) under various span/depth ratios, and examined whether the maximum shear stress was used as the shear strength. The following results were obtained. (1) In the short beam shear tests under the three-point loading method, it was difficult to have the specimen failing by horizontal shear. We thought that this method should not be recommended for determining the shear strength of wood. (2) In the short beam shear tests under the asymmetric four-point loading of the specimen with a rectangular cross-section, the failure caused by horizontal shear occurred under some span/depth ratio range. Nevertheless, this range was dependent on the specimen geometry and was quite restricted. We therefore think that this method should not be recommended for determining the shear strength of wood. (3) In the short beam shear tests under the asymmetric four-point loading of the I-shaped specimen, failure caused by horizontal shear occurred under the span/depth ratio range wider than that applicable for the asymmetric four-point loading of the specimen with a rectangular cross-section. The maximum shear stress was stable in a certain span/depth ratio range and the value of the maximum shear stress is effective as a parameter for comparing the shearing strength of materials with each other.     

Measurement of the shearing properties of wood by in-plane shear test using a thin specimen

In this research, in-plane shear tests were conducted for obtaining the shearing properties of wood. Thin strips of western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla Sarg.) were used for the specimens. Two circular holes were cut along the axial centerline of the wider surface (longitudinal-tangential plane), and then two slots were cut from the holes asymmetrically to each other by varying the inclined angle of the slot with respect to the axial centerline. Shear stress was induced in the area between the holes, which is called the shear zone, by applying a tension load along the long axis of the specimen; the shear modulus, shear strength, and principal strain angle were measured from the shear stress/shear strain relation obtained. Independently of the in-plane shear tests, Iosipescu shear tests were conducted, and the validity of the in-plane shear tests was examined by comparing the test results with those obtained by the Iosipescu shear tests. In addition to the tests, stress distribution in the in-plane shear test was calculated by the finite element method, and the results were compared with those obtained by the actual in-plane shear tests. The following three results were obtained. First, the shear moduli obtained by the in-plane shear tests were close enough to those obtained by the Iosipescu shear tests throughout the range of inclined angle examined here. Additionally, the calculated result of the finite element method also verified the validity of the in-plane shear test for measuring the shear modulus. Thus, the in-plane shear test method examined was effective for measuring the shear modulus. Second, a failure was initiated at the hole edge because of the stress concentration, which was also confirmed by the finite element calculation, and it immediately propagated along the grain in the early stage of the test. Thus, it was difficult to obtain the proportional limit stress and realistic shear strength by the in-plane shear test because of the catastrophic failure in the early stage of the test. Third, since it is desirable that the stress field in the shear zone is close to the pure shear stress condition, we recommend that the slot runs outward from the hole when conducting the in-plane shear test in spite of the independence of the shear strength on the inclined angle.     

Prediction of seismic behavior of wood-framed shear walls with openings by pseudodynamic test and FE model

 This article summarizes an experimental and numerical study on seismic behavior of wood-framed shear walls with an opening. The objectives of this study were to compare the results of static and pseudodynamic tests of plywood-sheathed shear walls with numerical simulation by the Finite Element (FE) model and to validate a finite element code EFICOBOIS for such an application. This software is based on a macroelement approach to limit the number of degrees of freedom for the whole system. Nonlinear laws for connections such as nails and hold-down connections, among others, are applied through macroelements that link plate elements to beam elements. Numerical results obtained for the various loading conditions showed good agreement with the experiments. Both static and dynamic computations are presented here. Received: February 15, 2002 / Accepted: April 25, 2002 Correspondence to:M. Yasumura     

Utilization of digital image correlation in determining of both longitudinal shear moduli of wood at single torsion test

A sophisticated approach for the precise determination of both longitudinal shear moduli of wood at single test is introduced. The method is based on the combination of the torsion test inducing pure shear stresses in sample and an optical method providing the full-field strain data of such stress state. The proposed procedure of the longitudinal shear moduli determination consists of two main steps. In the first step, the apparent longitudinal shear modulus following the standardized procedure (EN 408+A1) was determined. Secondly, both longitudinal shear moduli were derived based on the apparent longitudinal shear modulus and the shear strain distribution on the radial and tangential sample surfaces. The wood of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) was used as material for the experiments. The exploratory analysis revealed the increasing difference between the longitudinal shear moduli determined in the longitudinal–radial plane and in the longitudinal–tangential plane as the total torsion angle increased as well as with the increase in the average torsion stiffness. Further, the longitudinal shear moduli and the torsional longitudinal shear strength did not correlate well. Therefore, they cannot be used in order to predict each other. Although such findings need more detailed studies, they should be taken into account when designing wood structures.     

Estimation of shear moduli of wood by quasi-simple shear tests

A quasi-simple shear test, which is the most direct method for examining the shear properties of sheet metals, has been applied to measure the shear moduli of wood. Buna (Fagus crenata Blume) with variously sized shear regions was used for the test specimens. Strain gauges were mounted in the center of the shear regions to measure the shear strains. The shear tests were carried out to determine the shear moduli in the radial and tangential planes. Apparent shear moduli obtained from the experimental results were corrected by finite element method (FEM) simulation of the shear region, where both shearing and bending are produced. It was found that the corrected shear moduli are roughly independent of test conditions, and their values are in good agreement with the data obtained from bending-shear tests. This suggests that the method employed here can effectively estimate the shear moduli of wood.Part of this research was presented at the 50th Annual Meeting of the Society of Materials Science, Osaka, May 2001     

Simultaneous determination of shear strength and shear modulus in glued-laminated timber using a full-scale shear block specimen

A newly developed full-scale shear block specimen was used to simultaneously determine the shear strength and shear modulus of glued-laminated timber. The shear modulus was calculated using the shear strain distribution measured by means of digital image correlation. To obtain the exact relationship between shear modulus and shear strength, the shear strain in the intended shear plane was measured. A relatively high correlation coefficient of 0.75 was found between the shear modulus and nominal shear strength in two types of glued-laminated timber tested: sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). Good correlation was also found between the density of middle lamina and shear strength. However, the relationships to density showed species dependence, which was not observed in the relationship between shear modulus and shear strength.     

Postbuckling behaviour of hardboard under shear

Summary The purpose of the study was to analyse the postbuckling behaviour of hardboard under shear both experimentally and theoretically. Two series of 400 mm x 400 mm x 3.2 mm and 400 mm x 400 mm x 4.0 mm hardboard were tested experimentally in the special apparatus which was supposed to satisfy the boundary and load conditions. During increasing shear load, the hardboard deformations were measured in order to determine the first and second critical loads and the failure load. The experimental results were compared with the numerical solution based on the von Kármán nonlinear theory of plates. A good agreement of experimental results with theoretical solution was achieved.     

Evaluating rolling shear strength properties of cross-laminated timber by short-span bending tests and modified planar shear tests

This paper presents an experimental study on rolling shear (RS) strength properties of non-edge-glued cross-laminated timber (CLT) made out of New Zealand Radiata pine (Pinus radiata) structural timber. CLT specimens with 35 and 20 mm thick laminations were studied to evaluate the influence of lamination thickness on the RS strength of CLT. Short-span three-point bending tests were used to introduce high RS stresses in cross layers of CLT specimens and facilitate the RS failure mechanism. Modified planar shear tests from the conventional two-plate planar shear tests were also used to evaluate the RS strength properties. It was found that two test methods yielded comparable RS strength properties and the lamination thickness significantly affected RS strength of the CLT specimens. The test results also indicated that the recommended characteristic RS strength values of CLT products in Europe and Canada might be over conservative. Also, it might be more efficient to specify different RS strength values for CLT with different lamination thickness given the minimum width-to-depth ratio of laminations is satisfied.     

Exact analysis of shear strain in wood

Summary An analysis is given which enables the shear strain in a piece of timber to be specified in terms of the difference between tangential and radial strain, herein termed the angular strain. The angular strain is then evaluated in terms of the orientation of two lines at right angles prior to deformation. The equations involved are simple and facilitate the evaluation of strain parameters which would otherwise require numerical computation.Symbols a, b, c length parameters, Fig. 2 - C half chord length - k constant of proportionality - r radial coordinate (distance from pith) - x length coordinate (board) - , angle parameters, Fig. 1 - shear strain - width of segment - angular strain - #x025B; tangential strain - _r radial strain - ₁, ₂ components of shear strain, Fig. 1 - angle parameter, Fig. 2 - angle parameter, Fig. 3 - angle parameter, Fig. 2 The author wishes to thank Mr. J. W. Sutherland for his assistance with the presentation of this paper.     

Bending and shear properties of compressed Sitka spruce

We examined the bending and shear properties of compressed wood using small and clear specimens of Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis Carr.). For measuring the bending properties, three-point bending tests were conducted under the span/depth ratio of 14, which is standardized in the American Society for Testing and Materials [ASTM D143-94 (2005a)] and Japanese Industrial Standards [JIS Z2101-94 (1994)]. In the bending test, the load, deflection at the midspan, and strain at the bottom of the midspan were simultaneously measured, and Young’s modulus and bending strength were obtained by elementary beam theory. For obtaining the shear modulus and shear strength, asymmetric four-point bending tests were conducted using the specimens with rectangular and side-grooved cross sections, respectively, and the influence of the compression ratio on the shear properties was examined. The results are summarized as follows: (1) Young’s modulus increased with increasing compression ratio when it was determined by the load–strain relation. Nevertheless, this tendency was rather obscured when Young’s modulus was determined by the load–deflection relation. Hence, it is preferable that Young’s modulus is measured from the load–strain relation. (2) The shear modulus in the longitudinal–tangential plane was maximum at the compression ratio of 50%, whereas that in the longitudinal–radial plane was minimum at the compression ratio of 50%. (3) The influence of the compression on the bending and shear strength ratio was not significant.     

Determination of shear modulus on construction size timber

Shear modulus determination of construction size timber was examined. Three different Techniques were used: torsional vibration, simultan E&G, and variation of span technique. We found that the simultan E&G technique is quite sensitive to the error of natural frequency determination and provides only an estimate for G. Better shear modulus determinations are the static and torsional techniques, but the torsional technique is most precise. The torsional vibration technique can be a good solution for shear modulus determination in an industrial environment because it provides quick and precise etermination, but standardization of the method would first be necessary. We found a high correlation coefficient (0.80) between the screw withdrawal resistance and shear modulus of 2 by 4 timber. Based on this result it is possible to estimate the shear modulus of timber even if the timber is installed in a structure.This study was conducted with financial support of the Science and Technology Agancy Japan via an STA fellowship     

Derivation and application of an equation for calculating shear modulus of three-ply laminated material beam from shear moduli of individual laminae

In a detailed study of the relation between the deflection caused by shear force and the constitution of a laminated material beam, we derived an equation for calculating the shear modulus of a laminated material beam from the shear moduli of individual laminae. The validity of the derived equation was investigated using crosslaminated wood beams made with five species. The calculated shear moduli parallel to the grain of face laminae ranged from 48.3 MPa to 351 MPa, while those perpendicular to the grain of face laminae ranged from 58.0 MPa to 350 MPa. The calculated shear moduli increased markedly with increasing shear modulus in a cross section of perpendicular-direction lamina of a cross-laminated wood beam. The calculated apparent modulus of elasticity (MOE) of cross-laminated wood beams agreed fairly well with the measured apparent MOE values. This fact indicated that the apparent MOE of cross-laminated wood beam was able to be calculated from the true MOE values and shear moduli of individual laminae. The percentage of deflection caused by shear force obtained from the calculated apparent MOE (Y _sc) was close to that obtained from the measured apparent MOE (Y _s) and there was a high correlation between both values. From the above results, it was concluded that the derived equation had high validity in calculation of shear modulus of a cross-laminated wood beam.