Analytical and numerical investigations on imperfection-sensitive timber members subjected to combined bending and axial compression

Abstract

The verification of slender timber members at risk of lateral torsional buckling is one of the basic verifications in timber design. However, latest investigations have shown that the design formulas provided in Eurocode 5 for imperfection-sensitive members subjected to combined bending and compression tend to be conservative and more advanced verification methods are needed. Analytical and numerical models are presented that allow for the consideration of the geometrically and materially nonlinear behaviour as well as of the size effect of tensile strength ft,0 for Nx-My-Mz interaction. These models and calculation results increase the understanding of the main influencing parameters of the load-bearing capacity of imperfection-sensitive timber beams and columns and may be the basis of a revision of the current design formulas provided in EN 1995-1-1.