How to do a timber verification

To assess a structure (whether it is sufficiant or not), the following steps must be followed in sequence:

• Schematising the construction
• Determining the internal forces and moments (= global analysis)
• Checking the cross-sections (= design):
  • Strength
  • Stability 
  • Stiffness

In Diamonds

• In the Load groups dialog , define the correct Service class. The Service class is required to determine k_mod.
  
• Calculate the internal forces (syn. global analysis) F9 or .
  Check the option to take the creep into account. 
• Set the buckling lengths.
  Don’t skip this step! Without the correct buckling lengths the stability results have no meaning.
• Select the correct timber standard with Analysis > Timber standard.
• Click on F3 or to start the verification. The verification is supported for:
  • constant cross-sections with shapes: 
  • variable cross-sections with shape: 

  At the moment it is not possible to do a timber verification on H-shaped cross sections or composed cross-sections (Section Utility).

• View the results with. For the results of the strength check click, for those of the stability check click.
  The results of the strength and stability check are displayed as a percentage of the total capacity (= 100%) of the section.
  • A structure is sufficient for strength, if the percentage is less than 100% for all bars.
  • A structure is sufficient for stability, if the percentage is less than 100% for all bars.

  Based on the percentage no judgment can be made on the extent to which a section is sufficient or not. This is because the used formulas are not always linear.

• Don’t forget to verify the stiffness! Thus the vertical and horizontal deformation.