Creep Behaviour of Laminated Pine Beams under Sustained Loading

SYNOPSIS

Studies on the creep behaviour of four groups of small defect-free laminated S.A. pine beams kept under varying bending stresses for 45 days at constant environmental conditions were carried out to establish the creep limit in bending. In addition, a computer program based on the equation

was employed to calculate the values of d (creep factor), k (rate of creep) for each beam and to fit a theoretical creep deflection curve to the measured data. It was found that a creep limit exists at approximately 50% of the ultimate static bending stress. Contrary to expectations, long duration loading for 45 days did not seem to have a decreasing effect on the strength and stiffness of the defect-free laminated beams.