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Glulam Handbook
Facts about glulam

From 1
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Glulam Handbook
Dimensioning of glulam constructions

From 3
Glulam handbook Facts about glulam
From 1

Glulam Handbook
Planning and assembly of

Glulam Handbook glulam constructions

Project planning of glulam constructions

From 4
Of 2

Glulam handbook Part 1 – 3 is the result of a collaboration between glulam manufacturers

and their industry organizations in Finland, Norway and Sweden. Glulam handbook Parts 1 – 3 are available
in three language versions – Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish. The content of the different language
versions is adapted to Eurocode 5 with the associated national adaptation document, NA.

Glued wood handbook Part 4 is only available in Swedish. It is produced by Svenskt Trä and financed
by the Swedish glulam manufacturers.

This document constitutes Part 1 of the Limträhandboken, which consists of four parts.
• Part 1 deals with facts about glulam and guidance for planning.
• Part 2 contains construction calculations for static dimensioning of glulam.
• Part 3 provides a number of calculation examples for the most common glulam constructions.
• Part 4 provides knowledge about planning and assembly of glulam constructions.

For additional knowledge, information and practical instructions about wood, glulam, KL-wood and wood
construction, see TräGuiden, www.traguiden.se, which is continuously updated with new knowledge
and practical experiences. TräGuiden is very comprehensive with tables, drawings and illustrations.

Welcome to www.traguiden.se!

Information about wood, glulam, KL-wood and wood construction is also available at www.svenskttra.se.

Stockholm, March 2016

Johan Froebel
Swedish Wood

Cover: Copperhill Mountain Lodge Hotel, Åre.

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Glulam Handbook Part 1

Table of Contents

Construction system 38
Glulam as a building material 5 Pelar-balksystem 39
Strength × performance × beauty = wood3 = glulam 5
Constructions for multi-storey buildings 39
Therefore glulam 5
Continuous beams 40
Fackverk 40
Glulam history 6 Three-legged roof chairs 40

Arches 41
Development of glulam 6
Frames 41
New opportunities 7
Brackets 42
Breakthrough 7
Shell constructions 43
Nordic glulam 8
Composite systems 43
Factory in Sweden 8
Need for track halls 8
Rough dimensioning 44
AB Cantilever Träkonstruktioner 9 Dimensioning load for roof beams and trusses 44
Reliable material 10 Snow load map 44
Increasing market for glulam 10
Tables for overall dimensioning 45
Advanced architecture 11
Dimension tables 46
Raka takbalkar 46
Facts about glulam 12 Saddle beams 47
Three-link roof chairs with drawstring 48
Glulam and the environment 12
Three-link bows with drawstring 48
Glulam in the circuit 12
Treledsramar 49
Floor beams 49
Certification and control 14
Roof ridges 50
CE marking 14
Production control 14 Pillar 51

Properties 15 Dimensioning program 52

Work 15
Connection details 53
Limfogar 16
Technology development 53
Surface treatment 16
Standard fittings for detached houses 53
Dimensions and shape 16
Fittings to larger buildings 55
Strength 18
Pillar foot 55
Thermal properties 18
Pillar top 57
Moisture ratio 19
Nock 58
Moisture movements 20
Balkskarv 59
Fire characteristics 21
Connection to secondary beam 59
Durability properties 21
Drawstring attachment 60

Glulam products 22
Measurement 61
Appearance quality 22
Stock range 23 Planning with regard to fire 62
Dimensional tolerances 23 Glulam and fire 62
Straight glulam elements 24 Fire technical requirements in building regulations 63
Curved glulam elements 27 Fire resistance of glulam constructions 65

Transport protection 29 Glulam beams 65

Montage 29 Glulam column 66

Fire protection of dressings and fittings -
general views 66
Planning 30
Other glulam products 68
Building technical conditions 31
Glulam outer panel 68
Constructive aspects of glulam beams 32
Special manufacturing 68
Stability 35
Climate screen 36
Moisture protection 37

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Glulam Handbook Part 1

Surface treatment and maintenance 69

Surface treatment 69
Guidance for the selection of surface treatment material for internal glulam 70
Guidance for the choice of surface treatment material on external glulam 71
Maintenance 72

Maintenance planning 73
Maintenance painting 75

Wood protection 76
Impregnated glulam 76

Checklist for description and ordering 77

Handle glulam correctly 78

On delivery 78
On storage 78
At assembly 79
Weight information during handling 79
Maintain the moisture ratio 79
Manage waste 79

Symbols 81
References 84

Disclaimers 84
Swedish glulam industry 85

Publications and websites from Svenskt Trä 87

Publications on glulam 87
Publications on wood 87
Websites 87

Glulam in an office environment, Töreboda.

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Glulam as a building material

Glulam as a building material

Wood is the most natural, energy efficient and renewable building material.
Glulam provides efficient material utilization. The consumption of wood raw material is
reduced if you use the glulam technology. Therefore, using glulam is the right thing to
do. Glulam is a classic wood product for innovators.
More than a hundred years of use have proven its enduring strength and beauty values.

Strength × performance × beauty = wood3 = glulam

• Glulam sets no limits to the possibilities of wood construction technology. • Glulam

elements are built up with individual lamellas of
structural timber and provides efficient material utilization.
• In relation to its weight, glulam is one of the strongest construction
tion materials. This means that glulam beams can span freely over large distances.

• Architects, designers and users have great opportunities to create their own shapes
with glulam, whether it concerns a construction for a single-family house, a roof for a
public building or for a wooden bridge.
• Glulam is a construction material that optimizes the technical properties of the
Office building with a frame of columns and beams of glulam.
renewable raw material – wood. • The slats are finger jointed
Joint beams of glulam and concrete. Kv. The inventor, Växjö.
to produce large lengths
and are then glued together to create desired dimension.
• Thanks to the structure of the glulam, large glulam elements can be manufactured
of wood from smaller trees.
• Using glulam, builders, specifiers, contractors and users can enjoy the strength,
beauty and versatility of large timber elements.

Therefore glued wood!

• Strength – Relative to its weight, glulam is one of the strongest

the construction material.
• Environment – The raw material is renewable. Glulam can be reused or
be recycled.
• Aesthetic value – Glulam is an aesthetically pleasing and environmentally friendly
product.
• Energy – Energy use in glulam production is small
compared to other construction materials. • Durability
– Glulam withstands aggressive environments better than many other construction
materials.
• Formability – Glulam can be made into virtually any shape
any.
• Shape stability – Glulam neither twists nor bends.
• Fire resistance – Glulam resists a fire better than many other construction
materials.
• Processability – Glulam can be processed with both simple hand-
tools as with machine tools. Holes and recesses can be made in glulam after
consultation with an experienced building engineer/constructor.

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Glulam history

Glulam history

Inset image: From the glulam factory in Töreboda during the 1920s. The big picture: The waiting hall at Stockholm Central Station.

Is there any material that, through its development, has led to such a radical breakthrough
in new constructions and new architecture as glulam? Wood's natural limitations in
size and shape have been overcome. This could have been done mechanically in
the past, but the development of glulam meant that wood could begin to compete with the
major materials steel and reinforced concrete in load-bearing constructions for large
spans.

Development of glulam
The modern way of joining boards or planks (wooden slats) to beams and arches involved
gluing them together into what is now called glulam. Glulam is an advanced
construction material
which should not be confused with other products, such as glue joints or laminated wood,
which are board materials.
Otto Hetzer (1846–1911), born in Weimar in Germany, was the first to show that
wooden slats can be glued together industrially into units
with such large cross-sections that they could be used in advanced con-
instructions for very large spans. Otto Hetzer had carpentry training, was the owner
of a sawmill and also a skilled designer.

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Glulam history

Otto Hetzer started a company, Otto Hetzer Holzpflege- und Holz-bearbeitungs

AG, in which he developed new wooden constructions and applied for patents for
composite beams of various types. In 1906, Hetzer received a patent for the
invention of gluing together boards for curved constructions. In the patent
applications, it can be seen that Otto Hetzer had solved all the problems that were
relevant at the time in the manufacture and use of glulam.

New opportunities
Arguments for gluing boards together are to make the structure's design
independent of the dimensions of growing trees and the possibility of manufacturing
different shapes and suitable cross-sections. An important part of the invention
was also to equalize the impact of timber defects.
Through sorting, the right timber quality could be used for the different parts of the
cross-section with better qualities in the tension and compression zone of the structural
elements.
Otto Hetzer also combined different types of wood. Beech wood, which is more
compressive-resistant, could be used in the compression zone of the cross-section
Platform roof, Gothenburg Central Station.
and spruce wood in the tension zone. The heavily loaded outer lamellas would be
unjointed and the less exposed ones could have suitably spaced butt joints.
The thickness of the lamellae was determined with regard to the required
bending radius. Experiments with test beams were carried out at the beginning of
the last century at the materials testing institutes in Berlin and Dresden in Germany.
It was found that it was possible to apply higher allowable stresses for the glued
beams than for solid wood. Otto Hetzer was very thorough in producing beams
with high strength and a long service life.

The glue-coated slats were placed on top of each other and pressed together
with screw presses. Otto Hetzer applied for but was not granted a patent for the
recipe for the glue he used and it was therefore kept secret well into the 1950s. The
glue was a casein glue made from milk. It was not waterproof and does not meet
today's requirements, but early glulam structures under roofs, such as the waiting
hall at Stockholm Central Station, still work perfectly today.

The breakthrough
Glulam's big breakthrough came with the so-called Reichseisen-bahnhalle at
the World's Fair in Brussels, Belgium, in 1910. The glulam arches with tension
straps had the considerable span of 43 m. Meeting between arches and beams of
glulam, Gothenburg Central Station.
The cross section was almost 3 m high and 30 cm wide. For the glued frames,
the stress allowed was 136 kg/cm2 (13.6 N/mm2 ) . This is a strength value that
corresponds well with what is currently allowed for glulam. For large constructions,
glulam proved to offer great economic advantages over those made of reinforced
concrete or steel. Otto Hetzer focused on buildings with large spans and glulam
became a natural choice early on for railway buildings and hangars.

Even then, wood was considered to cope better in an aggressive environment

than steel, and because wooden constructions are dry and almost entirely
prefabricated from the factory, assembly was quick. Even before 1910, Otto Hetzer
had built approximately 50 roof structures with relatively large spans.
A few years later, the first of four aircraft hangars was exported to Chile.
From 1908 to 1925, over 20 companies in different countries had acquired the
right to use Otto Hetzer's patent. During the First World War, the company got a
boost, but the transition after the war was much more difficult due to increasing
competition from steel, concrete and other efficient wooden constructions. In 1927
Otto Hetzer Holzpflege- und Holzbearbeitungs AG went bankrupt and
disappeared from the market.

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Glulam history

Nordic glulam
Otto Hetzer's innovation came quite early to Norway. Guttorm Brekke (1885–1980)
from Drammen, had studied at the Institute of Technology in Charlottenburg outside
Berlin. When steel became a scarce commodity at the beginning of the 20th
century, Guttorm Brekke thought of Otto Hetzer and his designs. In the middle of
the First World War, he went to Weimar and after an apprenticeship in the factory,
Guttorm Brekke went home with the right
to the patent. For a substantial sum of NOK 60,000, Guttorm Brekke received
exclusive rights in Norway, Sweden and Finland for the so-called Hetzer-Binder.
Manufacturing began in Norway in Mysen in Östfold and in 1918 A/S
Trekonstruktioner was formed in Kristiania (Oslo). Guttorm Brekke and technical
leader Atle Thune built up the knowledge by visiting Germany to learn the
manufacture and secret recipe of the glue. Co-owner Erik B Aaby, who since
1917 owned Ryholm's property by Lake Viken and the Göta canal outside Töreboda
The front of the Swedish patent for Hetzer-Binder. in Sweden, served as managing director and managing director.

Factory in Sweden
When A/S Trekonstruktioner established a subsidiary in Sweden in 1919, it was
natural to choose Töreboda as the place of establishment. Raw wood from
Ryholm could be transported by boat to Töreboda and finished products by the
railway that runs through Töreboda to Stockholm and Gothenburg. The raw material
for the glue was also available from local dairies. In Sweden, the company was
named AB Träkonstruktioner and the shareholders, in addition to Guttorm Brekke
and Erik B Aaby, included the wholesaler Søren Christian Monrad. Søren
Christian Monrad acquired a large part of the shares with the hope of later
being able to sell some to local stakeholders. Some entered with small
amounts, but Søren Christian Monrad remained as a major shareholder in AB
Träkonstruktioner. The company made large investments.

The Norwegian company would have NOK 100,000 for the patent and know-how
and the Swedish company was obliged to use Otto Hetzer's name, for example
as "Hetzer-Binder", "Hetzertakstol" etcetera, in the marketing. A factory building
with Otto Hetzer's three-jointed arches was erected, which became the first glulam
hall in Sweden. In 1920, glulam constructions were delivered, among other things,
to a cinema in Töreboda and in 1921 to a footbridge over the railway in Älvängen
outside Gothenburg.
However, the volume was too small and the company had to complete production
with the manufacture of wooden houses.

Need for track halls

The following years became a struggle to get the company AB Träkonstruktioner to
survive. As on the continent, it was the expansion of the railways, which required
supporting structures for large spans, that became the area where glulam made
its breakthrough. Ola Grundt became the new manager in 1922 and in the same
year David Tenning (1888–1956) was hired as an engineer. After long negotiations
with Statens Järnvägar, SJ, the company was allowed to supply material for the
new track halls for Malmö Central Station.
Malmö Central Station had originally been inaugurated in 1856 at the same time
by rail to Lund. Subsequently, the station was expanded and changed in
several stages. The runway that is still in use today was designed by architect
Folke Zettervall (1862–1955). Malmö Central Station is a terminus with a hall over
the platforms. In 1923, SJ ordered glulam for this hall and construction began in the
same year. One third of the contract sum was withheld during the warranty period,
which was two years, which

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Glulam history

Malmö Central Station. Track built in 1923. One of the first large deliveries of glulam in Sweden. The track hall is still in use today.

had consequences for the company's finances. The roof is still supported
today by the elegant glulam arches, and in 1986 the facility was declared a
building monument. During 1923, building frames were delivered to Malmö
Central Station and also frames to several attention-grabbing halls.

Despite relatively good order intake, the economy was strained. The liquid
was, like in Malmö, usually divided and final payment came late. Profitability
was also poor for the company's wooden house manufacturing. Added to
this were concerns on the labor market. The liquidity finally became too weak
and in 1924 the company went bankrupt.

AB Cantilever Träkonstruktioner
In 1925, a new company was formed, AB Fribärande Träkonstruktioner, for
which David Tenning became manager. Most of the shares were bought by
former workers and officials. The factory with machines, fixtures and more
was acquired for SEK 30,000. Deliveries for the planned rebuilding of
Stockholm's Central Station were put into perspective, but since the
company's share capital was only SEK 30,000, the Railway Board demanded
special guarantees before the small company could be given the project. Detail of hub at Malmö Central Station.
The station house in Stockholm was originally designed by Adolf W Meeting between glulam arches and steel tension straps.

Edelsvärd (1824–1919) and built in 1867–71. Then the trains drove into
the station building in a track hall with five tracks. During the reconstruction,
the track area was moved to the west and the track hall was rebuilt into a
waiting hall, 119 m long, 28 m wide and 13 m high. The glued frames
have an elliptical shape and an I-shaped cross-section. At fixed distances,
there are life bracings fitted with steel straps. Perhaps it is a sign that they
did not fully trust the permanence of the glue.

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Glulam history

Reliable material
For the load-bearing structures in Malmö Central Station and

Stockholm Central Station was used in the production of casein glue,

constructions that still fulfill their function today. During the 1930s, glue based
on phenolic resin began to be used abroad, and in 1942 AB Fribärande
Träkonstruktioner also began using such glue. It is an excellent adhesive for
constructions exposed to climatic
impact but has the disadvantage that it produces dark joints. The same applies to
the phenol-resorcinol glue that has been used in recent years.
Nowadays, glue types based on melamine are mainly used, which place special
demands on the hardening and which have better environmental properties.

In other countries outside the Nordics, for example Germany, polyurethane glue
is often used. The waiting hall at Stockholm Central Station was a great success
and a valuable reference object for the glulam manufacturer.
New track halls with glulam constructions were built in Gothenburg and
Sundsvall, and glulam was now an established frame material. It became
also a material that became interesting for architects, among them Gunnar
Asplund (1885–1940) and Sigurd Lewerentz (1885–1975).
Lookout bridge made of glulam in Stegastein, at Aurlandsvegen, Norway.

Increasing market for glulam

The engineer David Tenning led AB Fribärande Träkonstruktioner until the turn
of the year 1955/56. He was then succeeded by his son Kurt Tenning (1920–2008),
who for many years managed the glulam factory in a successful manner. During
the 1940s, among other things, the glulam construction was built, which at the
time had the largest free span in the world, 66 m. The glulam factory in
Töreboda, which is still in operation, is probably the world's oldest glulam
factory. The company has changed owners in recent years and is now part of
the Norwegian Moelven Group - Moelven Töreboda AB.
After the Second World War, a few more glulam manufacturers were
established in Sweden. Of these, there are now three left, Martinson Group AB,
Setra Trävaror AB and Glulam of Sweden AB. The largest of them, Martinson
Group AB, developed from a sawmill company that in 1965 started glulam
production in Bygdsiljum. In 1970, a specialized factory was built and the company
exports a large part of the glulam production. Setra Trävaror AB also started
glulam manufacturing in 1965 in Långshyttan. The company specializes in
manufacturing straight glulam beams and glulam columns. Setra Trävaror AB
also exports a large part of its production of glulam. Another glulam manufacturer
is in Ljungaverk, Glulam of Sweden AB, which manufactures straight
glulam beams, glulam columns, joist elements and glulam logs. The Swedish
glulam manufacturers are organized in Svenskt Trä's Glulam Committee.

Where did Guttorm Brekke's Norwegian company go? After the First World
War, the glulam factory had so little to do that it was closed. When it later burned,
Guttorm Brekke decided not to rebuild it.
The factory in Moelv, which now manufactures glulam in Norway, has its origins in
an old industrial company, founded in 1899. At the end of the 1950s, the
Glulam is mainly made from spruce.
management realized business opportunities for the product glulam and
production started in 1960. Through acquisitions, Moelven has become one of
Scandinavia's largest wood companies.

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Glulam history

Moelven Industrier AS received a lot of attention for the constructions for the
sports halls in Lillehammer and Hamar that were built for the Winter Olympics in
1994. In the advanced trusses, the forces are transferred in knots
the points with slotted steel plates and steel dowels. The origin of it was a
system developed by the Swiss Hermann Blumer (1943–), called BSB, Blumer-
System-Binder. Moelven used roughly the same idea but developed its own
more artisanal variant.
There are also good Swedish and Finnish examples of advanced glulam
constructions, for example the Swedish Pavilion at the World Expo in Shanghai,
China, and the Sibelius Hall in Lahti, Finland.

Advanced architecture
This power transmission system with dowel joints has raised glulam constructions The Swedish pavilion at the world exhibition
to a new level. In computerized manufacturing, the processing of both bars and Expo 2010 in Shanghai, China.
plates can be automated. Being able to combine wooden elements into flat or
three-dimensional wooden trusses in this simple way has given architects and
designers new freedom which, especially in Central Europe, has been used in
very advanced constructions. Examples include the anthroposophists' building
in Maulbronn and the bathhouses in Bad Dürrheim and Sindelfingen in
Germany. Even in the Nordic countries there are examples of advanced
glulam architecture.
Despite the fact that the Nordic countries are "timber countries", we are far
from the largest in the world in terms of glulam production. In Austria, almost ten
times as much glulam is produced per capita as in Sweden. Almost as much
glulam is produced in Germany as in Austria.
In the United States, the first glulam hall was built in 1936 by Unit Structures
Inc. in Pesthito, Wisconsin. In North America, with its strong wood tradition,
is glulam an established frame material and there is also the large scale
structure in Tacoma, Washington, with a span of over 160 m, making it one of
the world's largest wooden structures.
Glulam has, along with steel and concrete, become one of the three major
building materials for load-bearing structures, not least for large spans. Newer Sibelius Hall, Lahti, Finland.
closely related products, for example solid wood, i.e. for example sheets of
cross-laminated timber (CLT or in Swedish cross-glued wood, KL-trä),
veneer wood (in English Laminated Veneer Lumber, LVL) and Parallam can, in
combination with glulam, lift the architecture to a new level. Internationally
speaking, these further processed wood products often go by the name
Engineered Wood Products, EWP.

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Glulam and the environment

Facts about glulam

Glulam is a processed wood product intended primarily for load-bearing constructions.
In addition to the fact that glulam, in relation to its weight, is one of the strongest construction
materials, it has good environmental properties and is often used as an aesthetic means
of expression - therefore glulam is often used in visible load-bearing structures and as an
environmentally friendly construction material. Glulam can also be advantageously used
for non-load-bearing con-
instructions, furniture and furnishings.
There are many examples of hall buildings and public buildings
built of glulam. In recent years, many multi-storey buildings have been built where glulam
is part of the frame. Another important area is wooden bridge constructions.

Glulam and the environment

Glulam is a natural material. It is manufactured industrially from wooden slats
Bath house with glulam frame, England.
which are glued together under controlled forms. That which
extracted from nature must be able to be sustainably used, re-used, recycled or finally
disposed of with the least possible use of resources and without damaging nature. Glulam
does not adversely affect the environment during its life cycle and it can be easily reused,
recycled or utilized for energy recovery.

Glulam contributes to a long-term sustainable environment by binding over 700 kg of

carbon dioxide, CO2, per cubic meter.

Glulam in the cycle

Glulam manufacturing is a resource-efficient process. The raw materials are usually
domestic spruce wood from sustainably managed forests and a synthetic glue. The
proportion of glue is negligible, less than 1% by weight. Each individual glulam
product must, on delivery, have a moisture content that at most corresponds to the
reference moisture content of 16%, which can be said to correspond to the target
moisture content of 16%.
The drying process mainly uses by-products such as
fuel, i.e. biomass. In this way, the use of electricity can be minimized.

Since glulam is considered a refined wood product and often "tailor-

Snedstagbro for pedestrian and bicycle traffic, Skellefteå.
sys" for the client, it does not give rise to any significant spillage on the construction
site. The protective film packaging consists of recyclable material. During the service life,
glulam has no significant negative environmental factors. The glue emits a very small
amount of environmentally harmful substances.
The manufacturers must verify emission of formaldehyde in the European classes E1 or
E2 through testing according to SS-EN 14080. It is possible to surface treat and maintain
glulam using traditional methods. Repairability is high and parts of a glulam beam or
glulam column can be replaced if necessary. Glulam can, if necessary, be processed
afterwards in various ways, for example by cleaning or sanding the surface.

To a certain extent and after construction calculations, occasional smaller holes and
recesses can be made. Glulam products can be reused with knowledge of the constructive
conditions. The person in charge of inspection or a corresponding expert must then
check the glulam and assess the conditions for re-use in the individual case.

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Glulam and the environment

Solar energy

Photosynthesis

O2

CO2

Raw material

Sustainable forestry

Production of
slats
Recycling, for example energy
recovery

Chips, shavings and

Construction pellets for energy extraction
Reuse

Drying

Packaging

Strength sorting
Planing of
glulam product

Shavings for energy extraction

Finger jointing

Bonding under pressure

Planing slats

Shavings for energy extraction

Application of glue

Figure 1 Glulam is part of the carbon cycle

Schematic view of glulam production.
The production is a resource-saving and climate-neutral process.

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Certification and control

Facts Strength classes Glulam is, like other wood, combustible and it can break down biologically,
but with the right structural design, glulam has a long shelf life.
Certified glulam is manufactured according to the harmonized standard
SS-EN 14080 in different strength classes. The manufacturing standard
The energy content of glulam is the same as that of solid softwood.
in Sweden for glulam is the strength class GL30, where the letters GL
stand for Glued Laminated Timber (Glulam) while the number 30 In the development of glulam products, cycle thinking is an important starting
stands for characteristic bending strength, expressed in N/mm2. point. This applies throughout the entire life cycle of glulam products – from
Depending on the structure of the slats, a distinction is made the selection of raw materials to reuse or recycling. As transport is a
between GL30h and GL30c, where the letter h stands for
significant energy guzzler, glulam manufacturers work actively to minimize long,
homogeneous, homogeneous glulam, and the letter c for combined,
energy-consuming transport. The glulam manufacturers have detailed
combined glulam. In addition, the strength class designation may contain
the letter s, where the letter s stands for split, which means that it is split- building product declarations, BVD, which report the environmental characteristics
sawn glulam. Glulam narrower than 90 mm is produced by split sawing of the manufacture and the glulam products.
wider glulam. According to the standard, the glulam is then
downgraded from 30 to 28 N/mm2, which is why split-sawn glulam
gets strength class GL28. See under section Durability, page 18.
Certification and control
Construction elements made of glulam are manufactured industrially under control

clay shapes. Using finger splicing technology, very large lengths can be produced.
The principle of glulam manufacturing is simple – slats of wood are stacked
and glued against each other to form large structural elements. Size and
length are limited primarily by transport options and secondarily by the glulam
manufacturer's premises and equipment.

In Sweden, there have long been four established glulam manufacturers. One
The CE accredited control body handles certification, control and testing of glulam
mark is used in products. Thanks to the good experiences with glulam, its use in Sweden is
various product areas. steadily increasing.

CE marking
CE marking is a product marking within the EU. A product that is CE marked
may be sold within the EEA* area without any additional documentation. If a
01234
product is CE marked, this shows that the manufacturer has followed the
basic requirements found in the EC** directives that regulate this. The
Svenskt Trä AB, Box 1, 123 45 Skogslandet

05
prerequisite for mandatory CE marking is that there is a harmonized standard.
01234-CPD-00234

Swedish glulam is manufactured according to the requirements of the

SS-EN 14080
harmonized standard SS-EN 14080. To show that the glulam products meet the
requirements of SS-EN 14080, they must be CE-marked and accompanied
Glue laminated timber, Strength Class GL30c

Adhesive Type I according to EN 301

by a performance declaration. The standard states which documents are
Spruce: Picea abies
required for verification.
Formaldehyde class: Class E1
Elements, regardless of the number of slats, are manufactured in Sweden
Reaction to fire: Class D s2, d0 in strength class GL30c or GL30h, while split-sawn glulam beams are given
Durability Class: 4
strength class GL28cs or GL28hs. The letter c stands for combined glulam, h for
homogeneous glulam and s for split glulam.

Example of CE marking of
glulam products according to SS-EN 14080.
Manufacturing control
Glulam manufacturing requires great accuracy, including milling the finger joints,
the preparation and application of the glue, press pressure and press time.
To ensure a uniform and high quality of the glulam elements, self-inspection
takes place on an ongoing basis, which means that samples are taken out
* EEA = European Economic Area regularly for examination of strength and durability. The accredited inspection
body monitors the self-inspection and makes unannounced inspection
** EC = European Community.
EC was replaced in 2009 by EU = European Union. visits to the glulam manufacturers.
From the year 2009, directives are called EU directives. The glulam manufacturers are under constant control by the accredited control
body.

14 Glulam Handbook – Part 1

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Characteristics

Glulam is produced industrially under controlled conditions. The photo shows post-processing of glulam beams.

Characteristics Last Last

Glulam is primarily a construction material, where strength, stiffness and

durability are usually the most important properties.
Glulam products therefore generally do not have the same wood quality and
surface finish as interior carpentry and furniture. In most contexts,
however, the standard products made of glulam should meet normal
appearance requirements. The standard for appearance quality is Clean planed,
unrepaired surfaces, see under the section Appearance quality, page 22.

Work
Figure 2 The lamellation effect
The type of wood used in glulam production in Sweden is mainly spruce With glulam, the impact of timber defects is evened out. There is very
(Picea abies), but pine (Pinus silvestris) is also used. little risk that defects, for example larger twigs in several slats, will end

In terms of appearance, you cannot distinguish between heartwood and sapwood up in the same cut. For a single plank, a single twig can significantly reduce
the strength.
at fir. As with pine, the wood of spruce wood is characterized by annual rings with
light spring wood and darker summer wood, but spruce wood is generally slightly
fk1 - fk2 fm1 - fm2
more whitish than pine wood. n

The twigs in fir wood are relatively small and not surrounded by resin streaks
as in pine. The strength grading does indeed mean that the size of the twigs in the GL30c

wood is limited, but glulam is far from being twig-free. Even wood with high strength
can contain fairly large twigs.
C30
Spruce wood often has small pearl twigs, which pine does not. Pine usually
has oval branches.
Glulam can, if desired, also be produced with slats of pine or impregnated
pine. Larch also occurs. In terms of appearance, pine is slightly darker than
spruce. The pine core is markedly different from the sapwood by its dark
reddish-brown colour. Impregnated pine is usually light green in color when fk2 fk1 fm2 fm1 f

delivered. This green color, like the natural color of glulam, is not permanent.
Figure 3 Construction elements made of glulam have higher average
Regarding the use of glulam with slats of impregnated wood, see page 76. strength and less spread in strength than corresponding elements of
construction wood. fk1 - fk2 = difference in characteristic

Like other wood, untreated glulam should not be exposed outside to the elements strength value.
fm1 - fm2 = difference in the mean value of the strength. =
as it will turn gray or grey-brown over time. It is the lignin (wood's natural "glue")
n number of samples.
that breaks down on the surface. f = strength.

The figure refers to glulam with a large number of slats.

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Characteristics

Limfogar
In the production of glulam, glues are used that have documented high strength and
durability under long-term load and only those with which one has long practical
experience. The formal requirements are stated in the standard SS-EN 14080 and in
the sub-standard SS-EN 301, which classifies two adhesive types, Glue Type I
and Glue Type II. As an alternative to the requirements in SS-EN 301, the
requirements for one-component polyurethane adhesives in SS-EN 15425 must be
met. Glulam made with glue according to Glue Type I can be used regardless of the
surrounding climate (climate class 1 - 3 according to Eurocode 5), while the use of glue
according to Glue Type II is limited to constructions that are protected from the
elements (climate class 1 and 2 according to Eurocode 5). However, for reasons of
durability, glulam must be protected against prolonged exposure to moisture, precipitation,
dirt and solar radiation.
A list of approved adhesives is issued by the accredited control body in each
country. Nowadays, for environmental reasons, almost exclusively melamine-urea-
formaldehyde glue is used, colloquially known as melamine glue or MUF glue, which
belongs to Glue Type I.
Melamine-glued joints are initially light, but can take on a slightly darker shade over time.

Glulam frames, Fröåkra cow stables, Lyrestad.

For finger jointing the slats are used almost exclusively
the bright melamine glue. Finger joints therefore appear only as thin lines on the
Fingerskarv surfaces of the elements.
The labeling of the glulam element must show which type of glue has been used
during manufacture (Glue Type I or Glue Type II according to SS-EN 301).
Previously, as a rule, synthetic two-component adhesives of the type were used
phenol-resorcinol-formaldehyde, colloquially known as PRF glue, in glue-wood
manufacturing. PRF glue is classified as Glue Type I and produces dark red-brown glue
joints. Gluing with PRF glue now only occurs when exporting to certain countries.

There is continuous development of construction adhesives with the aim of producing

better and even more environmentally friendly adhesives.

Surface treatment
In connection with the manufacture, surface treatment of the glulam elements takes place,
see under section Appearance quality, page 22.
Glulam products can then be surface-treated on site like normal wood
by lasering, cover painting, clear lacquering or oil treatment, see further under
section Surface treatment, page 69.
Figure 4 Glulam beam

Dimensions and shape

The glulam technique offers great opportunities to vary the cross-sectional shape and
geometry of the structural elements. The limits are set by practical circumstances such
as transport possibilities, the manufacturer's premises and machinery.

A straight glulam element with a rectangular cross-section has, like sawn and planed
timber, thickness, width and length. In practice, a glulam element is denoted by the
measurement units b, h and L.
In an application, for example when a glulam element is used as a beam, the
measurement units will thus be b for the beam width and h for the beam height and L
for the length. If a glulam element is intended as a column, the units of measurement
will be b for the width of the column, h for the depth of the column, and L for the height
(length) of the column.

Figure 5 The various forms of glulam

Glulam can be produced in many different shapes, such
as straight beams, curved beams, arches, elevated
beams and more.

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Characteristics

The unit of h

measure • Straight glulam elements usually have the unit of measure h as a multiple of
the lamella thickness 45 mm, that is 180, 225, 270, 315 and so on.

h
• For curved glulam elements, the measurement unit h is normally a multiple of the lamella
thickness 33 mm, that is 266, 300, 333, 366 and so on.
For a bending radius of less than 7 m, thinner slats are required.

Cross-sectional shape

Rectangular cross-sections are the norm for glulam, but products with other cross-section b

shapes are possible to manufacture, for example I-, T- and L-sections or hole cross-sections
with a rectangular cross-section, composed of several glulam elements, see Figure 8 . Figure 6 Dimension designations glulam
b = Width
h = Height/depth
L = Length
Largest cross-sectional b × h

dimensions Largest unit of measurement b for a glulam element is limited by the availability of
wide laminated timber. Usually, it is difficult to obtain sawn timber wider than 225 mm, but in
some cases it is possible to obtain timber up to 250 mm wide. After planing, this
corresponds to a nominal width of 215 mm and 240 mm respectively. By edge gluing
lamellas or by gluing together several glulam elements laterally in conjunction with staggered
glue joints, glulam elements can be produced that are up to 500 mm wide.

The largest measurement unit h of a glulam element is limited by available machinery to

approximately 2 m. Through various measures, such as gluing the ridge part to a saddle beam
in a later stage, larger dimensions can be achieved. Glulam elements with h up to 3 m can be
manufactured in this way.

x5
th.gaie.m
M
h
4
Greatest length
Glulam elements can normally be delivered in lengths of up to 30 m.
For special purposes, up to 40 m long elements can be delivered.
In practice, the length of the transport options is often limited.
The transport takes place for the most part by road. Glulam elements over 30 m long Permitted length with general permit 24 – 30 m

usually do not cause problems, but may require permission from the road authority. For
Figure 7 Transport of glulam
vehicle lengths greater than 24 m, a special permit is usually required from the road
The maximum permitted length and height of vehicles without a special
authority in the country where the transport takes place. There are common transport rules
permit is common for Europe. The transport regulations may vary in detail
within the EU, but different detailed rules may apply in each country. between different countries.

Special transport is normally required if the load width of 2.6 m or the total height of 4.5
m is exceeded, which may be relevant in connection with frame or arch constructions.

If rail or sea transport is possible, other limits apply. Transport problems can often be solved
by dividing the construction into suitable transport units, which are then joined at the
construction site. It is recommended to investigate the respective glulam manufacturer's
measurement capabilities already at an early stage of the project.

Figure 8 The most common cross-sectional shape for glulam is rectangular. Examples of other cross-sectional shapes are shown here.

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Characteristics

Glulam columns in strength class GL30h

Strength
h The strength of glulam is high in relation to its own weight, which enables construction
h
All slats in
with large free spans. Compared to other construction materials, glulam is one of the
08m
1

strength class T22

strongest, taking into account its own weight.

bÿ90 mm
b For structural timber and other building timber, the strength of an individual plank is
determined by the weakest cut – usually at a large knot, finger joint or warp. The difference

Glulam beam in strength class GL30c in strength between different planks can be significant. Elements made of glulam are, on
average, both stronger and stiffer than ordinary structural timber in the same dimension.
Outer zone ÿ17% of the
This is due to the so-called lamellation effect, which can be briefly explained as follows:
height, lamellae in
strength class T22

A glulam element consists of a number of lamellas of structural wood. The risk of

strength-reducing defects in several lamellae
h Inner zone ÿ66% of
will end up in the same cut is very small. The glulam has also been sorted by strength
height, lamellae i
and in so-called combined glulam, which is normally denoted by the letter c (c = combined,
strength class T15
combined glulam) after the strength class designation, the strongest glulam has been
placed as outer lamellas where the stresses are normally greatest, see figure 2, page 15 .

h Outer zone ÿ17% of the

height, lamellae in
For combined glulam in strength class GL30c, the outer lamellar zones must be at least
strength class T22
17 percent of the cross-section height. Glulam in strength class GL30c consists of
bÿ90 mm
laminated timber in strength class T22 in the outer lamella zones and in strength class T15
b
in the inner lamella zone, see figure 9.

Glulam columns in strength class GL28hs

Homogeneous glulam in strength class GL30 is denoted by the letter
h (h = homogeneous, homogeneous glulam) after the strength class designation. The
h
h
All slats in strength number 30 stands for characteristic bending strength expressed in N/mm2
08m
1

class T22 Glulam in strength class GL30h consists of slats only

.

strength class T22. In addition, the letter s (s=split, split sawn glulam) can be entered in
b<90 mm the strength class designation. Glulam narrower than 90 mm is produced by split
b sawing wider glulam. According to the SS-EN 14080 standard, the glulam is then
downgraded from fm,g,k = 30 to 28 N/mm2 ,

Glulam beam in strength class GL28cs why split sawn glulam gets strength class GL28.
The strength of a glulam element is on average greater than a single lamella of the
Outer zone ÿ17% of the
same dimension and the difference in strength between
height, lamellae in
different glulam elements will be smaller than for individual slats. With maintain-
strength class T22
len safety level, one can therefore generally allow higher stresses for a glulam element than
for the constituent slats when these are loaded individually. Glulam elements thus have a
higher average strength and less spread in the strength properties than the
h Inner zone ÿ66% of
corresponding structural timber elements, see figure 3, page 15.
height, lamellae i
strength class T15
In the static dimensioning of glulam constructions and wooden constructions in
general, one starts from a characteristic strength value (strength value), established
on the basis of fracture testing under laboratory conditions of a large number of test
Outer zone ÿ17% of the
h
specimens.
height, lamellae in With knowledge of the characteristic strength value, the dimensioning value is
strength class T22
determined in the individual case by various so-called partial coefficients and conversion
b<90 mm
factors, see Glued Timber Handbook Part 2.
b

Thermal properties
Figure 9 Strength classes for glulam
Various glulam cross-sections visualizing the different strength Compared to metal, wood has very small temperature movements. This means that
classes GL30h (homogeneous glulam), GL30c (combined glulam), tensions in glulam due to temperature changes rarely cause any major inconveniences.
GL28hs (split-sawn homogeneous glulam) and GL28cs (split-sawn
The thermal conductivity and heat capacity correspond to that of ordinary wood (softwood).
combined glulam).
Glulam in the strength classes GL28hs and GL28cs is produced by split
sawing wider cross-sections. Glulam has, like other wood, relatively good thermal insulation
spirit properties. The thermal conductivity, the so-called ÿ value

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Characteristics

(the lambda value), which is expressed in W/mÿ°C, is comparable to, for example, lightweight Diagram 1 The glulam's moisture ratio in relation to the relative
concrete and it is significantly lower than for concrete and steel. humidity, RH

The thermal conductivity, ÿ-value, of spruce is 0.11 W/mÿ°C perpendicular to the fibers and 0.24
Wood's moisture content (%)
W/mÿ°C parallel to the fibers. In practice, the value 0.13 W/mÿ°C is usually used for glulam.
30

Glulam has a comparatively high specific heat capacity (thermal inertia). It is usually 25
Luleå
stated at around 1,300 J/kg °C – to be compared with, for example, concrete which has around 20
Malmö
880 J/kg °C. Due to the small amount of glulam in a building, however, the possibility of using 15
glulam to compensate for climate variations is limited. 10

5
As a result of the glulam's thermal properties, an untreated glulam surface feels pleasant to
0
the touch.
0 20 40 60 80 100 (% RF)
Dec

Moisture ratio Nov

Oct
The term target moisture content is used for a batch of timber upon delivery from the
manufacturer and is defined according to SS-EN 14298. If, for example, the target Sep RF Luleå
moisture content of 12% has been ordered, the average moisture content of the timber batch Outside
Aug
is allowed to vary between 10.5 and 13.5%. The concept of target moisture ratio is not entirely RF Malmö
Jul
relevant for glulam products. In the manufacture of glulam, it is required that each lamella must Outside
Jun
have a moisture ratio between 6 and 15%. Two slats that should
RF Luleå
finger joints may have a maximum of 5% difference in moisture content. Each individual Maj Indoor

glulam element must have a moisture content on delivery that corresponds at most to the Apr RF Malmö
reference moisture content of 16%, which can be said to correspond to the target moisture content of 16%. Mar Indoor

Reference moisture ratio and surface moisture ratio should be checked in connection with
Feb
receiving inspection, assembly and installation by random sampling using an electric resistance
Jan
moisture ratio meter with insulated hammer electrodes. For further information, see the
0 20 40 60 80 100 (% RF)
document Handling glulam correctly (Svenskt Trä) or Moisture in wood for the construction
industry (SP Trätek). Relative humidity, RH

The term surface moisture ratio is sometimes used when checking wooden surfaces
The upper part shows the relationship between the ambient relative humidity, RH,
during installation and is decisive for whether there is a risk of microbial growth. The value
and humidity ratio. The temperature also affects the relationship, but the influence
indicates whether the surface may have been moistened, for example by precipitation, or is less than 1 percent humidity within the temperature range 0 – 20 °C.
that the wood material has a large moisture ratio gradient.
In connection with assembly, according to AMA Hus, glulam may have a moisture ratio
The lower part shows the monthly average value for RF in the north (Luleå) and south
which at most corresponds to the target moisture ratio of 16%. According to AMA Hus, the (Malmö). The solid curves show RF outdoors and the dashed curves show RF
surface moisture quotient must not exceed 18% during installation, and glulam surfaces to be indoors. The RH curves for indoors must be increased by approximately 18 RH%,

painted on the construction site must have a surface moisture quotient of no more than 16% at the which is the moisture addition for a normal family (cooking, showering, washing,

exhaled air, sweat, etc.).

time of painting, see section Handling glulam correctly, page 78.

Example: What is the RH and average humidity ratio in the month of November
indoors in Malmö?

By following the black arrows, the RH = 32% and the humidity ratio = 7%. (Outdoors,
the corresponding value is RH = 89% and the humidity ratio = 20%). At a RH of around
Figure 10 Measurement of average moisture ratio and surface moisture ratio
32%, the glulam's moisture ratio is around 7%.

Measurement Measurement of surface moisture of the electrode tips Print

of average moisture ratio on glulam - the pins are mantle surface is pressed down
content in a piece of wood placed against the wood surface in the spring wood (lighter).
– the resistance About 15 mm and parallel to the end.
method. into the
glulam lamella. 20-30o

300 mm
300 mm
from the end.
from the end.

The longitudinal direction of the glulam

0.3 of the width of the The bottom of the hammer electrode can be ground down so that
glulam from the correct angle is achieved.
the edge.

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Characteristics

1mm
100
,4
100–2,8 mm Moisture movements

–
Glulam elements are manufactured with a reference moisture ratio of 12%. Each individual
glulam product must, on delivery, have a moisture content that at most corresponds to
the reference moisture content of 16%, which can be said to correspond to the target
moisture content of 16%. Gradually, the moisture ratio in the glulam will adapt to
equilibrium with the relative humidity of the surrounding air and follow its variation over
the year. Normally, the wood's moisture content varies by approx
5% during the year:

• For constructions in heated, non-humidified premises between 7%

100–0,1 mm (winter time) and 12% (summer time).

• For unheated premises or outdoors under cover between 13%
(summer time) and 17% (winter time).
Figure 11 Shrinkage or swelling
Shrinkage of a 100 mm cube of softwood when drying from 20% to
10% moisture content. Moisture movements are greatest tangentially to the Glulam, like other wood, swells when the moisture content increases and shrinks
fibers, least in the direction of the fibers. when the moisture content decreases. In contrast, the tendency is to twist and bend
is less for glulam than for ordinary solid wood, partly because glulam is manufactured
under controlled forms of lamellas with a moisture ratio between 6 and 15%, and partly
In the longitudinal direction, because glulam is made up of lamella-glued wood.
shrinkage or swelling is proportional
small, about 0.3 percent

Moisture ratio in the Moisture ratio about 15 Surface moisture ratio

middle of glulam slats mm into glulam slats

% % %

15 12 8

Tangential Figure 14 Moisture ratio gradient in glulam

shrinkage or Example: Variation of the moisture content in glulam. The moisture content in glulam slats during manufacture
swelling about 8 percent may be less than or equal to 15%. A smaller moisture ratio gradient may occur in a finished glulam product.
During a receiving inspection of a batch of glulam, the moisture content was measured to be 12% 15 mm into

Radial shrinkage or
the glulam (outer slats). The surface moisture ratio was measured to be 8% as an average value.

swelling about 4 percent The glulam can thus be part of an ordered lot of glulam with a target moisture ratio of 16%.

Figure 12 Shrinkage or swelling in conifer logs

Shrinkage or swelling in a piece of wood is different depending on how the
annual rings are placed in the piece of wood. A piece of wood with the
annual rings perpendicular to the plane side, so-called standing annual
rings, gets the least shape changes.

Standing annual rings

Figure 13 The orientation of the annual rings in a piece of wood

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Characteristics

Fire properties
Glulam constructions have relatively good protective properties in connection
with a fire due to their large homogeneous cross-sections. Fire stability increases
with increased dimension.
Glulam is a combustible material but due to the often large and
homogeneous cross-sections relatively fire-stable during the initial stage of a
fire. The ignition is sluggish and it burns slowly.

The heat development during a fire is often decisive for whether the fire will
develop or subside. The carbon layer that forms on the glulam surface in the
event of a fire protects the internal parts and contributes to the glulam maintaining
its load-bearing capacity during the further progress of the fire.
The penetration rate in glulam is usually about 0.5 – 1.0 mm per minute
(about 40 mm per hour). Additional fire protection can be achieved with surface Example of glulam frame for a car workshop.

treatment or cladding, see further under section Planning with regard

to fire, page 62 and Glulam Handbook Part 2.

Durability properties
Glulam is, like wood, an organic product which, when used correctly, has good
resistance to degradation by microorganisms. Spruce also has good resistance
to discolouring fungi. If the material is used or handled incorrectly, it can, under
unfavorable conditions, be attacked by microorganisms.

Micro-organisms can be discolouring (mould or blueing fungi) or wood-

destroying (rot fungi). Insects that can attack wood are, for example, house
beetles. The presence of house bucks is geographically limited (in Sweden it
occurs mainly in the south-eastern parts of the country) and it is mainly found in
Footbridge made of impregnated wood and impregnated glued
attic spaces.
wood at Hästepallarna, Uddevalla.
At the same time as the influence of microorganisms can cause damage, it is
an advantage that wood is part of the natural cycle. During the intended useful
life of a building, it must be ensured that the wood is protected against attack by
microorganisms - especially wood that is load-bearing and that is part of safety
devices (for example stairs and railings) or that is difficult to replace.

The best way to protect the wood is to design the wooden structures
in such a way that rot cannot occur. Constructive wood protection focuses
on keeping the wood dry or allowing rapid drying out after moistening. Dry wood
or temporarily moistened wood cannot be attacked by rot. Only long-term damp
wood can rot.
In particularly exposed situations, impregnated wood and impregnated can
glulam be justified for durability reasons, see further under section Wood
protection, page 76 or Glulam handbook Part 2.

Footbridge Nordens Ark, Hunnebostrand.

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Glulam products

Glulam products
Glulam products are manufactured as straight or curved elements. The most common
cross-sectional shape is rectangular, but other cross-sectional shapes can be
manufactured.
Straight elements with a rectangular cross-section are standardized with respect
to dimensions and appearance quality. Table 1, page 23, shows material properties for
CE-marked glulam. Regarding appearance quality, see below.
The inventory range for glulam products is adapted to that of the wood industry
joint reference register VilmaBas, www.vilmabas.se for quality-declared wood
and glulam products, see page 24, Stock assortment for glulam columns
and glulam beams manufactured in Sweden.

Appearance quality
The glulam products are given some form of surface treatment by the glulam
manufacturer. Depending on the area of use and appearance requirements, glulam
can be delivered in the following appearance classes:

Planed, prepared surfaces (not in stock)

Planed, prepared surfaces The sides must be processed with a planer or similar. Surfaces that become
(not in stock) visible after assembly must be prepared so that they are virtually free of major
cracks, knot holes, rashes and glue stains. Smaller resin runs, smaller twig holes,
smaller rashes and smaller glue stains can occur, but to a limited extent. Visible edges
must be chamfered.
Clean planed, repaired surfaces are recommended for visible use in case of extra
high demands on appearance, for example housing, schools etc.

Clean planed, unprepared surfaces (stock range)

Clean planed, unprepared The sides must be processed with a planer or similar. Smaller resin runs, smaller twig
surfaces (stock range) holes, smaller rashes and smaller glue spots may occur, but to a limited extent.
Visible edges must be chamfered.
Clean planed, untreated surfaces are standard for the stock range in Sweden.
Clean planed, unrepaired surfaces are recommended for visible use where extra
high demands are not placed on the appearance, for example ceiling beams in sports
halls, business premises and the like.

Planed surfaces (not in stock)

The sides must be processed with a planer or similar. Individual lamellas may,
Planed
however, be partially unprocessed. Minor glue stains may occur.
surfaces (not in stock)
For elements placed more than 4 m away from the viewer, Planed surfaces may be a
sufficient appearance class.
Planed surfaces are recommended for visible use where reasonable demands
are placed on the appearance, for example ceiling beams in sports halls, business
premises or where function and bearing capacity are given great importance, but
where you still want to use glulam as an environmentally friendly element, for
example in industrial premises.

Adjusted Adjusted surfaces (not in stock)

surfaces (not in stock)
The sides may be predominantly unplaned. For narrower units than 90 mm (nominal
dimension), one side may be sawn. Glue stains may appear on all sides and slats with
uneven edges may occur.
Adjusted surfaces are recommended for installation or for visible use
with low demands on the appearance, for example in warehouses.
Figure 15 Appearance quality
Glulam can be delivered in appearance classes as above.

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Glulam products

Stock range
Straight glulam elements with a rectangular cross-section and with appearance quality
Clean planed, untreated surfaces are normally kept in stock in lengths up to 12 m and with h
cross-sectional dimensions, according to section Stock range for glulam columns and glulam
beams manufactured in Sweden, page 24. Glulam with b ÿ 90 mm and h < 180 mm
(up to three lamellas) has strength class GL30h (h = homogeneous, homogeneous glulam),
while glulam with b ÿ 90 mm and h ÿ 180 mm (four lamellas or more) has strength class GL30c
(c = combined , combined glulam).
b

Elements with b < 90 mm and h ÿ 180 mm (four slats or more),

so-called split sawn glulam beam, has strength class GL28cs (cs = combined split, Figure 16 Cross-sectional dimensions
Cross-sectional dimensions b × h for layer products made of glulam. Lengths up
combined split sawn glulam). However, the width is at least 38 mm and the height/width ratio
to 12 m are normally in stock.
must not exceed 8/1 according to SS-EN 14080. Other cross-section dimensions, strength
classes, appearance qualities or longer lengths are manufactured to order. Please note that the dimensions given are nominal dimensions in mm. The
dimensions apply at a moisture content corresponding to the reference moisture
content of 12% and for glulam with appearance class Clean planed, unprepared surfaces.
Bonding class is usually Bond Type I, which means that layer products can be used
regardless of the surrounding climate, although not completely unprotected against precipitation
Facts Split sawn glulam beam
and strong solar radiation.

Note that glulam elements with the measurement unit b less than 90

Dimensional tolerances mm (nominal dimension) are usually split sawn from thicker glulam
elements. The saw cut can thereby go through open or glue-filled cracks,
Tolerances for straight elements of glulam according to SS-EN 14080 are given in table 2 which can lead to chipping and give visible glue spots on the split side.
below. The tolerance requirements apply in relation to the nominal measurement (reference This applies to all appearance qualities. In the case of particularly high

measurement) at a moisture content corresponding to the reference moisture content of 12%. appearance requirements, you should therefore avoid split-sawn glulam
beams, i.e. glulam elements with the measurement unit b less than 90 mm, and
If the current moisture content in glulam differs from the reference moisture content, the
choose the appearance class Clean planed, repaired surfaces.
dimensions must be recalculated according to SS-EN 14080.

Table 1 Material properties for glulam according to SS-EN 14080 Table 2 Dimensional tolerances for glulam according to SS-EN 14080

Strength values in MPa GL28cs GL28hs GL30c GL30h Dimensional tolerances for glulam

Bending parallel to the fibers fm,g,k 28,0 28,0 30,0 30,0 Unit of measurement b ± 2 mm

Pulling parallel to the fibers ft,0,g,k 19,5 22,4 19,5 24,0 Unit of measure h ÿ 400 mm + 4 mm till – 2 mm
> 400 mm +1% to - 0.5%
Pulling perpendicular to the fibers ft,90,g,k 0,5 0,5 0,5 0,5
Length L ÿ 2,0 m ± 2 mm
Press the fibers parallel fc,0,g,k 24,0 28,0 24,5 30,0
> 2,0 ÿ 20 m ± 0,1 %
Press perpendicular to the fibers fc,90,g,k 2,5 2,5 2,5 2,5 > 20 m ± 20 mm

Longitudinal shear fv,g,k 3,5 3,5 3,5 3,5 Angles Cross-section angles may deviate by no more

1,2 1,2 1,2 1,2 than 1:50 (approx. 1°) from a right angle.
Rolling shear fr,g,k

GL28cs GL28hs GL30c GL30h Rakhet From two arbitrarily chosen points 2 m
Stiffness values in MPa
(for straight elements) apart, on any of the edges of the glulam
Modulus of elasticity E0,g,mean 12 500 13 100 13 000 13 600 element, the deviation may not exceed 4
parallel to the fibers
mm. Elevated beams are exempt.
Modulus of elasticity, E0,g,05 10 400 10 500 10 800 11 300
characteristic
Biggest deviation ± 4mm (ÿ 6 slats)
Modulus of elasticity E90,g,mean 300 300 300 300 from nominal ± 2 mm (> 6 lamellae)
perpendicular to the fibers
arc shape

Skewmodule Gg,mean 650 650 650 650 (over 1 m along the

curved shape)
Density in kg/m3 GL28cs GL28hs GL30c GL30h

Density, characteristic ÿg,k 390 430 390 430

Table 3 Strength classes for glulam
Density ÿg,mean 430 480 430 480
Glulam elements Strength class

CE-marked glulam is manufactured in Sweden in strength class GL30c or GL30h according to table 3. b ÿ 90 h < 180 (up to three slats) GL30h
Split-sawn glulam beams are downgraded to strength class GL28cs or GL28hs.
b ÿ 90 h ÿ 180 (four slats or more) GL30c
Characteristic values for calculating load-bearing capacity, stiffness and density as well as average
values for stiffness and density are shown in the above table 1. b < 90 h < 180 (up to three slats) GL28hs

Source: Properties and numerical values according to SS-EN 14080:2013 table 4 and table 5. b < 90 h ÿ 180 (four slats or more) GL28cs

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Glulam products

Facts Stock range Straight glulam elements

In order to enable rational production and thereby minimize delivery times, the The most common types of glulam elements are straight units. They are normally
Swedish glulam manufacturers have agreed on a manufacturing standard
made from 45 mm thick wooden slats and are used for floor beams, roof beams
based on SS-EN 14080 regarding strength and gluing class. The
and columns. Straight glulam elements are often included as components in
manufacturing standard includes stock range according to table 4,
page 25. various construction systems, see further under section Construction systems,
page 38.
• Straight glulam elements with b ÿ 90 mm and h < 180 mm For larger spans, there may be a need to raise freely laid beams to counteract
(up to three lamellae) and glue type are manufactured as standard in
large deflection. Such beams can be manufactured to order.
strength class GL30h.
• Straight glulam elements with b ÿ 90 mm and h ÿ 180 mm
(four lamellae or more) and glue type are manufactured as standard in
The manufacturing range includes a large number of dimensions in
strength class GL30c. addition to the stock range, see table 4 Manufacturing range for glulam columns
• Split-sawn glulam with b < 90 mm and h ÿ 180 mm (four slats or and glulam beams manufactured in Sweden, in current strength classes, page 25.
more) is manufactured as standard in strength class GL28cs.

Stock assortment for glulam columns and glulam beams manufactured in Sweden

Glulam columns Glulam beam

Stock assortment for glulam, manufactured according to SS-EN 14080. Stock assortment for glulam, manufactured according to SS-EN 14080.
Clean planed, unrepaired surfaces. Clean planed, unrepaired surfaces.
Four chamfered corners. Four chamfered corners.
Untreated. Untreated.

Limtyp . Limtyp .
Dimensions and strength class according to the table below. Dimensions and strength classes according to the tables below.

b h

Strength class Strength class Strength class

GL30h GL28cs GL30c
b ×h b ×h b ×h

90 x 90 42 x 180 90 × 180 115 × 180 140 × 225

225 225 225 270
115 x 115 270 270 270 315
315 315 360
140 x 135 56 x 225 360 360 405
140 270 405 405
450 450
160 x 160 495
66 x 270
630
315
165 x 165

The above dimensions are normally in stock at the glulam manufacturer. Lengths up to 12 m. More dimensions than those specified here may be stocked by the glulam manufacturer. Other
lengths and cross-sections are manufactured to order (for straight elements, h = n × 45 mm). Glulam beams can of course also be used as columns. See also table 4 Manufacturing range
for glulam columns and glulam beams manufactured in Sweden, in current strength classes, page 25.

The stock range corresponds to the industry-wide range list with dimensions, qualities and designations available at www.vilmabas.se.

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Glulam products

Table 4 Manufacturing range for glulam columns and glulam beams manufactured in Sweden, in current strength classes

Width b (mm) 42 56 66 78 90 115 140 160 165 190 215

Height h (mm)

90 GL28hs GL28hs GL28hs GL28hs GL30h GL30h GL30h GL30h GL30h GL30h

115 GL30h GL30h GL30h GL30h GL30h

135 GL28hs GL28hs GL28hs GL28hs GL30h GL30h GL30h GL30h GL30h GL30h

140 GL30h

160 GL30h

165 GL30h

180 GL28cs GL28cs GL28cs GL28cs GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

225 GL28cs GL28cs GL28cs GL28cs GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

270 GL28cs GL28cs GL28cs GL28cs GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

315 GL28cs GL28cs GL28cs GL28cs GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

360 GL28cs* GL28cs GL28cs GL28cs GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

405 GL28cs* GL28cs GL28cs GL28cs GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

450 GL28cs GL28cs GL28cs GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

495 GL28cs* GL28cs GL28cs GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

540 GL28cs* GL28cs* GL28cs GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

585 GL28cs* GL28cs GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

630 GL28cs* GL28cs* GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

675 GL28cs* GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

720 GL28cs* GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

765 GL28cs* GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

810 GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

855 GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

900 GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

945 GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

990 GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

1 035 GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

1 080 GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

1 125 GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

1 170 GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

1 215 GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

1 260 GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

1 305 GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

1 350 GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

1 395 GL30c GL30c GL30c GL30c

1 440 GL30c GL30c GL30c

1 485 GL30c GL30c GL30c

1 530 GL30c GL30c GL30c

1 575 GL30c GL30c GL30c

1 620 GL30c GL30c GL30c

Bold style = Stock assortment for glulam columns and glulam beams manufactured in Sweden.

* Split-sawn glulam in strength classes GL28cs and GL28hs must have a height/width ratio h/b ÿ 8/1.
If a split-sawn glulam beam with a height/width ratio h/b > 8 copes in terms of strength, however, the height of the glulam beam may be increased
with the width maintained if desired (however, for practical reasons, a maximum height/width ratio of h/b = 10 is recommended).

Explanation:
h = homogeneous, homogeneous glulam, c
= combined, combined glulam, s = split,
split sawn glulam.

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Glulam products

Example: Use of glulam columns and glulam beams in detached houses

Roof beam, longitudinal in ridge, two supports of columns.

Roof beams, transverse, two supports. Floor beams one compartment, two supports.

Roof beams, two longitudinal, two supported by columns. Transition beam over door or window opening in outer wall.
Roof beams, transverse, two supports.

Roof beam, longitudinal in ridge, three supports of columns. Balcony – roof beams, floor beams, supporting lines and columns.
Roof beams, transverse, two supports.

Roof trusses in 1 ½ storey houses – upper frames and lower frame. Beam over opening in heart wall.

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Glulam products

Example: Use of glulam in larger buildings - span areas

Straight beam on column 10 – 30 m. Curved beam on column 10 – 20 m.

Saddle beam on column 10 – 30 m. Boomerang beam on pillar 10 – 20 m.

Drawstring truss on pillars 15 – 50 m. Three-link frame with finger-jointed frame corners 15 – 25 m.

Three-link frame of composite type 10 – 35 m. Three-link frame with curved frame corners 15 – 40 m.

Three-joint arch with pull straps on pillars 20 – 60 m. Trusses 30 – 85 m (straight or curved).

Curved glulam elements

Curved glulam elements are mainly used in frame or arch constructions, but also as
curved beams, for example boomerang beams.
If possible, curved glulam elements should be in the form of arches or frames
be carried out with a constant cross-sectional height within curved sections.
Boomerang beams and curved frame corners can advantageously be designed with a
saddle or, if the appearance so requires, with a glued, loosely nailed or -screwed ridge
or corner part.
The lamellar thickness for curved elements is normally 33 mm, but wide
bending radii less than 7 m require thinner slats.

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Glulam products

Example: Use of glulam for wooden bridges - span areas

Pedestrian and bicycle bridges

Transverse slab ÿ 20 m

Balkbro ÿ 20 m

Fackverksbro 25 – 40 m

T-balkbridge ÿ 30 m

Arch bridge 25 – 60 m

Box girder bridge ÿ 30 m Snedstagsbro 40 – 100 m

Road bridges

Transverse slab ÿ 20 m Arch bridge 25 – 50 m

Box girder bridge ÿ 20 m

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Glulam products

Transport protection
Glulam products are usually packaged individually by the glulam manufacturers and
with a recyclable material. The packaging is intended to protect against
moisture, precipitation, solar radiation, dirt and certain mechanical damage
during transport, storage and possibly in connection with assembly.

When receiving a glulam delivery, the person receiving the delivery must be
responsible for ensuring that the glulam products are stored in a safe manner.
This may mean, for example, that the packaging must be cut open to prevent
condensation or so that condensation water that has already formed can
drain from the packaging. The recipient must ensure that the glulam products
are stored well on pallets and protected against soil moisture, precipitation, dirt
and solar radiation. Long-term storage on the construction site should be
avoided, see further under section Handle glulam correctly, page 78 and the
document Handle glulam correctly (Svenskt Trä). Upon receipt, the moisture content
is checked using an electric resistance moisture content meter with insulated
hammer electrodes so that it corresponds to the ordered target moisture content.

Glulam arches with gable columns and ridges of glulam.

Montage
Assembly of glulam constructions almost always requires access to some form
of lifting device, usually a crane. It is best if the glulam elements can be lifted
directly from the transport vehicle to their place in the building. However, this is
rarely possible and, as a rule, you can therefore count on a certain period of storage
at the construction site. In doing so, the instructions given by the glulam
manufacturer should be taken into account.
When receiving the delivery, it is checked that the number of glulam elements
and fittings matches the order, see further under section Handle glulam correctly,
page 78.
It is important that even before unloading the load from the transport vehicle, the
assembly has been planned so that time-consuming reloading can be avoided. If a
special loading order is desired, it must be clearly stated when ordering. Clear
and systematic marking of individual glulam elements and fittings is also
crucial for a rational assembly.
Until the building's stabilizing system is complete, temporary measures must
be taken to secure the frame against wind and other stresses during construction.
Frame and arch constructions are best secured with steel cables that are
tensioned with grub screws. The wires are also used to fix the constructions in
the right position until wind trusses or equivalent are mounted.

Packaging should be cut open at the bottom to avoid moisture inside the
packaging. The packaging can also be removed completely, but attention should
then be paid to the risk of visible structures being soiled during construction.
Particularly vulnerable are roof constructions with high-profile sheets directly on
the roof beams, where leaking water in the sheet joints or condensation can discolor
the glulam beam sides before insulation and cardboard covering are in place.

Three-link frames and arches consist of two parts that are connected to concrete
foundations or pillars and connected with steel fittings in the ridge.
Larger constructions are assembled most easily and safely with the help of a
mobile crane and a movable assembly tower under the ridge. Assembly is done
so that each frame or frame half is lifted into place with the crane. The frame foot
or front end is attached to a foot fitting or column top and the ridge part is placed on
the assembly tower and connected. As soon as stabilization is complete, the
assembly tower is moved to the next line.

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Project planning

Project planning
This section of the Glulam Handbook Part 1 contains information for the
design of houses and facilities where glulam is included. At an early stage
of the project, the designer needs knowledge regarding the opportunities
and limitations of glulam products. Building technical prerequisites for good
architecture are treated and the most common construction systems are
reported here.
The section also provides guidance on possibilities and limitations when
using glulam. Examples of suitable construction solutions with glulam are
presented under the Construction system section, page 38.
Required preliminary dimensions are reported in tables on pages
46–51, under section Dimensions tables. The table values are intended
to be used at an early stage of the project and must not replace construction
calculations in each individual case. As an aid for more accurate calculations,
see Glued timber handbook Part 2 and Part 3.
Glulam is often used as a supporting structure in larger single-storey
buildings, for example hall buildings. However, the European fire regulations
make it possible to use wooden frames even in multi-storey buildings. It is
important for the designer to know that the fire regulations do not limit the use
of glulam, see under Designing with regard to fire, page 62.

An important area within the project work is coloring and surface

The diocese and county library in Linköping.
treatment. The natural color of the glulam is often used as a deliberate
Roof beams of glulam on concrete pillars.
part of the design. Different surface treatments can provide several
alternative possibilities of expression. In some cases, the glulam must be
surface treated for technical reasons or even be impregnated. These
questions are dealt with in special sections, which, among other things,
provide the basis for technical description, see from page 69.
The sustainability issues have recently gained more importance.
Knowledge and awareness of materials and maintenance needs are
required already during the planning stage in order to achieve the most
optimal technical solution. No material is maintenance-free, but maintenance
can be more or less demanding, see section Surface treatment and
maintenance, page 69.

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Building technical conditions

Building Biggest

technical conditions compressive stress

Few building materials can compare to glulam in terms of constructive and

architectural expressive possibilities.
For structural timber, the log provides the limit for the dimensions. The
gluing technique, on the other hand, makes it possible to manufacture thick,
wide and very long structural elements, for example beams with a width of
up to 215 mm (in some cases 240 mm) and a height of up to 2 m depending

noitcurtthsgnioeC
h
on the glulam manufacturer's equipment. In addition to straight elements,
curved glulam elements can be produced in various shapes.
Construction elements made of glulam can take greater stresses than
construction wood of the same dimension. This is connected with the so-
called lamellation effect. The risk of weakening properties being oriented in Maximum tensile stress

the same section is obviously smaller in a glulam element consisting of

Figure 17 Construction height is the distance between the compressive and tensile
several glued together lamellas, see section Properties, page 15.
components.
Traditional wood construction techniques, such as sawing, planing, nailing,
screwing and the use of building fittings etc. are used with advantage and
with simplicity together with glulam. Glulam is included as an obvious
component in modern wood construction technology.
The costs of glulam constructions can be reduced with increasing
construction height. Construction height means, in the precise sense, the
distance in a section between the compression force component and the
traction force component, see figure 17.
A tendency that applies in wood construction technology, as well as in
glulam technology, is the increased use of steel fittings. In the older wooden
building technology, nodes were normally designed to transfer compressive
forces and could only transfer tensile forces to a limited extent. Figure 18 System lines should ideally meet at a point, otherwise moments will appear
at the junction.

Steel connections transfer forces in a more concentrated and defined way

than was previously possible. A link, i.e. a connection of two construction f
elements without torque absorption capability, can really be designed as a
link.
A joint must always be placed at the crossing point of the system lines to
avoid moments at the junction. The system lines must thus cross each
L

other at a point = the pivot point, see figure 18.

Statically indeterminate systems can give rise to constraining forces. By Figure 19 Three-link arch – a statically determined frame construction.
using joints, statically indeterminate systems can become statically
determinate, i.e. self-evident for dimensioning. A two-jointed arch, for example,
Table 5 Magnitude designations
is statically indeterminate, while a three-jointed arch is statically
The following quantity designations are used in this section:
determined, see figure 19.
The design of steel fittings is often related to constructive limitations, such Designation Description
as contact pressure between steel and glulam. L Span
Possibilities exist to design recessed or surface fittings, which function as
b Balkbredd
joints or which can transmit moments. Examples of connections are:
h Beam height/depth

q Last
• Basic details.
f Arrow height
• Support details, such as meeting glulam column - glulam beam
or glulam beam – glulam beam. M Bending moment

• Knot points, i.e. connections and joints of glulam elements or tension IN Shear force

strips, which meet at a point. Voltage

d Hole diameter

IN Bending resistance

H Maximum height of saddle beam

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Building technical conditions

There are useful standard fittings on the market such as nailing plates, angle
fittings, joist shoes and tension straps. Normally, however, forces and glulam
dimensions are so great that the steel parts are better designed for fabrication
in a forging shop. Steel details often give character to the construction and
should be given special attention. There are also solutions with hidden
fittings.
It is often natural that the glulam constructions are visible and that they are
part of the architecture. Glulam maintains its stability and bearing
capability even at an early stage of a fire progression. The protective carbon
layer that forms on the surface contributes to this. Any requirements regarding
fire protection of steel parts must be taken into account. A hidden, built-in
fitting is better protected against fire than a surface-mounted one, see
section Planning with regard to fire, page 62.
The choice of construction system cannot be decided without considering
the system's detailed solutions. In this context, it is natural to point out that
the designer should influence and perhaps put in a lot of work with the design of
visible steel details.
In the design process, early sketches usually provide information about
functional and geometric conditions and possible spans for good design of the
construction elements.
A collaboration at an early stage between architect and constructor
and glulam manufacturers provide opportunities for good solutions.

Constructive aspects of glulam beams

The most common building part where glulam comes into its own is the outer
roof. Common roofing materials are roofing paper, roofing sheet or roofing tiles
on various substrates, which can be underlay cardboard on underlay battens
or roofing plywood, rigid insulation boards on profile sheet or reinforced,
self-supporting and heat-insulating wood wool elements. Secondary beams,
which can be made of glulam, normally have a center distance of 1.2 m
in the case of base sheeting or roofing plywood, 2.0 m or 2.4 m when using
wood wool elements or 2 - 7 m with profiled roof sheeting. The secondary beams
rest on the primary support made of glulam. Of course, glulam can be combined
with other construction materials, for example steel or concrete.

Below are some examples of design considerations that can be included

Six-storey residential building with a frame of glulam, Askims torg. in the early stages of the design process. Some basic concepts and simple
formulas from the theory of strength are necessary to know and are therefore
presented here.

Glulam beams
q kN/m
When dimensioning beams, it is required that the total load q (which includes
the structure's own weight and external loads such as snow or useful
load) is calculated. Self-weight, snow load + any useful load are the
h dimensioning loads. Safety factor and other partial coefficients must be
L
taken into account according to the Housing Authority's current construction
rules, EKS.
A common method for rough dimensioning is to try your hand. Suppose you
Figure 20 A freely laid two-support glulam
beam with width b, height h
try a freely laid beam with width b and height h on two supports with evenly
and span L, loaded with uniformly distributed load, according to figure 20.
b
distributed load.

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Building technical conditions

The beam is subjected to an external moment M = q × L2 /8. The beam must carry this
external moment by building up an internal, resisting moment Mi = bending stress ÿk ×
bending resistance of the beam W = b × h2 /6. The bending stress ÿk corresponds to the
characteristic bending strength value according to SS-EN 14080.
h
The strength of a beam thus increases with the square of the height, see figure 21.
An increase in width only results in a linear increase in the bending resistance W.
Suppose that the beam you tried turns out to have too poor load absorption
ability. In other words, the bending resistance W must then be increased. The
examples below provide guidance on how this can happen:

• Because the cost of a glulam beam can usually be related b 2 x b = > 2W

to the glulam volume, it is realized that an increase in the construction height

reduces the glulam beam cost compared to an increase in width. Figure 21 The strength of a glulam beam

• There may be other conditions in a project that are affected by an increased glulam increases with the square of the height.

beam height. The whole house may need to be raised to maintain clear height under
the glulam beams with increased costs for the facades, heating etc. as a result.
2 x h = > 4W
• It is common for deformation requirements, usually a maximum deflection, to determine a
minimum construction height. Recommendations for maximum deflection, see Glulam
Handbook Part 2.
• Another, simpler way is to use dimension tables, see section
Dimension tables, page 46. h

L
Installations are an essential part of the function and they influence the architectural
experience. A question that often comes up is whether it is possible to make holes and Mmax

recesses in the glulam elements.

The entire cross-sectional area of the glulam beam contributes to taking current
Figure 22 A glulam saddle beam, freely laid, basically follows the moment
transverse forces, which are greatest at the supports. Therefore, it is normally inappropriate curve. It can therefore be more economical than a straight, even-height
to make holes or recesses next to the editions. The stress distribution in the beam of glulam beam.
external moments is shown in figure 24. The inner parts of the beam are less exposed to
bending stresses than the outer ones, at the top and bottom. The reasoning above is of a
principled nature. In the individual project, the designer can give instructions on possible
holes and recesses. Smaller holes are generally accepted according to figure 23.

q kN/m

Zone within which some

drilling is permitted with

small round holes up to 50 mm L
ÿ 2 x the largest hole diameter, d.

h
h/

q L2
Mmax =
8

L/ 3 L/ 3 L/ 3

L qL
Vmax =
2

Figure 23 Drilling holes and recesses in glulam is a sensitive operation that requires judgment. Figure 24 External moments and transverse forces in the case of a freely laid
In case of the slightest uncertainty, such measures should be avoided. In the zone as described above, two-support beam, loaded with an evenly distributed load.
some drilling is possible after consultation with an experienced designer. For further information, see
Glulam Handbook Part 2.

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Building technical conditions

Arches

f In order to cope with large spans, glulam arches may be relevant.

An arch works best if it is allowed to follow the so-called pressure line, i.e. the line
where the cross-section is subjected to constant stress over the entire cross-
section in case of vertical loads. The difference between the operation of a
beam and an arch is illustrated in figure 26.
Because the material is better utilized in an arch, the cross section can
L be made lower, about L/50 or about 1/3 of the corresponding beam height.
An arch requires a fixed support, which can be a different construction, basic
construction or in the form of tension straps. Fixed bearing means bearing that can
f absorb horizontal forces. Pull straps can be placed visibly or under the floor structure
in a hall building.

Fackverk
L
In the case of more complex glulam elements, such as trusses and under-stressed
beams, more extensive project work is required to design the details.
Figure 25 Arches allow efficient material utilization, but require either fixed supports or

tension straps.
The architect should participate in the design of these glulam elements.

0 ÿc,max
Today there are companies that work with customized steel parts, such as tension
straps and hubs.
In many cases, for example, the installations can be located close to the upper
frame, over the lower drawbar, which does not need to be perceived as a visible
obstacle in the room. The room formation can be experienced following the upper
frame and the inside of the insulated roof construction. Pressed bars are designed
ÿt,max
a) Glulam beam
from glulam where the entire cross-section is used, while the drawn ones can be
0 ÿc,max
made of structural steel.
The construction height is here the distance between the system lines of the lower
frame and the upper frame. Here, the designer often has great freedom to experiment
with the construction height.
Since an understressed glulam beam is mainly exposed to compressive forces
ÿc,min
b) Glulam frame and is thereby better utilized, the glulam consumption is less than for a pure glulam
beam. In return, costs are added for the understressed steel parts,
Figure 26 Stresses in a loaded glulam beam are distributed as follows: compressive stresses
see figure 29.
and tensile stresses. In the center of the glulam beam cross-section, the stress is zero.

Unlike the glulam beam, a glulam arch experiences compressive stresses throughout When the structural height of a truss is increased, the compressive and tensile
the entire cross-section. forces decrease correspondingly. The product of compressive force × construction
height = traction force × construction height = the external moment. A special check
must be carried out to ensure that the transverse force capacity is sufficient at the lay-ups.
With trusses, under-stressed beams and three-joint trusses, the construction height can
be increased and thus provide a more optimal use of materials.
Special measures to ensure stability and fire safety may be needed.

Cost

Figure 28 A truss consists of different bars that form a cooperating structural element.

h
L/5 L/10 L/15 L/20 L/ 25 L/30 Konstruktionshöjd

Figure 27 For roof beams, the construction height between L/15 and L/20 is Figure 29 Example of an understressed beam.
often the most cost-effective.

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Building technical conditions

Pillar
Glulam columns normally have good bearing capacity. A tensioned,
cantilevered column, which is not braced at the free end, has a buckling
length that is approximately twice the column height. For an ordinary column, Pressure struts

so-called pendulum column, which is hinged at the top and bottom, the breaking
length = the column height.
It is common for the design of the house to naturally provide the possibility to
brace the columns at the top, for example through a connecting roof structure.
In the case of low buildings, up to 3 – 4 m high, it is normally economical to
clamp the columns into the foundation structure to ensure stability. The basic
structure must then of course be dimensioned for the moments that occur. At
greater heights, it is usually the most economical to install cross roofs or so-
called attic structures. Columns can be designed to taper towards the supports,
which are arranged so that the forces come centrally.
Drag rod

Stability
Figure 30 One way to reduce the buckling length and thus the column
Wind loads from the facades are transferred through the roof construction to
dimension is to design free-standing columns with pressure braces.
wind trusses placed in the plane of the roof and normally near gables and Principle execution.
along facades. The bearing forces from horizontal wind trusses in the roof are
transferred through vertical wind crosses in the walls down to the
foundation. Some examples are shown below.

Stabilizing roof sheet made of profiled sheet metal or veneered

wood as an alternative to roof trusses

Fw

Figure 31 Stabilization of glulam frame with wind trusses and wind cross for wind load towards the long
side. Principle figure.

a) b) c)

Figure 32 Examples of constructions that are stable in their own plane: Figure 33 Example of arrangement of wind trusses in column-beam, frame and arch
a) Fixed clamping of column feet; hinged connection between beam and column. constructions. A more detailed description of how stabilization of glulam frames is suitably
b) Articulated attachment of column feet; fixed tension between beam and column. designed can be found in the Glulam Handbook Part 2.
c) Articulated attachment of column base and column top; cross braces of steel or wood.

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Building technical conditions

Climate screen
Sealing layer Insulation, for example cellular plastic The roof's climate screen with its thermal insulation is often advantageously placed
on top of primary beams made of glulam to make these visible.
Glulam as the primary supporting structure in ceilings is often combined with one of
the following basic construction examples:

Load-bearing
• Simple roof beams made of glulam. Glulam roof ridges with intermediate
wood wool elements insulation. Cardboard or sheet metal covering.
Glulam beam

c 2,4 m • Glulam ridge beam. Roof covering on simple roof beams made of glulam with
intermediate insulation.
• Simple roof beams made of glulam. Reinforced wood wool elements.
Figure 34 Principle execution of a climate screen in a ceiling with load-bearing,
reinforced wood wool elements on top of roof beams made of glulam.
Extra insulation of cellular plastic. Cardboard or sheet metal covering.
• Simple roof beams made of glulam. High-profile plate. Insulation of, for example,
hard mineral wool boards. Cardboard or sheet metal covering.
• Glulam trusses. Roof tiles on base rafters, with or without insulation and internal
cladding.

Sealing layer of surface cardboard or folded

Sealing layer
A
A Substrate coverage

Insulation Underlayspont

Ventilated air gap

Profiled plate

Insulation between roof ridges of glulam c 1.2 m

Steam brake
Glulam beam

c 1,2 - 6 m Spontaneous wooden panel

Glulam beam c 1.2 m

A
A

Glulam beam

Glulam beam

A-A A-A

Figure 35 Principle execution of a climate screen in a ceiling with insulation Figure 37 Principle execution of a climate screen in the ceiling with insulation
on a supporting profile sheet. between roof ridges on top of visible glulam beams.

Note the importance of correct execution of various details, such as ventilation.

Aerated ridge
Profile sheet, for example boiler plate
Bear stretch

Roof boilers Scattered

Bear stretch
Underlay cardboard
Scattered
Underlayspont
Underlay cardboard Ventilated air gap
Underlayspont

Roof trusses of
glulam c 1.2 m

Glulam roof Glulam Insulation

beams ridge beam Steam brake

Interior lining

Figure 36 Principle execution of roof trusses of glulam beams with insulation and Figure 38 Principle design ridge beam made of glulam, profile sheet on base
supporting rafters for roof tiles. rafters, insulation between roof beams made of glulam.

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Building technical conditions

Moisture protection

Glulam columns and glulam beams must be protected against prolonged exposure
to moisture. Below are some principle examples of moisture protection, see
Glulam columns
also section Connection details, page 53.

Roof construction Plate unveiling

Sealing layer

051>
Aeration

Figure 40 Column base outdoors.

A-A Fastening with flat steel.

Moisture-proof sealing layer between
glulam columns and concrete. Small
Fasadliv Sheet metal cladding Glulam beam
soon

Figure 39 Moisture-proof design of cantilevered glulam beam. Upper side

glulam beam and end timber surface covered with sheet metal.
Glulam columns

05<

051>

Figure 41 Pillar base outdoors.

Pole holder made of hot-dip galvanized
steel. Here, the glulam column does not
have direct contact with the concrete.
Small loads.

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Construction system

Construction system
In this section, a few different ways of designing glulam frames for hall buildings and multi-storey buildings are briefly described
- from simple systems with columns and beams to truss and frame constructions, all of which use the possibilities of glulam
technology in different ways and to varying degrees.

Table 6 Construction system – overview

The c-distance of the girder approximately 6 m. Suitable span ranges and approximate cross-sectional height of the included glulam elements.

System Designation Roof slope Span L (m) Height h

h
Straight beam on two supports ÿ 3° < 30 L/17

H
Saddle beam or desk beam on two supports 3 – 10° 10 – 30 h ÿ L/30
h H ÿ L/16

H
Bumerangbalk på two stöt 3 – 15° 10 – 20 h ÿ L/30
H ÿ L/16
h

h
Straight beam, continuously supported on ÿ 3° < 25 L/20
two supports
L

Straight truss beam on two supports ÿ 3° 30 – 85 L/10

h

Three-link roof chair with or without drawstring ÿ 14° 15 – 50 L/30

h

Three-link roof chair with drawstring and ÿ 14° 20 – 100 L/40

h
under-tensioned beams

h Three-link bow, with or without drawstring f/ L ÿ 0,144 20 – 100 L/50

f

S1 Three-link frame with finger-jointed frame corners ÿ 14° 15 – 25 (S1 + S2)/13

h

S2

S1 Three-link frame with composite frame corners ÿ 14° 10 – 35 (S1 + S2)/15

h

S2

S1 Three-link frame with curved frame corners ÿ 14° 15 – 40 (S1 + S2)/15

h

S2

Half frame with pendant columns ÿ 20° 10 – 25 L/25

h

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Construction system

Pelar-balksystem
In its simplest and most common form, the frame consists of freely laid two-support
beams on columns. For small spans, uniform height straight beams are usually
preferred, while for larger spans it may be economically justified to let the cross-
section height vary with the forces in the beam.

Straight beam on column

An example of this is the saddle beam, which is given the greatest construction
height in the middle, where the bending moment is greatest. Most often, glulam
beams are designed with a straight lower edge, but they can also be aesthetic or
functional reasons are given more or less marked curvature. A common form is then
the so-called boomerang beam - a saddle beam with a curved lower edge.

Saddle beam on column

Constructions for multi-storey buildings

Due to changed rules for wooden constructions, it has been possible for a
number of years in Europe to build wooden houses with more than two floors.
The national standards may differ. The experiences of multi-
storey wooden houses that have been built are, however, good so far. A high
degree of pre-fabrication of components such as frame, outer roof, facade and joist Boomerang beam on pillar
elements is under strong development and can shorten the construction time
and thereby minimize the construction cost.
Figure 42 Column-beam system
The load-bearing frame in multi-storey buildings can consist of glulam elements
or elements of cross-glued wood, KL-wood. Glulam elements can be columns
and beams, while floor and facade elements can consist of, for example, elements
of cross-glued wood, KL-wood, see example in figure 43.
There are system solutions for multi-storey buildings with prefabricated frame
components made of glulam in the form of, for example, house-high columns,
which support floor beams or joist elements. The pillars are advantageously placed
built into the facade. The floor joists and joist elements can then be easily
cantilevered out from the facade so that bay windows, balconies and loft corridors
can be carried out in a natural way. The stability of a glulam frame is
managed with the help of board material or surface elements, for example
elements of cross-glued wood, KL-wood. A wooden frame enables dry construction
because the outer roof can be mounted directly after the frame is erected, which is
relatively quick. Elements for joists and facades can then be assembled in a weather-
protected frame. Columns and beams made of glulam can be completely separate
from the house's climate screen and the lack of load-bearing walls enables
high flexibility in the floor plan. A glulam frame is assembled using wood screws
or through screws and steel fittings, which enables easy disassembly and
possibly reassembly in another location. In addition, such a house can be adapted
to different needs and to changed future needs.

Multi-storey buildings have good fire protection properties. You can consider
supplementing the building technical fire protection with a residential sprinkler
system. The local fire authority should be consulted.
There are constructions that by a good margin meet the fire and sound requirements
for apartment separating walls and joists.
The low self-weight of the wooden houses provides a relatively simple foundation.
In the case of narrow multi-storey buildings, the risk of overturning must be taken into account.
Prefabricated construction with industrially manufactured components is a
rational way of building – just-in-time deliveries without intermediate storage at the
Figure 43 Example of construction for multi-storey buildings.
construction site and direct assembly results in shorter assembly times. The joists above with load-bearing beams made of glulam meet the requirements for
apartment-separating construction. Outer wall of cross-glued wood, KL-wood, and
external thermal insulation. Principle execution.

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Construction system

Continuous beams
Beams on several supports or beams with overhangs allow higher material utilization
than can be achieved with freely laid two-support beams. Continuous beams are
advantageously executed as the so-called Gerber system. The joints are then
Optimized beams with over-collaring and suspended saddle beam
designed as joints (such as hinges) and placed so that a favorable torque distribution and
suitable transport lengths are obtained.
Figure 44 Continuous beam as Gerber system

Systems with continuous beams are particularly suitable for roof constructions,
for example as secondary beams (ridges).

a2 a2

a1 a1

Continuous beam as Gerber system. See also table 17, page 50.

Fackverk
At large spans, when the massive beam tends to be too unwieldy and material-intensive,
some type of truss or tension-strap construction may be an expedient alternative.

Trusses made of glulam are mainly used when small roofs are required.
slope and where the construction height is not too compressed.
Fackverk Among the advantages of the truss is that it can be manufactured industrially in
suitable transport units that are assembled at the construction site.
Figure 45 Fackverk
The disadvantages include many and often complicated junctions and generally lower fire
stability.

Three-legged trusses
Three-link trusses or spanners can be a solution when the span requirements exclude
massive beams and when arches or frames are not appropriate for various reasons.

Wooden roof chair

In its simplest form, three-jointed trusses consist of two beams tilted against each other
each other and jointed together in ridge. The foot ends are also hingedly attached to
the foundation or connected to each other with tension straps, often made of steel.
In the latter case, the truss is usually placed on pillars. The beams are often designed
straight and of equal height, but the shape can also be varied here. The truss is
considered a transitional form between solid beam and truss. However, the knot
Three-link truss with steel truss points are fewer and simpler in their design than in a truss.

Figure 46 Three-joint rafter

Different basic forms are often combined. The middle figure describes an example of a
combination of truss and three-link truss. Three-link roof trusses can advantageously be
designed as so-called space-bearing structures. The roof beams are arranged radially
from a common ridge point and the tension straps are replaced with a polygonal
(polygonal) tension ring, which along the periphery connects the footing points (lower
figure).
Problems often arise in practical assembly when more than four elements meet at a
point.

Space carrier with outer pull ring made of steel

Figure 47 Spacecraft

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Construction system

Arches
Glulam is an interesting construction material due to, among other things, the
ability to easily perform curved constructions such as arches, frames, shells,
etc. For each type of load, the most appropriate shape can be chosen –
for uniformly distributed loads usually a parabolic arc, for point loads a polygon
(polygon). Parabolic arch with drawcord on support of columns
The design possibilities, together with the high strength, make glulam
constructions particularly competitive for large spans. Arches with over 100 m
free span have been built. f
The parabolic arc is the most common shape for large spans, the circular
arc for small ones. To increase the free height near the supports, elliptical or
other arch shape may be preferred. This can also be achieved if the arch is
L
placed on pillars. Then, as a rule, the arch must be provided with tension straps
between the support points to take up the horizontal support reactions. Parabolic arch on concrete base

Figure 48 Arches
Arches are normally made with articulated attachment at the supports and
mostly also with an articulated joint in the top (three-jointed arch). For larger
spans, several joints may be desirable for transport reasons. These are placed in
areas with small moments and are made moment rigid.
The three-link arch is statically determined, which means simple dimensioning
and insensitivity to ground settlements. It is also stable in its own plane and
therefore does not produce any clamping moments in the basic structure.
With arches arranged radially in a circle, a dome-like building form is
obtained. In a real dome, the shell effect is also used, which requires a special
design of the supporting structure in the tangential direction. For large spans
and especially if the surface to be covered has a large spread in several directions,
the dome is also an economically interesting solution. In Tacoma, USA, there is
an example of a dome building made of glulam and veneer with a span of over
160 m.

Frames
For functional, aesthetic or other reasons, a different arch shape than the
economically favorable parabolic arch can often be preferred. Requirements
for a certain free height within the entire building area often lead to the characteristic
Three-link frame with curved corner
glulam three-link frame with curved
frame corner or, in case of high demands on utilization of the building volume,
sharp frame corner.
The function of the building is improved in both cases at the price of a slightly
lower material utilization. The three-link frame otherwise has the same advantages
as the three-link arch – simple dimensioning and foundation. It is particularly
suitable for poor subsoil as it does not provide any clamping moments in
the foundation structure.
The traditional shape is planar symmetrical but other rooms can
Three-joint frame with finger-jointed corner
achieved by combination with other structural elements, curved or straight,
or by three-dimensional arrangements.

Frames in three-dimensional arrangement

Figure 49 Frames

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Construction system

Glulam bleachers, Vänersborg.

Consoles
In many contexts, the function of the building requires that one or both long sides
be open and free of columns. Examples of such buildings are open-air stages,
platform roofs and spectator stands.
The glulam technique offers here solutions in the form of cantilevered, straight
beams or curved brackets - half frames. In both cases, significant clamping
moments must be transferred to connecting structures, which must therefore be
designed with this in mind.

Cantilever bracket beam on column Console bar

Figure 50 Brackets

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Construction system

Shell constructions
Shell constructions offer rich possibilities for advanced design and large pillar-
free surfaces. By combining several shell elements, a variety of different roof
shapes can be obtained, see example in figure 51.

Composite systems
Combinations of different static systems often offer fine solutions. Desires for
abundant daylight in a room can be met with a saw-roof construction consisting
of three-joint trusses that are placed on continuous alternating beams.

Difficult foundation conditions can be mastered by concentrating the stock

reactions to a few points that are foundation reinforced. Hyperbolic paraboloid, so-called HP shell.
In the combined arch beam frames in the two middle figures, the main part of the
Figure 51 Shell structures
roof load is carried down into the beginning of the arches.

Composite system of arches and columns

Bow beam frame

Bow beam frame with hangers

Composite system of suspended ceilings and steel tension straps

Figure 52 Composite systems

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Rough sizing

Rough sizing
3,5
Snölastzoner (kN/m2)
Glulam constructions must be carried out, dimensioned and checked according to the standards
2,5 SS-EN 1995-1-1 and SS-EN 1995-1-2 (Eurocode 5) as well as applicable national adaptation
1,0 3,0
4,5
1,5 3,5 documents, currently (2015) the Swedish Housing Agency's construction rules, EKS 10 (BFS
2,0 4,5 4,5 2015:6 ).
2,5 5,5
3,0
County border 3,5 Dimension tables

Municipal boundary 3,5 The tables on the following spread give the required cross-sectional dimensions for some
3,5 4,5
common glulam constructions at different spans and loads. The values have been calculated on
the basis of the common wooden building standard within the EU, Eurocode 5. In addition, each
3,5
3,5
country has its own national adaptations in several respects.
4,5 Luleå

5,5
The table values are intended to be used for rough dimensioning, for example during an early
3,5
3,0 stage of the project and they do not exclude that a calculation must be made at a later stage. For
3,5
more accurate calculations, refer to the Glued Wood Handbook Part 2 and Part 3.
Umeå
5,5
3,5 2,5
4,5 2,5
4,5
Dimensioning load for
Östersund

3,5
Härnösand roof beams and trusses
3,5 Dimensioning load for a roof beam or truss depends, among other things, on how closely the roof
2,5
3,5 2,5
beams or trusses are placed and on the geographical and topographical location of the building.
The snow load in particular varies greatly between different parts of Sweden. In order not to
3,0
3,5
Gable
lock the prerequisites more than necessary, the tables have been designed with dimensioning load
3,0
3,0 per meter (in the failure limit state) as an input value. This can be calculated as follows:
3,5 Falun

2,5 Uppsala
2,5
Västerås 2,0
3,0 3,0 1,5
Karlstad
3,0 Stockholm
2,0 Örebro 2,0 1. Find out the basic value of the so-called, snow load on the ground, where the building is located,
3,0 2,5
for example with the help of the national valid snow load values.
Nyköping

2,0 The housing authority publishes information on current basic values for snow and wind loads in
Linköping
2,0
1,5 2,5
Sweden.
Visby 2,5
Gothenburg 3,0
3,0
Jönköping 2. Current snow load on roof expressed in kN/m2 is obtained by multiplying by the shape factor
2,0
2,5 ÿ. For pitched roofs with pitches of 0 - 30°, this has a value of 0.8, and for pitches of 30° - 60°,
3,0 1,5
Växjö
Halmstad 2,5 the value decreases linearly to 0. In gable roofs, the ÿ value on one side of the ridge is the
2,0 2,0
The word
same as for pitched roofs. On the other side of the ridge, the ÿ value for roof slopes less than

1,5 Charlemagne
20° is 0.8 + roof slope ÿ 20 ÿ 0.3. For roof slopes of 20° - 60°, the ÿ value decreases linearly

Malmö from 1.1 to 0. For gabled roofs with snow fall protection (which in most cases cannot be ruled out),
no reduction of the snow load is made for roof slopes above 22.5° (ÿ = 1, 03125).
1,0

Figure 53 The basic value of the snow load according to EKS 10

Snow zones for snow load on ground, so-called, which with the probability of 0.98 Special consideration is given to snow drifting.
are not exceeded once a year (equivalent to 50-year return time) based on
measurement data from 148 meteorological
3. Multiply the snow load on the roof by the partial coefficient and by the safety factor for the
stationer. current safety class according to the current EKS.

4. Add the self-weight of the current outer roof multiplied by the partial coefficient and by the
safety factor for the current safety class according to the current EKS. Examples of self-weight for
some common roof types are given in table 8, page 45.

5. The load per meter beam is then calculated by multiplying the dimensioning load obtained in this
way per square meter of roof surface by the distance between the beams. You get an even more
accurate value if you can estimate the self-weight of the beam and add it to the result. Assume that
glulam has a self-weight of 5 kN/m3
.

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Rough sizing

s k snow load on roof multiplied by the form factor ÿ for roof

Table 7 Basic value and current Table 10 Material values stock assortment – glulam columns and glulam beams
slopes 0 – 30° according to the Swedish annex to the Norwegian Housing Agency's manufactured in Sweden
construction rules, EKS 10 (BFS 2015:6)

Basic value (kN/ s k Snow load on roof 1) b × h Durability Weight Volume IN

and

m2) (kN/m2) (mm) class (kg/m) (m3/m) (mm3 x103)

1,0 0,8 – 1,1 42 x 180 GL28cs 3,59 0,008 227

1,5 1,2 – 1,65 x 270 GL28cs 5,39 0,011 510

2,0 1,6 – 2,2 56 x 225 GL28cs 5,99 0,013 473

2,5 2,0 – 2,75 x 270 GL28cs 7,18 0,015 680

3,0 2,4 – 3,3 66 x 270 GL28cs 8,46 0,018 802

3,5 2,8 – 3,85 x 315 GL28cs 9,88 0,021 1 091

4,0 3,2 – 4,4 90 x 90 GL30h 3,85 0,008 122

4,5 3,6 – 4,95 x 180 GL30c 7,70 0,016 486

5,0 4,0 – 5,5 x 225 GL30c 9,62 0,020 759

5,5 4,4 – 6,05 x 270 GL30c 11,54 0,024 1 094

x 315 GL30c 13,47 0,028 1 488

1) Dimensioning load per meter in the failure limit state is determined with partial coefficients
x 360 GL30c 15,31 0,032 1 940
according to the current EKS:
(snow load on roof × 1.5 × ÿd + self-weight × 0.89 × 1.35 × ÿd) × c-distance x 405 GL30c 17,31 0,036 2 460

x 450 GL30c 19,24 0,041 3 040

For calculation of dead weight, see table 8. ÿd =
The building's safety class, see table 9. 115 x 115 GL30h 6,28 0,013 254
For dimensioning within the service limit, see Glulam Handbook Part 2.
x 180 GL30c 9,83 0,021 621

x 225 GL30c 12,29 0,026 970

Table 8 Approximate self-weight values for some common roof constructions x 270 GL30c 1 400
14,75 0,031
(excluding self-weight of glulam)
x 315 GL30c 17,21 0,036 1 902
Roof construction Egentyngd
x 360 GL30c 19,67 0,041 2 480
(kN/m2)
x 405 GL30c 22,12 0,047 3 144
Profile sheet + thermal insulation 0,3
x 450 GL30c 24,58 0,052 3 881
Profile sheet + thermal insulation + sheet 0,4
x 495 GL30c 27,04 0,057 4 696
Wood wool elements + insulation + roofing felt 0,8
x 630 GL30c 34,41 0,072 7 607
Roof tiles + thermal insulation + underlay roof 0,9
140 x 135 GL30h 8,98 0,019 4 253
Roof tiles + underlay rafters + cardboard + lath + 1,0
thermal insulation x 140 GL30h 9,31 0,020 4 573

Cardboard covering + underlay sheeting + thermal insulation 0,3 x 225 GL30c 14,96 0,032 1 180

x 270 GL30c 17,96 0,038 1 700

x 315 GL30c 20,95 0,044 2 320

x 360 GL30c 23,94 0,050 3 020

Table 9 Safety class for buildings
x 405 GL30c 26,93 0,057 3 827
Security class d
160 x 160 GL30h 12,16 0,026 6 827
1 0,83
165 x 165 GL30h 12,93 0,027 7 487
2 0,91

3 1,00

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Dimension tables

Dimension tables
Raka takbalkar
L

Table 11 Dimensional table – straight roof beams

Load (kN/m) Span L

(m)

5 6 7 8 9 10

2 42 × 315 56 × 360 56 × 405 66 × 450 66 × 495 78 × 495

3 56 × 315 56 × 405 56 × 450 66 × 495 78 × 495 78 × 585

4 56 × 360 56 × 405 66 × 450 78 × 495 78 × 585 90 × 585

5 56 × 405 56 × 450 66 × 495 78 × 540 90 × 585 90 × 630

6 56 × 405 66 × 450 78 × 495 78 × 585 90 × 630 90 × 675

7 56 × 450 66 × 495 78 × 540 78 × 585 90 × 630 90 × 720

8 66 × 405 66 × 495 90 × 540 90 × 585 90 × 675 90 × 720

9 66 × 450 78 × 495 78 × 585 90 × 630 90 × 675 90 × 765

10 66 × 450 78 × 495 78 × 585 90 × 630 90 × 720 115 × 720

12 66 × 495 78 × 540 90 × 585 90 × 675 115 × 720 115 × 765

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

6 90 × 720 115 × 765 115 × 810 115 × 855 140 × 855 140 × 900 140 × 990 140 × 1035

7 115 × 720 115 × 765 115 × 855 115 × 900 140 × 900 140 × 990 140 × 1035 140 × 1080

8 115 × 765 115 × 810 115 × 900 115 × 945 140 × 945 140 × 990 140 × 1080 140 × 1125

9 115 × 765 115 × 855 115 × 900 140 × 945 140 × 990 140 × 1035 140 × 1125 140 × 1170

10 115 × 810 115 × 855 115 × 945 140 × 945 140 × 1035 140 × 1080 140 × 1170 165 × 1170

12 115 × 855 115 × 945 115 × 990 140 × 1035 140 × 1080 165 × 1080 165 × 1170 165 × 1215

15 115 × 900 140 × 945 140 × 1035 140 × 1080 165 × 1125 165 × 1170 165 × 1260 165 × 1305

18 140 × 900 140 × 990 140 × 1080 165 × 1080 165 × 1170 165 × 1260 190 × 1260 190 × 1350

20 140 × 945 140 × 1035 140 × 1125 165 × 1125 165 × 1215 165 × 1305 190 × 1305 190 × 1395

25 140 × 1035 140 × 1125 165 × 1125 165 × 1215 190 × 1260 190 × 1350 190 × 1395 190 × 1485

30 140 × 1080 165 × 1125 165 × 1215 190 × 1260 190 × 1305 190 × 1395 215 × 1440 215 × 1530

• Strength class GL30c. Split sawn glulam beams GL28cs. Glue type. Clean planed, unrepaired surfaces. Climate class 1. • Evenly
distributed, downward load. The glulam beams are assumed to be braced against tilting. The distance between the bracing points may be the maximum
15 × the width of the glulam beam.

• Deflection in the serviceability limit state of initial deformation at most 1/375 or of quasi-permanent deformation at most 1/300 of the span.
(The deformation criterion has been chosen according to the Glued Timber Handbook Part 2, Chapter 6, Table 6.1, Roof beams for schools, shops and the like).

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Dimension tables

Saddle beams
L

Table 12 Dimensional table – saddle beams

Load (kN/m) Span L (m)

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

6 90 90 115 115 115 115 115 140

365 – 740 404 – 810 353 – 790 381 – 850 410 – 910 429 – 960 458 – 1020 416 – 1010
7 90 115 115 115 115 115 140 140
415 – 790 374 – 780 402 – 840 431 – 900 460 – 960 489 – 1020 448 – 1010 466 – 1060
8 115 115 115 115 115 140 140 140
385 – 760 414 – 820 443 – 880 471 – 940 510 – 1010 459 – 990 488 – 1050 516 – 1110
9 115 115 115 115 140 140 140 140
415 – 790 454 – 860 483 – 920 521 – 990 480 – 980 509 – 1040 538 – 1100 566 – 1160
10 115 115 115 115 140 140 140 140
445 – 820 484 – 890 523 – 960 561 – 1030 520 – 1020 549 – 1080 577 – 1140 616 – 1210
12 115 115 115 115 140 140 140 165
515 – 890 554 – 960 593 – 1030 641 – 1110 590 – 1090 629 – 1160 668 – 1230 616 – 1210
15 115 115 140 140 140 140 165 165
595 – 970 644 – 1050 603 – 1040 651 – 1120 690 – 1190 739 – 1270 688 – 1250 726 – 1320
18 115 140 140 140 165 165 165 165
675 – 1050 644 – 1050 693 – 1130 741 – 1210 700 – 1200 749 – 1280 788 – 1350 826 – 1420
20 140 140 140 165 165 165 165 165
635 – 1010 684 – 1090 742 – 1180 711 – 1180 750 – 1250 799 – 1330 847 – 1410 896 – 1490
25 140 140 140 165 165 165 190 190
735 – 1110 794 – 1200 863 – 1300 821 – 1290 880 – 1380 929 – 1460 898 – 1460 946 – 1540
30 140 140 165 165 165 190 190 215
865 – 1240 934 – 1340 873 – 1310 931 – 1400 990 – 1490 959 – 1490 1018 – 1580 986 – 1580

20 21 22 23 24

6 140 140 140 140 140

435 – 1060 454 – 1110 482 – 1170 501 – 1220 520 – 1270
7 140 140 140 140 165
495 – 1120 514 – 1170 543 – 1230 561 – 1280 520 – 1270
8 140 140 165 165 165
545 – 1170 574 – 1230 523 – 1210 551 – 1270 570 – 1320
9 140 165 165 165 165
595 – 1220 554 – 1210 573 – 1260 601 – 1320 630 – 1380
10 140 165 165 165 165
645 – 1270 594 – 1250 623 – 1310 651 – 1370 680 – 1430
12 165 165 165 165 190
655 – 1280 684 – 1340 712 – 1400 751 – 1470 700 – 1450
15 165 165 190 190 190
765 – 1390 804 – 1460 763 – 1450 791 – 1510 830 – 1580
18 190 190 190 190 190
795 – 1420 834 – 1490 873 – 1560 911 – 1630 950 – 1700
20 190 190 190 190 215
855 – 1480 894 – 1550 933 – 1620 981 – 1700 940 – 1690
25 190 190 215 215 215
995 – 1620 1044 – 1700 1003 – 1690 1051 – 1770 1100 – 1850
30 215 215 215 215 215
1035 – 1660 1094 – 1750 1143 – 1830 1191 – 1910 1240 – 1990

• Strength class GL30c. Glue type. Planed surfaces. Climate class 1. •

Evenly distributed, downward load. The glulam saddle beams are assumed to be braced against tilting. The distance between the bracing points may be the maximum
15 × the width of the glulam saddle beam.

• Deflection in the serviceability limit state of initial deformation no more than 1/200 or of quasi-permanent deformation no more than 1/160 of the span. •
Dimensions in the table are given on two lines with the beam width in the upper row and the minimum and maximum beam height in the lower one. Presupposes elevated saddle beams.

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Dimension tables

15°

Three-legged roof chairs with drawstrings

Table 13 Dimensional table – three-link roof trusses with tension straps

Load (kN/m) Span L

(m)

15 20 25 30 35 40

6 115 × 405 115 × 540 140 × 630 140 × 765 165 × 855 165 × 990
7 115 × 450 115 × 585 140 × 675 165 × 765 165 × 900 190 × 990
8 115 × 450 115 × 630 140 × 720 165 × 810 165 × 945 190 × 1035
9 115 × 495 140 × 585 140 × 720 165 × 855 190 × 945 190 × 1035
10 115 × 495 140 × 630 140 × 765 165 × 855 190 × 945 215 × 1035
12 115 × 540 140 × 675 165 × 765 165 × 900 190 × 1035 215 × 1125
15 140 × 540 140 × 765 165 × 855 190 × 945 215 × 1035 215 × 1215
18 140 × 630 140 × 810 165 × 945 190 × 1035 215 × 1125 215 × 1305
20 140 × 720 165 × 810 190 × 900 215 × 1035 215 × 1170 215 × 1350
25 140 × 765 165 × 900 190 × 1035 215 × 1170 215 × 1350 215 × 1530
30 165 × 765 165 × 990 215 × 1080 215 × 1260 215 × 1485 215 × 1710

• Strength class GL30c. Glue type. Clean planed, unrepaired surfaces. Climate class 1.
•Evenly distributed, downward load. The glulam beams are assumed to be braced against tilting. The distance between the bracing points may be the maximum
15 × the width of the glulam beam.

• Deflection in the serviceability limit state of initial deformation at most 1/300 or of quasi-permanent deformation at most 1/240 of the span.

Note: With round steel tie rods, for example strength class 8.8, stays can be selected with diameters
and numbers that vary depending on the span and load.

Three-link bows with drawstring

L

Table 14 Dimensional table – three-link bows with draw straps

Load (kN/m) Span L

(m)

20 25 30 35 40 45 50

10 115 × 540 115 × 630 140 × 720 165 × 765 165 × 900 190 × 945 190 × 1035
15 115 × 630 140 × 720 140 × 855 165 × 945 190 × 990 215 × 1080 215 × 1170
20 140 × 675 140 × 810 165 × 900 190 × 990 190 × 1080 215 × 1215 215 × 1350
25 140 × 720 165 × 810 165 × 1035 190 × 1125 215 × 1125 215 × 1350 215 × 1440
30 140 × 765 165 × 945 165 × 1125 190 × 1215 215 × 1305 215 × 1485 215 × 1665

• Parabolic arcs with boom height ƒ = 0.144 × span L.

• Strength class GL30c. Glue type. Clean planed, unrepaired surfaces. Climate class 1. •
Downward load. The glulam frames are assumed to be braced against tilting. The distance between the bracing points must therefore be no more than 15 × the width of the glulam arch.

Note: With round steel tie rods, for example strength class 8.8, stays can be selected with diameters
and numbers that vary depending on the span and load.

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Dimension tables

h3

h2

Treledsramar
h1

Table 15 Dimension table – three-link frames

Load- Wall Span L

ning H (m)
(kN/m) height (m) (b × h 1– h 2– h 3)

15 20 25 30 35
10 4,0 140 × 450–570–300 140 × 600–690–450 140 × 700–810–650 165 × 800–870–750 165 × 900–990–900
4,5 140 × 450–600–300 140 × 600–750–450 165 × 650–810–550 165 × 800–930–700 165 × 900–1050–850
5,0 140 × 450–630–300 140 × 600–780–400 165 × 650–870–500 165 × 800–990–650 190 × 800–1020–750
15 4,0 140 × 550–630–300 140 × 700–780–500 165 × 800–870–600 165 × 900–990–750 190 × 950–1050–900
4,5 140 × 550–690–300 140 × 700–840–450 165 × 800–930–550 165 × 900–1050–700 190 × 950–1110–850
5,0 140 × 550–720–300 165 × 600–810–400 165 × 800–990–500 190 × 850–1050–650 190 × 950–1170–800
20 4,0 140 × 600–660–350 140 × 750–840–500 165 × 900–930–650 190 × 1000–1020–750 190 × 1100–1170–900
4,5 140 × 600–720–350 165 × 750–840–450 165 × 900–990–600 190 × 1000–1050–700 215 × 1000–1140–800
5,0 140 × 600–780–350 165 × 750–870–400 165 × 900–1050–550 190 × 1000–1140–650 215 × 1000–1230–750
25 4,0 140 × 650–720–400 165 × 750–840–500 190 × 900–960–650 190 × 1050–1140–750 215 × 1150–1200–900
4,5 140 × 650–780–400 165 × 750–900–450 190 × 900–1020–600 215 × 1050–1140–650 215 × 1150–1290–850
5,0 140 × 650–840–400 165 × 750–960–450 190 × 900–1080–550 215 × 1050–1200–650 215 × 1150–1350–800

• Curved frame corner with continuous slats.

• Strength class GL30c. Glue type. Clean planed, unrepaired surfaces. Climate class 1. •
Downward load. The glulam frames are assumed to be braced against tilting. The distance between the bracing points along the outside of the glulam frame may then be maximum
15 × the width of the glulam frame.

Floor beams
L

Table 16 Dimensional table – floor joists

Cross-sectional Residences Offices, schools

dimensions

b × h
Screw-glued floor chipboard Screwed floor chipboard Screw-glued floor chipboard Screwed floor chipboard
(mm)
Span L (mm) Span L (mm) Span L (mm) Span L (mm)

Two supports Three supports Two supports Three supports Two supports Three supports Two supports Three supports

42 × 180 3790 3800 2870 2870 3800 3800 2870 2870

225 4480 4640 3730 3730 4640 4460 3730 3730
56 × 225 4810 4960 4180 4180 4960 4960 4180 4180
270 5520 5880 5170 5170 5850 5880 5170 5170
66 × 270 5750 6120 5500 5500 6100 6120 5500 5500
315 6450 7100 6450 6550 6840 7100 6550 6550
90 × 315 7040 7800 7040 7460 7470 7800 7460 7460

• Maximum span (mm) for floor beams on two or three supports.

• In the case of beams on three supports, the intermediate support must lie within the range of 0.4 and 0.6 of the total length of the beams. The distance between the glulam beams (c-
distance) is 600 mm. • Subfloor of at least 22 mm glued and screwed floor chipboard type P5 or better or only screwed. •
Strength class GL30c for glulam beams with width ÿ 90 mm. • Strength
class GL28cs for glulam beams with width < 90 mm (split sawn glulam beams). Glue type. Clean planed, unrepaired surfaces. Climate class 1. • The stiffness of the joists
has been checked according to Eurocode 5.
• In addition, the maximum deflection in the service limit condition ufin has been limited to 20 mm for residential and 30 mm for office joists. • Self-weight = 0.5 kN/
m2.

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Dimension tables

a
2 a2

Roof ridges
a1 a1

L L L L L

Table 17 Dimensional table - roof ridges

Load (kN/m) Span L

(m)

4,8 6 7,2 9,6

Outer compartment Inner compartment Outer compartment Inner compartment Outer compartment Inner compartment Outer compartment Inner compartment

4 56 × 225 42 × 225 66 × 270 56 × 270 66 × 315 56 × 315 90 × 360 66 × 360

5 66 × 225 56 × 225 78 × 270 56 × 270 90 × 315 56 × 315 90 × 405 66 × 405
6 56 × 270 56 × 270 78 × 315 56 × 315 115 × 315 66 × 315 115 × 405 78 × 405
7 66 × 270 56 × 270 90 × 315 56 × 315 90 × 360 66 × 360 115 × 450 78 × 450
8 66 × 315 56 × 315 90 × 315 66 × 315 115 × 360 78 × 360 115 × 450 78 × 450
9 66 × 315 56 × 315 115 × 315 78 × 315 90 × 405 78 × 405 140 × 450 90 × 450
10 78 × 315 66 × 315 78 × 405 66 × 405 115 × 405 78 × 405 115 × 495 90 × 495
12 90 × 315 78 × 315 90 × 405 78 × 405 115 × 450 90 × 450 140 × 540 90 × 540
15 78 × 405 78 × 405 90 × 450 90 × 450 115 × 495 90 × 495 165 × 540 115 × 540
18 90 × 405 90 × 405 90 × 495 90 × 495 115 × 540 115 × 540 140 × 630 115 × 630
a1 0,60 0,75 0,90 1,20
a2 0,70 0,88 1,05 1,40
12 15 18

Outer compartment Inner compartment Outer compartment Inner compartment Outer compartment Inner compartment

4 90 × 450 66 × 450 115 × 540 78 × 540 115 × 630 90 × 630

5 115 × 450 78 × 450 140 × 540 90 × 540 140 × 630 90 × 630
6 115 × 495 78 × 495 140 × 585 90 × 585 165 × 630 115 × 630
7 140 × 495 90 × 495 165 × 585 115 × 585 165 × 675 115 × 675
8 140 × 540 90 × 540 165 × 630 115 × 630 190 × 675 115 × 675
9 140 × 540 115 × 540 190 × 585 140 × 585 190 × 720 115 × 720
10 140 × 585 90 × 585 190 × 630 140 × 630 190 × 765 115 × 765
12 140 × 630 115 × 630 190 × 675 140 × 675 190 × 810 140 × 810
15 190 × 630 140 × 630 190 × 765 140 × 765 215 × 855 140 × 855
18 190 × 675 140 × 675 215 × 765 165 × 765 215 × 945 140 × 945
a1 1,50 1,88 2,25
a2 1,75 2,19 2,63

• Roof ridges with constant cross-sectional height, continuous over two or more intermediate supports. Moment-free joints placed so that support and field moments
are equal in the inner compartments, so-called
Gerber system. • Strength class GL30c (b ÿ 90 mm) or GL28cs (split-sawn glulam beams b < 90 mm). Glue type. Clean planed, unrepaired surfaces. Climate class
1. • Evenly distributed, downward load. The roof ridges are assumed to be braced against tilting.
• Deflection in the serviceability limit state of initial deformation no more than 1/130 or of quasi-permanent deformation no more than 1/100 of the span. • a1 and
a2 are distances (m) from the centerline of the lay-up to the centerline of the Gerber joint.

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Dimension tables

Last

With

Pillar A A
and and h

A-A
Table 18 Dimension table - columns

Break length (m) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Buckling axis y–y z–z y–y z–z y–y z–z y–y z–z y–y z–z y–y z–z y–y z–z
Cross-sectional dimensions Durability class
b × h

(mm)

90 × 90 GL 30h 86 86 41 41 23 23 15 15 11 11 8 8 6 6

135 GL 30h 204 129 129 61 77 35 50 23 35 16 26 12 20 9

180 GL 30c 244 159 218 78 159 45 109 29 78 20 58 15 45 11

225 GL 30c 311 199 296 97 260 56 199 36 147 25 110 19 86 14

270 GL 30c 377 239 366 116 345 67 301 43 239 30 185 22 145 17
115 × 115 GL 30h 197 197 106 106 62 62 40 40 28 28 21 21 16 16
135 GL 30h 232 261 165 124 98 72 64 47 45 33 33 24 26 19
180 GL 30c 311 270 278 156 204 91 139 59 99 42 74 31 57 24
225 GL 30c 397 338 378 195 332 114 254 74 187 52 141 38 110 30
270 GL 30c 482 405 467 234 440 137 385 89 305 63 236 46 186 36
315 GL 30c 566 473 553 273 534 160 499 104 436 73 356 54 286 41

140 × 135 GL 30h 318 318 201 201 119 119 78 78 55 55 40 39 31 31

140 GL 30h 335 335 221 221 133 133 87 87 61 61 45 45 35 35

180 GL 30c 379 362 338 262 248 161 170 106 121 74 90 55 69 42
225 GL 30c 484 452 460 327 404 201 310 132 228 93 172 69 133 53

270 GL 30c 587 542 569 393 536 242 468 159 372 112 288 83 226 64
315 GL 30c 689 633 674 458 650 282 608 185 531 130 434 96 348 74
160 × 160 GL 30h 456 456 351 351 221 221 146 146 103 103 76 76 59 59
165 × 165 GL 30h 489 489 387 387 249 249 165 165 116 116 86 86 66 66
180 GL 30c 447 442 399 374 292 254 200 170 142 121 106 90 82 69
225 GL 30c 570 552 542 468 477 317 365 213 269 151 203 112 157 86
270 GL 30c 691 662 670 561 632 381 552 255 438 181 339 134 266 104
315 GL 30c 812 773 794 655 767 444 717 298 626 211 511 157 410 121
360 GL 30c 931 883 916 748 894 508 859 340 798 241 699 179 584 138
190 × 180 GL 30c 515 515 459 459 336 336 230 230 164 164 122 122 94 94
225 GL 30c 656 647 624 591 549 455 420 317 309 227 233 169 181 131
270 GL 30c 796 777 772 709 728 546 635 380 504 272 390 203 307 157
315 GL 30c 935 906 914 827 883 637 825 444 721 317 589 237 472 183
360 GL 30c 1073 1035 1055 945 1029 728 989 507 919 363 805 271 673 209
215 × 225 GL 30c 743 740 707 699 621 596 476 443 350 323 264 242 205 188
270 GL 30c 901 888 873 838 823 716 719 531 571 387 442 291 347 225
315 GL 30c 1058 1036 1035 978 999 835 934 620 815 452 666 339 534 263
360 GL 30c 1214 1185 1193 1118 1165 954 1119 709 1040 516 911 388 761 301
405 GL 30c 1365 1333 1351 1258 1326 1074 1291 797 1235 581 1142 436 1006 338

• Dimensioning bearing capacity in kN for centrally loaded glulam columns with rectangular cross-section and articulated attachment at both ends (pendulum columns). •
Shortest load type in the load combination is of type M, for example snow load.
• Strength class GL30c with four slats or more or GL30h for glulam columns with up to three slats. Glue type.
Clean planed, unrepaired surfaces. Climate class 1 or 2.

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Dimensioning program

Dimensioning program
In Sweden, there are several approved dimensioning programs for glulam. Below
are some commercial computer programs, which are currently (2015) used by
the Swedish glulam manufacturers:

• Focus Konstruktsjon – 2D and 3D programs for static analysis and calculation of

columns, beams, frames and trusses.
• RFEM – General program for calculation and dimensioning.
• RSTAB – General program for calculation and dimensioning.
• TIMBER PRO – Dimensioning module for RFEM and RSTAB.
• RX-TIMBER – Dimensioning of beams and columns according to
Eurocode 5.
• Finnwood – Dimensioning of beams and columns according to Eurocode 5.
• StatCon Structure – Dimensioning of beams and columns according to
Eurocode 5.
• StatCon Glulam – Program for arches, desk or saddle beams,
frames etc.
• TrussCon – Program for dimensioning and calculation of roof
chairs. It is intended to be used by truss manufacturers to create production data
for individual trusses.
• Swedish Wood – Dimensioning program for simpler applications, which can be
found at www.byggbeskrivningar.se under the Dimensioning tab.

Three-jointed frames of glulam, Fröåkra stables, Lyrestad.

www.byggbeskrivningar.se/dimensionering

In addition, there are some glulam sizing programs currently used by construction
consultants:

• StruSoft Frame Analysis – 2D program for columns, beams, frames

etcetera.
• StruSoft FemDesign – 3D program that also calculates slabs.

For further information on dimensioning programs and updates, contact the

program manufacturers.

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Connection details

Connection details
In this section, principle examples of standard solutions for junctions and fittings are
presented. The connection details reported can be found on the orientation sketches
below. The material in fittings and fixings must have rust protection adapted to the
current corrosivity class - as a rule at least equivalent to hot-dip galvanized steel with
a zinc layer ÿ 55 µm (mymeter). The reported standard fittings meet these requirements.
They are made of hot-dip galvanized steel or, where applicable, of stainless acid-
resistant steel (so-called austenitic stainless steel A4).

Articulated fasteners transmit horizontal and vertical forces but not moments.
Fastening that must be able to transmit moments must be tensioned. For more detailed
instructions, refer to Glued Wood Handbook Part 2 and Part 3.

Technology development
Figure 54 Node in a truss with
In addition to standard solutions, new fittings and fastenings for glulam constructions
slotted steel sheets and steel dowels, dowel
are constantly being developed. Different requirements force new solutions.
connections.
Recessed fittings have many advantages over surface-mounted fittings, for example
improved fire resistance. Universal screw is a type of screw that enables the
application of simpler as well as cheaper connections.

Nock Connection to
secondary beam
Connection to
ridge attachment
secondary beam Figure 55 Dowel joint with slotted plate

Pillar top

Balkskarv

Column foot

Figure 58 Fittings for detached houses - orientation sketch.

Figure 56 Nailing plates

Standard fittings for detached houses

1. Nailing plates
Nailing plates can be used as joint plates for beam and roof constructions made of
glulam or for attaching column bases. To avoid eccentric loads, two plates per connection
must be used (so-called double fittings). The plates are made of hot-dip galvanized steel
sheet or stainless acid-resistant steel sheet in thicknesses of 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 mm. Hole
diameter 5 mm.

2. Ceiling mount
Roof ridge attachment is used for roof constructions and crossing beams, mainly
when anchoring roof ridges to the primary beam. They are particularly useful in
constructions that are to be provided with cladding on the outside of the load-bearing
frame or where it is not important if the fittings are
Figure 57 Roof ridge bracket

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Connection details

visible. Manufactured in a few different models, such as left and right fittings,
from hot-dip galvanized sheet steel. Hole diameter 5 mm.

3. Forked anchor
Forked anchors are mainly used as connections between trusses and
underlying construction but can also be used for cross joints in wood. Manufactured
in various models from hot-dip galvanized sheet steel with a thickness of 1.5 mm.
Hole diameter 5 mm.

4. Dragband
Figure 59 Fork anchors Tensile straps made of sheet steel are used to stabilize roof structures.
They are also used for windbreaks in joists and walls. Manufactured from hot-
dip galvanized sheet steel. Hole diameter 5 mm for mounting with anchor nail or
anchor screw.

5. Pole shoe
Post shoes are used for embedding or fixing in concrete when attaching
glulam columns, for example for fences and balconies. Manufactured in
different models, with or without adjustable design, in hot-dip galvanized steel.
Figure 60 Drag band

6. Angle bracket
Angle fittings are used as cross joints in wood and glulam. Can also be used
for fastenings for wood - concrete. Available in several dimensions for adaptation
to the current load. Manufactured from hot-dip galvanized or stainless steel
sheet with a thickness of 2 or 3 mm. Hole diameter 5 mm for anchor nail or
anchor screw, as well as larger holes for expander screw.

7. Nail plate angle

Figure 61 Post shoe Nail plate angles can be used for connections between post and sill or for
cross connections with moderate load. Manufactured from hot-dip galvanized
or stainless steel sheet with a thickness of 2 or 4 mm.
Håldiameter 5 mm.

8. Balksko
Beam shoes are used when connecting beams in the same plane and when
connecting columns and beams made of glulam. There are many different types
of beam shoes with tabs that have different widths. Within each type there
Figure 62 Angle bracket are a number of heights. Beam shoes can have inward or outward facing
tabs. Manufactured from hot-dip galvanized sheet steel with a thickness of 2 mm.
Håldiameter 5 mm.

9. Tanner batter
Gerber fittings are used for non-moment-transmitting jointing of beams in the same
plane. To avoid eccentric loading, two fittings must

Figure 63 Nail plate angle

Figure 64 Beam shoe with external tabs Figure 65 Gerber fitting

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Connection details

be used per dressing (so-called double fitting). Manufactured from hot-dip

galvanized sheet steel with a thickness of 2 mm. Hole diameter 5 mm.
Anchor screw. Used in combination with construction fittings.

10. Fastening with wood screws

Joints with special wood screws, universal screws or wood building screws are
another simple solution for smaller constructions, for example conservatories Anchor nail. Used in combination with construction fittings.

and carports. Figure 67 adjacent shows the universal screw for connecting the
secondary beam to the primary beam. It can also be used as a reinforcement
for glulam beams when laying. The screw has a drill tip to avoid cracks in the Drilling doweling. Used for mounting slotted steel sheets
wood. It is often mounted at an angle (slope). in wooden constructions.

Universal screw. With upper and lower anchoring

Fittings for larger buildings threads for two pieces of timber.
Nock Connection to
secondary beam

Connection to ridge attachment

secondary beam
Wood construction screw. With specially designed
Pillar top threads. Does not need to be pre-drilled.

Figure 66 Example of nails and wood screws used for glulam joints.

Drawstring
attachment
Balkskarv Junction Screwing diagonally into the glulam.

Column foot

Figure 68 Orientation sketch of reported connection details to larger buildings.

Column foot

Nailing plates
Articulated or clamped fastening of column foot with nailing plates on both
sides. It is a simple solution, suitable for both small and large horizontal forces Figure 67 Universal screw

and vertical forces (lift).

Figure 69 Nailing plate on both sides. Figure 70 Flat steel on both sides. Figure 71 Angle steel on both sides. Figure 72 Post shoe of L- or
Moisture protection between glulam and concrete. Moisture protection between glulam and concrete. Moisture protection between glulam and concrete. U-profile with welded-on
anchor rod.

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Connection details

In the case of articulated fastening, the nail plates are usually placed on the wide sides of
the column, in the case of fixed clamping usually on the narrow sides of the column.
The fittings can either be cast into the concrete structure or welded to a cast-in steel
plate. The power transmission takes place with an anchor nail or screw. End timber
surfaces must be moisture-protected against concrete and other moisture-absorbing
materials and preferably be accessible for moisture-protective maintenance, see also the
section Moisture protection, page 37.
Special measures for fire protection may be required, for example fire-
protective painting or cladding, see section Planning with regard to fire, page 62.

Flat steel

Articulated or clamped fastening of column footings with flat steel is an equivalent

alternative to nailing plates.
In the case of hinged fastening, the flat steel is usually placed on the width of the column
sides, in case of fixed clamping usually on the narrow sides of the column. The flat steel
is cast into the concrete structure or welded to a cast-in steel plate.

Detail of junction in ridge, Västervik resort. The power transmission takes place with a through screw or some type of
wood screw. End timber surfaces must be moisture-protected against concrete and
other moisture-absorbing materials and they must be accessible for moisture-
protective maintenance, see also the section Moisture protection, page 37.
Special measures for fire protection may be required, for example fire-
protective painting or cladding.

Angle steel
Articulated fastening of column foot with angle steel that is screwed to the column is a simple
solution, suitable for small horizontal forces and vertical forces (lifting).

Angle steel is screwed into the concrete construction with expander screws or so-called
chemical anchors, which enables accurate measurement and reduces the risk of
misplacement. The usual is symmetrical angle steel on either side of the column. End timber
surfaces must be protected from moisture and should preferably be accessible for moisture-
proofing maintenance, see also the section Moisture protection, page 37.

Pole shoe
For articulated fastening outdoors or in premises where there is free water and if the
forces are small, pole shoes are a suitable solution because absorption of water through the
end surface of the column is prevented.
The fitting often consists of a U-profile and a welded-on anchoring rod.
As a rule, the lower part of the anchor rod is cast into the concrete structure, but the rod
can also be welded to a cast-in steel plate. The power transmission usually takes place with
Glued the help of a screw. Adjustable standard fittings are also available.
screw
a

Glued screw
Stålsockel 50 mm
In the case of hinged or clamped fastening with a glued-in screw, the fastening is
installed at the Cast-in
glulam manufacturer steel plates completely hidden. From a fire technical point of view, a hidden fitting provides acceptable
protection. Clamping is only suitable for relatively small clamping moments. Glued
screws must not be used in constructions i

climate class 3 (outdoor constructions) or in constructions exposed to dynamic loads, for

example vehicles or fatigue loads.
A screw glued in glulam is covered by a Type Approval (Type Approval Certificate

Figure 73 Steel plinth with glued-in screw 1396/78).

and cast-in steel plate. The connection to the foundation structure is usually designed with
an end plate on the end face of the column. The end plate is attached with a washer and
nut to the glued screw. The pillar can also be connected with
protruding screw that is cast into recesses in the basic structure.

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Connection details

Glued stud A A

A simpler, non-power-transmitting variant is a glued stud, which may be sufficient

when only control of columns is sought. Studs can be made of fully threaded rod
in strength class 4.6 or 8.8 and with diameter M12, M16, M20 or M24 according
to the customer's specification. Glued stud

d01
Glue quality corresponds to that used for glued screws, however, glued studs
are not covered by type approval for glued screws.
Thus, no strength may be credited. The product does not need to be sampled or
labeled.

05
Please note that gluing may only be carried out by an approved glulam supplier
bro! Holes in the concrete substrate are drilled with a diameter that is 2 mm
ÿ8d
larger than the diameter of the stud, alternatively slightly larger holes that are filled
in place with grout. The column base must be provided with moisture protection
against the concrete, for example with 4.8 mm oil-hardened, wet-made hard

d8ÿ
wood fiber board, see figure 74.

d4ÿ
ÿ4d ÿ4d
Pillar top
A-A
Nailing plates
Articulated connection with nailing plates on both sides of the glulam Figure 74 Glued stud for fixing columns (non-power-

elements is simple and suitable for both small and large loads. The sheets transmitting fittings).

found in standard catalogs have thicknesses that limit their use to moderate
loads. The sheet metal manufacturer's instructions must be carefully followed.
Power is transmitted using anchor nails or screws. The plates should be
placed as close to the inner edge of the column as possible so that they do not
prevent the angle change of the beam. Special measures for fire protection may be
required, for example protective painting or cladding, see section Fire protection
of dressings and fittings - general considerations, page 66.

Flat steel
Articulated connection with flat steel on both sides of the glulam elements is also,
like nailing plates, simple and effective.
Flat steel, such as flat bar or universal bar, is suitable for both small and large
loads. The material thickness is selected from the standard series 5, 6, 8, 10, 12,
15 or 20 mm and at least 0.3 x the screw diameter. Holes for screws should be
approximately 1 mm larger than the screw diameter or made as vertical, oval holes.
Special measures for fire protection may be required, for example fire
protection painting or covering, see section Fire protection of dressings and fittings
- general considerations, page 66.

Figure 75 Nailing plate on Figure 76 Flat steel on Figure 77 Slotted plates with Figure 78 Recessed beam Figure 79 Recessed beam
both sides of the glulam both sides of the glulam steel dowels. and through screw with nut and plate angles.
elements. elements. and washer.

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Connection details

Screwing diagonally from above into the glulam. Slotted plates

In the case of an articulated connection with slotted steel plate and steel dowels, the
attachment is completely hidden. The steel dowels can be sunk into the glulam beam and
covered with wooden plugs. From a fire technical point of view, a completely hidden
fitting provides acceptable protection, see figure 77, page 57.

Recessed beam

Recessed glulam beam is often used with gable columns to transfer the column's
horizontal force to the glulam beam. The recess in the glulam column is often made the
same size as the beam width. The force transmission between glulam beam and glulam
column usually takes place with the help of through screws, washers and nuts. In the
case of small horizontal forces and lifting forces, fastening with sheet metal angles,
universal screws or wood building screws can also be used, see figure 79, page 57.

Universal screw
Joints with special wood screws, universal screws, are another simple solution for
both smaller and larger constructions, for example outdoor rooms, carports, joists and hall
frames. There are many screw applications, for example according to figures 67 and 80. A
Screwing diagonally into the glulam. screw angle of at least 30° should be aimed for in end timber, pre-drilling is generally not
applied and the screw is countersunk with ease, so that the unthreaded part always ends
up in the timber joint.

Nock
Articulated ridge joint transmits horizontal and vertical forces. Moments are not transferred.

The attachment should be designed so that the angle change is not prevented. If the angle
change cannot take place freely, extra stresses arise which can cause unforeseen damage
to the building structure.

Nailing plates
Articulated butt jointing of nailing plates on both sides is simple and expedient. Sheet metal
laths are suitable for both small and large forces. The sheet metal manufacturer's instructions
must be carefully followed. The force transfer between nail plate and glulam beam takes
place with the help of anchor nails or screws. The plates should be placed as close to
the lower edge of the glulam beams as possible so that they do not prevent the angle
change of the glulam beams.
The appropriate distance between the bottom edge of the glulam beam and the bottom
Figure 80 Two examples of column-beam connection with universal
row of nails is 10 × the nail/screw diameter. There are pre-drilled nailing plates made of
screws – one screw from above (above), two screws from the sides (below).
Universal screws in end wood should be pulled at an angle of at least 30° to hot-dip galvanized sheet steel in stock in various sizes and thicknesses between 1.5 and
the grain to obtain an acceptable pulling force. 5 mm.
Another suitably designed ridge fitting has been developed by Limträ-
technique in Falun AB, see figure 82.

A A

Figure 81 Butt joint, articulated, with nailing plates on both

sides.

A-A

Figure 82 Ridge fittings made of steel according to Limträteknik in Falun AB.

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Connection details

Balkskarv
Articulated beam joint transmits horizontal and vertical forces. Moments
not transferred. The fastening should be designed so that the angle change of
the glulam beams is not prevented. If the angle change cannot take place freely,
extra stresses arise that can cause unforeseen damage to the building
structure.

Nailing plates
Articulated beam joint with laths of nailing plates is simple and fit for purpose. It is
suitable for small or moderate forces. The sheet metal manufacturer's instructions
must be carefully followed. The plates should be placed centrally with respect Figure 83 Nailing plates on both sides of the joint.

to the center line of the glulam beam = system line. The force transfer between
plates and glulam beam takes place with the help of anchor nails or screws.

Welded Gerber fittings

Articulated beam joint with Gerber fitting is recommended if large transverse
forces are to be transmitted and if the force always has the same direction.
Smaller transverse forces in the opposite direction are transmitted through screw
connections in the side plates. The forces are mainly transferred by means of
contact. If the Gerber fitting is to transmit tensile forces, it is supplemented with
welded-on flat bars. In order not to counteract the angle change of the glulam
beams, the side screws are placed as close to the top and bottom plates as
possible. Suitable edge distance is 2 × the screw diameter if the screw only Figure 84 Gerber fittings of flat steel.
transmits horizontal forces and 4 × screw diameter if the screw also transmits
vertical forces.

Standard Gerberbeslag
Gerber fittings are manufactured as stock items. They are made of hot-dip
galvanized sheet steel and are suitable for small and moderate transverse forces.
The sheet metal manufacturer's instructions must be carefully followed. The
fittings can be whole or split. The entire ones fit specific cross-sectional
dimensions of glulam beams, while the split ones are usually independent of the
cross-sectional dimensions of the glulam beams. The forces are mainly
transferred by means of anchor nails or screws. When using double fittings, of
the type shown here next to it, the risk of splitting must be particularly Figure 85 Gerber fittings (standard) made of sheet steel.

considered, see Glulam Handbook Part 2. A rule of thumb is that the height to the
topmost anchor nail or screw divided by the beam height h should be ÿ 0.7.
Screwing diagonally into the glulam.

Connection to secondary beam

Secondary beam laid on top of primary beam transmits vertical forces and small
horizontal forces in the direction of the primary beam. A secondary beam
suspended on the side of the primary beam also transmits horizontal forces in
the direction of the secondary beam. If necessary, the fitting can be designed
so that moments are also transferred.

Screw fastening with universal screw

Double-threaded universal screw on bevel can be used for small or moderate
forces. The screw manufacturer's instructions must be carefully followed.

Figure 86 Connection of secondary beam to primary beam using

universal screw.

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Connection details

Ridge attachment
Fastening of ridges in the upper side of the primary beam is usually done with the help of industrially
produced fittings of cold-formed, hot-dip galvanized sheet steel, for example angle fittings. The
fitting can be designed with a stiffening groove, or so-called peg. The force is transmitted mainly
through contact pressure and with the help of anchor nails or screws. The fittings manufacturer's
instructions must be carefully followed.

Standard joist shoe and welded joist shoe

Connecting a secondary beam with a standard-type beam shoe is a simple and effective solution,
especially when the upper side of the glulam beams must lie in the same plane. The force is
transmitted mainly through contact pressure and with the help of anchor nails or screws. The beam
shoe manufacturer's instructions must be carefully followed. When large bearing reactions

Figure 87 Ridge fastening with angle fittings of hot- (transverse forces) are to be transferred from the secondary beam, welded beam shoes of hot-
dip galvanized sheet steel. rolled steel (flat bar or universal bar) are usually required.

The force transfer between the secondary beam and the welded beam shoe mainly takes
place through contact pressure, while the force transfer between the beam shoe and the primary
beam takes place with the help of nails, through screws or some type of wood screw. Beam shoes
can be designed in different ways.

Drawstring attachment
Tensile strap attachment only transfers horizontal tensile forces to the glulam beam. As a rule, the
tensioning strap consists of two or more steel bars. In the case of low tensile forces, the tension
strap can also be made of glulam. The attachment is normally designed so that the tensile force
acts as close as possible to the intersection between the system lines of the glulam beam and the

Figure 88 Beam shoes made of sheet steel or structural steel. glulam column.
The metal option is available as a standard fitting.
Pull straps made of
steel Pull straps made of high-quality steel are suitable for both small and large pulling forces.
The easiest attachment is with a pull strap on either side of the glulam beam. For moderate tensile
forces, the two tension straps can be replaced with a single tension strap which is pulled through
a central hole in the glulam beam. However, this should be avoided for very high glulam
beams for manufacturing reasons. In the case of large traction forces, the two traction straps
on the sides can be supplemented with a third, centrally located. The steel plate against the end
wooden surface of the glulam beam is provided with nail holes to facilitate assembly. The power
transfer mainly takes place via contact pressure oblique to the fiber direction.

Drawstring made of glulam

Tensile straps made of glulam are suitable for use with small tensile forces.
The fastening of the tension band in the glulam beam can consist of flat bars that either go
Figure 89 Pull straps made around the end of the glulam beam or end a bit into the tension band. The length of the flat steel
of high-quality steel.
or nailing plate must then be according to figure 90. In the case of small tensile forces, the flat steel
can be replaced with nailing plates. The transfer of horizontal forces takes place by abutment
with the help of welded-on steel plate and with the help of anchor nails or screws.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

a a

Figure 90 Tensile strips of glulam and flat steel or nailing

plate that go around the end of the beam.

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Dimensioning

Dimensioning
A clear and correct measurement of the glulam elements provides fast
processing and reduces the risk of errors and delays during post-
processing at the glulam manufacturer. Examples of dimensioning are given
in figure 91 below.
All required views must be drawn and dimensioned. Cross-section
arrows facilitate understanding. It is often enough to draw the glulam beam
or the glulam column seen from the side. The glulam elements are
preferably oriented horizontally or vertically on the post-processing drawing,
to save drawing space and facilitate measurement.
When setting the dimensions, you should start from the untreated
glulam element and include all measurements in the x and y directions that
are required to be able to process the beam yourself. It is advantageous to
always start from the same point when measuring, for example, a notch,
even if it takes up more drawing space. If there are holes, the location, hole
diameter and any countersinking and reinforcement must be stated. If
there are, for example, slits or glued-on buttons, these are measured
appropriately. Explanatory text can supplement the measurement.
Modern 3D drawing programs usually automatically generate 2D drawings,
where the measurements should however be checked so that they are
complete. If 3D models of the glulam elements can be inserted on the post-
processing drawing, it facilitates understanding during complicated assembly.

Figure 91 Example of clear dimensioning for post-processing.

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Design with fire in mind

Design with fire in mind

Historically, fires with wooden houses have occurred, which has left its mark in
building legislation, among other things in the form of various restrictions on the
use of wood in buildings. However, experience has also shown that especially
rough wooden structures retain a large part of their load-bearing capacity during
the initial stage of a fire. This experience has long been reflected in the authority's
requirements in our building regulations, where unprotected glulam elements
and cross-glued wooden elements, KL-timber, may also be used in fire-proof
buildings, but is also noticeable in the insurance companies' premium setting,
where glulam frames are equated with concrete frames .

The emergency services prefer glulam over many other frame materials.
Experience from many fires has shown that collapse of glulam frames is
extremely rare because the load-bearing capacity remains reassuring for a relatively
long time. There are examples of glulam frames being restored after a fire and
being able to be kept in the restored building. Since the mid-1990s, there has been
a transition to functional requirements in the fire regulations. This and increased
Machine hall of three-link frames with finger-jointed frame corners,
knowledge of fire-technically correct dimensioning and execution of wooden
Söderköping.
constructions have brought new opportunities for such wooden constructions
that meet the requirements for a reassuring fire safety.

Therefore, wooden frames are now also used in multi-storey buildings.

Glulam and fire

If a wooden structure is exposed to fire, its surfaces will ignite. Combustion then
proceeds inwards at a largely constant rate. However, penetration is slow
because the carbon layer that forms is heat insulating and counteracts the heat
flow from the combustion chamber to the pyrolysis zone. In the pyrolysis
zone, temperatures between approximately 250 and 350 °C prevail and
combustible gases are formed there which diffuse through the carbon layer until
they meet oxygen at its surface and start burning. A clear boundary between the
carbon layer and the residual cross-section is formed at 300 °C. In the case of
wide cracks and outer corners, the burn-in is greater.

Even metallic fasteners such as screws, bolts, dowels and more can
Kolskikt Normal wood contribute to increased heat flow into the interior of the glulam cross-section and an
Pyrolyszon
increased burn-in. The glue joints have no negative effect on the fire resistance of
Figure 92 Fire penetration the glulam, provided that approved glues are used, for example melamine glue.
On the other hand, other, both older and newer types of glue can lose their
strength at low temperatures in connection with fire and cause delamination,
increased burn-in and further reduction of the load-bearing capacity of the glulam.

The favorable properties of glulam in the event of a fire are mainly due to the
fact that it "protects itself", i.e. through the carbon layer. In the case of conventional
glulam joints with external fittings, the fire protection is often insufficient - here,
extra fire protection may be needed by attaching cladding panels made of, for
example, wood or plaster to the outside of the joint parts. An effective way to
achieve reassuring fire protection is to use hidden fastening with, for example,
slotted plates and dowels made of steel. Holes at dowels are protected against
the effects of fire by hiding them with wooden plugs.

The temperature in the unburned parts of a rough wooden structure remains

largely unaffected even during prolonged exposure to fire.
Only in a narrow, approximately 10 mm deep zone immediately below the carbon
layer, temperatures above 100 °C occur, while the strength and stiffness there
are significantly lower than in the unaffected wood.

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Design with fire in mind

The temperature movements during a fire are therefore negligible in a

glulam frame, unlike a steel or concrete frame where the longitudinal
expansion during a fire can give rise to secondary damage in, for example,
stacks or connecting masonry constructions.
A glulam construction also does not change shape as much in the
event of a fire as an unprotected steel construction. This is a
contributing factor to the fact that the total damage after a fire is
usually less in buildings with a glulam frame than in those with a steel frame.

Before fire After 30 min After 60 min

Fire safety requirements in the building regulations
The building technical fire protection requirements in Sweden are, Figure 93 Glulam maintains a significant load-bearing capacity even
among other things, formulated as requirements for certain fire resistance during a fire. The protective carbon layer that forms on the burned
of a construction or building part or for a certain fire technical class for surface contributes to this. The image illustrates a glulam cross-
section before fire (left), after 30 min of fire (middle) and after 60 min
surface layers. There is also a class classification for entire buildings
of fire (right) in case of four-sided fire attack.
which governs which requirements apply primarily depending on the
evacuation possibilities and how great the risk is of serious personal
injury in the event of a fire. Factors such as the size of the building, the
number of floors and what it will be used for, for example housing,
affect the building's fire-technical class.
If the risk of personal injury is very high, the authorities require
that the building must be fireproof, i.e. built in building class Br 0 or Br
1. For other buildings, fire-resistant construction is required, i.e. class Br
2. For most single-storey buildings, however, class Br 3 with the lowest
requirements is sufficient.

Construction element
Bearing constructions must, according to the national regulations, be
designed and dimensioned so that security against crime is reassuring Unlike unprotected steel, glulam

even in the event of fire. It can be shown that the requirement is met by retains its load-bearing capacity in the event of a fire.

calculating the bearing capacity under realistic conditions regarding, for

example, the temperature course (so-called natural fire course).
For wooden structures, calculation methods for these are not sufficiently
developed to be used in practice. Therefore, a simplified standard method
is used where the temperature-time curve follows a given relationship
(standard fire). The supporting structure is then built up of fire-technically
classified parts dimensioned for standard fires of various
diligence according to the national regulations.
Fire engineering class for load-bearing or separating building parts,
regardless of material, is indicated with designations such as R15,
R30, R60 and so on, or EI30, EI60 and so on where R means load-
bearing capacity, E integrity (tightness with respect to fire gases and
flames) and I insulation with respect on temperature rise on the non-fire
exposed side. The numbers indicate the time in minutes that the building
part is able to withstand the impact of fire from a standard fire, without
losing its load-bearing or separation function. A load-bearing partition
wall may, for example, have to meet the requirement REI60, that is,
have to withstand a standard fire for one hour according to the criteria
with respect to all three requirements.
Glulam beams and columns are commonly included in building components such as
must be both load-bearing and separating. Often the glulam elements
are visible and they will then also form part of the building's roof or wall
surfaces. With regard to the load-bearing and separation function,
beams and columns in all types of buildings, even multi-storey buildings,
may be made of glulam, however surface layer requirements in
certain spaces may entail restrictions.

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Design with fire in mind

Surface layer

Surface layer is defined as the outer part of a building structure that can be exposed in the
early stages of a fire and the surface layer class denotes the ability to prevent or delay over-
h ignition and smoke development. The surface layer can be an untreated wooden surface, but
if it is surface-treated, paint or varnish is included, for example. For European classes for
b
b + 2h surface layers, so-called Euroclasses, see table 19, page 65. The classes have designations
ÿ 0,2
c A1 – F with additions for smoke and drip classes, which, however, are not normally decisive
c for the choice of material. The European classes largely correspond to the previous Swedish
classes I, II or III, see table 19, page 65. Class B is the highest class that can be achieved for

Figure 94 The surface of glulam beams can be up to 20 percent of the combustible products and class D corresponds to the properties of untreated wood panel.
floor area without requiring treatment to achieve a higher surface layer
class than European class D.

Glulam has generally been shown to meet the requirements for class D-s2,d0 according to
the harmonized product standard for glulam SS-EN 14080, see table 19, page 65. In the
national regulations, no detailed requirements are given for surface layers, except for
escape routes. However, the advisory text says that roof surfaces in fire-resistant buildings
(class Br 0 and Br 1) should have surface layers corresponding to class B and wall surfaces in
class C. Fire-resistant buildings (class Br 2) should have surface layers class C in the roof and
class D on walls.
For ceiling surfaces, a substrate of non-combustible material or so-called flame-resistant
cladding, for example gypsum board or other non-combustible board material, is
recommended in both cases.

Requirements for surface layers of a higher class than class D (untreated wood) can be
met by choosing a type-approved paint system. Both transparent and covering options
are available. On the other hand, naturally, requirements for a substrate of non-combustible
material or flame-retardant cladding cannot be met for those parts of a roof or wall surface that
consist of visible glulam.

In practice, there are often several materials that are different from each other
fire properties within the same roof or wall surface. It can then be difficult to determine
whether the standard's requirements for surface layer class are met. A common situation
is that you want to have the glulam frame fully or partially visible in a space where the
national regulations require a class B or C surface layer on a non-combustible surface.

Currently, knowledge is insufficient about how a partially combustible surface functions

with regard to flame spread and overignition.
It is clear, however, that small exposed glulam surfaces at large distances from each
other do not significantly affect the fire-technical function of an otherwise non-combustible
surface. In connection with the above-mentioned advice regarding surface layer class,
the following is stated in the Swedish regulations, Boverket's building regulations, BBR: "For
smaller building parts, surface layers can be
designed in a lower surface layer class, but at least fire-technical class D-s2, d0." The same
applies to small rooms in cases where the surface layer does not affect the escape safety in
the building.
In their assessment, the authorities have usually assumed that the surface layer class of a non-
combustible floor slab (for example load-bearing wood wool elements) laid on untreated glulam
beams is not affected if the exposed gross area (the sum of surfaces exposed to fire) does not
exceed 20 percent of the floor area. Beams that are surface treated to class B can
generally be accepted.

Installation of an automatic sprinkler system can enable

so-called technical changes. This means that a passive fire protection system, for example
a fire-rated construction, is replaced with an active system such as sprinklers. Among
Car park with frame of glulam and cross-glued wood, KL-trä, Ekorren, Skellefteå. other things, surface layer class requirements can be reduced when installing sprinkler
systems.
There are also advanced models, for example through so-called
Fire safety engineering, for the dimensioning of individual buildings where classification
gives too unvarnished solutions.

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Design with fire in mind

Table 19 European surface layer classes according to SS-EN 13501-1

Fire class Smoking class Drop class Older Swedish class Examples of products

A1 – –
Non-flammable Stone, concrete

A2 s1 – s3 d0 – d2 Non-flammable Gypsum boards, mineral wool

B s1 – s3 d0 – d2 Class Fire-protected wood

C s1 – s3 d0 – d2 Class Wallpaper on plasterboard

D s1 – s3 d0 – d2 Class Wood, glulam and wood-based panels

AND
– –
Classified Some plastics

F 1) – –
Classified Some plastics

1) Does not meet class E and may not be used in buildings according to the Swedish Housing Agency's Building Regulations, BBR.

Fire resistance of glulam structures Table 20 European surface layer class for glulam according to product
standard SS-EN 14080

When it comes to fire-loaded wooden constructions, the national regulations Material Minimum Minimum- Class
are extremely restrained with verification methods. Calculation models on burn- density, thickness
average value (mm)
in and strength reduction can be taken from the common standard Eurocode
(kg/m3)
5, while safety parameters (partial coefficients, load reduction factors, etc.)
Glulam 380 40 D – s2, d0
must be taken from the current national adaptation document, EKS.

The dimensioning of a fire-exposed glulam beam takes place in two steps.

First, the residual cross-section is calculated, i.e. the cross-section that
remains after the carbon layer has been subtracted. The thickness of the
carbon layer increases by approximately 0.7 mm/minute. If this value is used,
the increased burn-in at corners can be considered taken into account. Since
there is a reduction in strength due to partial heating in the residual cross-
section, according to a simplified method, the area of the residual cross-
section can be reduced by a corresponding increase in the burn-in depth by a
maximum of 7 mm after 20 minutes of fire exposure. The effective residual
cross-section thus obtained is then considered to have the same properties as the cold cross-section.
In other words: the dimensioning in the case of fire is carried out with a
reduced cross-section as at normal temperature.
The dimensioning value for strength for the effective residual cross-
section is then the characteristic strength (at normal temperature) divided by
the partial coefficient for material in case of fire ( ÿm = 1.00).
According to Eurocode 5, the strength may be increased by 15 percent. The
conversion factor for reduction of the dimensioning strength with regard to
load duration and climate class when dimensioning at normal temperature
is not relevant in the case of fire.

Glulam beams
Examples of glulam beams with a rectangular cross-section that meet the
fire-technical classes R30 and R60 are given in table 21, page 67. Barn with load-bearing construction of glulam, Löhammar barn, nominated for the
The table gives the required dimensions if the fire can attack from three or four Wood Award 2008.

sides. The table values apply if there is no risk of tipping.

In the absence of stabilizing elements, for example roof ridges, tilting must
be taken into account in the dimensioning.
In the event of fire, a reduced load is calculated, see SS-EN 1995-1-2
section 2.4.2, where the load effect in case of fire, Ed,fi, on an individual
construction part is calculated as Ed,fi = ÿfi ÿ Ed, where Ed is the
dimensioning load effect when dimensioning for normal temperature for the
main load combination according to current EKS and ÿfi is the reduction
factor for dimensioning load in case of fire depending on the load ratio Qk,1 ÿGk
and the combination factor ÿfi for frequency value for variable loads.

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Design with fire in mind

For rough calculations, ÿfi = 0.6 is recommended. For useful cargo in category E
according to EKS, spaces where cargo accumulation can be expected,
including communication spaces, the recommended value is ÿfi = 0.7. For light
joists, the reduction factor ÿfi can be smaller.
For example, for snow loads in snow zone 3, the recommended value is ÿfi = 0.3.
However, it is easier to calculate the effective residual cross-section directly
as above and to compare the bearing capacity with the given load impact, see
Glued timber handbook Part 2.

Glulam columns
The fire resistance of glulam columns can be calculated according to the same
principles as for glulam beams. Since the slenderness of the glulam column
increases as the fire reduces the cross-section, the result cannot, however, be
summarized in a simple table, but a separate calculation must be made for each
individual case. Fire-technical class R30 is often achieved without the cross-
sectional dimensions needing to be increased with regard to fire impact, while
class R60 usually requires some oversizing.

Fire protection of dressings and fittings -

general considerations
While the glulam elements themselves have good properties in connection with a
fire, connections and connection details made of steel often constitute weak
points that may need to be fire protected, if the construction as a whole is to meet
the requirements for a certain fire engineering class. Some rules for fire-technical
classification of fastening details are given in Limträ handbook Part 2.
Additional dimensioning rules can be found in Eurocode 5 on which the
information below is based.
According to Eurocode 5, an unprotected nail, wood screw or screw
dressing fully utilized at normal temperature also a fire exposure for at least
15 minutes and an unprotected dousing dressing for at least 20 minutes depending
on the configuration of the dressing.
Through lower utilization, the fire resistance can be increased to up to 40
minutes, for example with dowel joints. In order to achieve the usual fire
resistance requirements for fire technical class R30 or R60, either a larger glulam
dimension, extra fire protection insulation or a reduced degree of utilization is
required, i.e. through oversizing. The measures can be combined.

The function of the fire protection insulation is to delay the critical temperature
state after 15 and 20 minutes respectively for an unprotected connection so that it
occurs after 30 or 60 minutes at the earliest.
Universeum, Gothenburg, winner of the Wood Prize 2004.
External steel parts can be protected with fireproof paint according to the
respective manufacturer's instructions. An effective protection of pre-strip is
achieved when it is covered with wood or glulam, plywood boards, veneer
wood, gypsum boards or stone wool. A fireproof insulation made of wood or plywood
sheets should preferably be thick enough that it will not burn away during the time
for which the classification refers. The reason is that the profit of the fire
protection insulation decreases very quickly after the protection has fallen
away. The same applies to ordinary plasterboard, which can fall down when the
wood has started to char behind the plasterboard, while a fire plasterboard stays
on for much longer. Cladding with external fire protection is more effective
than the corresponding oversizing of the wooden parts because it also
counteracts increased heat conduction into the cross-section through the
connectors. Sheets of glulam, veneer or plywood are screw-glued to the glulam
surface. Instead of gluing, painting is included

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Design with fire in mind

Table 21 Minimum beam height with regard to fire engineering class for Table 22 Examples of fire protection insulation of different compounds.
1)
glulam beams with a rectangular cross-section. 1) Minimum insulation thickness in mm.

Fire Glulam beam width (mm) Material Minimum- Nail, wood screw, Dymlings
class density, screw joints dressing
ÿfi
90 115 140 165 190 215
average value
R30 R60 R30 R60
3-sided fire (kg/m3)

R30 0,3 90 90 90 90 90 90 Wooden boards 2) 600 19 3)

14 3)

0,4 135 90 90 90 90 90 Plywood boards, veneer wood 450 23 3)

16 3)

0,5 225 115 90 90 90 90 Construction timber, glulam 350 16 44 10 40

0,6 495 180 135 135 90 90 Normal plasterboard (type A)

–

12,5 3×12,5 4) 9 2×12,5 4)

0,7 – 225 180 135 135 135 Fire plaster boards (type F)
–

12,5 2×12,5 4) 12,5 5) 2×12,5 4)

R60 0,3 – –
225 180 135 135 Gypsum fiber boards
–

12,5 3×12,5 4) 9 2×12,5 4)

0,4 – –
360 225 180 180 Stone wool discs 30 60 140 45 125

0,5 – – –
315 225 180 Stone wool discs 120 40 80 35 75

0,6 – – –
540 315 270
1)
Standard thicknesses may be larger.
0,7 – – – –
495 360
2) Chipboards, fiberboards, OSB boards.

4-sided fire 3) Several sheet layers can be calculated according to SS-EN 1995-1-2.
4)
Nailing or screwing each board layer.
R30 0,3 180 135 135 135 135 135
5) Minimum available thickness in Sweden.
0,4 270 180 180 135 135 135

0,5 405 225 180 180 180 180

0,6 945 315 225 225 180 180

0,7 – 450 315 270 225 225

R60 0,3 –
– 405 360 270 225

0,4 – –
720 405 315 315

0,5 – – –
585 450 360

0,6 – –
– 1 080 585 495

0,7 – – – –
990 675

1)
Requirements: Glulam GL30c, climate class 1 or 2, safety class
3 and load duration class M.
See also section 16.2 in the Glulam Handbook Part 2.

Dowel

fire protection paint on one contact surface an effective way to seal any
cracks. With dowel joints, a very effective fire protection is obtained
through increased glulam dimensions plus wooden plugs or wooden wedges
that protect the dowels and sheets from fire exposure. With screw
joints, it is important that the screw head is countersunk and covered by the
fire protection insulation.
Table 22 gives examples of required insulation thicknesses for classes
R30 and R60 in different fire protection insulations for nail, wood screw and
screw connections and for dowel connections with slotted steel sheet. In
some cases, a lower load utilization of the joint is required at normal temperature.
The cheapest option is usually stone wool, but in terms of appearance,
cladding with glulam, plywood, veneer wood, or painting with fireproof paint
is preferable.
Figure 95 Examples of different types of column-beam connections for
glulam that meet a certain fire resistance.

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Other glulam products

Other glulam products

Glulam outer panel Special manufacturing
Wide external panel boards are manufactured from glulam, with the Where unusually large spans, loads or other circumstances determine
cross-section dimensions 25 × 225 or 25 × 325 mm. The raw material is the design, glulam is manufactured according to a drawing with
The spruce and glulam outer panel boards have standing annual rings associated documents, in consultation with the glulam manufacturers.
for increased longevity, shape stability and durability. There is a Custom-made glulam can be obtained in practically any dimension
profile for vertical and a horizontal glulam outer panel. The visible front and shape to meet the customer's requirements and conditions.
is finely sawn. Glulam outer panel can be supplied primed, alternatively
primed and intermediately painted. Some examples of common custom-made glulam products are
raised beams, curved beams, desk beams, saddle beams, frames
and arches.
Standing glulam outer panel* Elevation of glulam elements is done by the glulam manufacturer
according to the customer's drawing and description. The size of
A finely sawn front.
Three planed sides.
the rise must correspond to the calculated deflection. Elevation is not
The bevels and the rebate are grooved. needed on shorter beams.
Vertical mounting is recommended.
B

AxB C (covering width)

25 x 225 200
325 300

* not Swedish standard

Horizontal glulam exterior panel*

A finely sawn front.

Three planed sides.
The bevels and the rebate are grooved.

Horizontal mounting is recommended.

A

AxB C (covering width)

25 x 225 200
325 300

* not Swedish standard Glulam outer panel on facade.

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Surface treatment and maintenance

Surface treatment and maintenance

In order to get a long-term durable surface on glulam, a surface treatment with
associated maintenance must usually be carried out on site, especially if the glulam will be
exposed outdoors to the elements. Load-bearing glulam structures must be protected against
precipitation and other moisture, for example soil moisture. However, outdoor exposure
may occur, for example glulam columns at entrances and glulam exterior panel facades.

Protect from Protect against

Many surface treatments provide short-term protection against wetting and drying out. precipitation solar radiation
Some surface treatments also have a protective effect against attack by microbial growth.
With a moisture-protective surface treatment, deformations and cracking are prevented to a
moderate degree. As a rule, most cracks that occur in glulam elements do not pose a risk
to the strength properties. In case of uncertainty, however, the glulam manufacturer or a
building designer should be contacted for an opinion. The paint manufacturers can provide
detailed information on various methods of surface treatment and maintenance. Here are
some general tips.

Surface treatment
A surface treatment can, with regard to the structure, be divided into film-forming and non-
film-forming surface treatment.

• Film-forming surface treatments include glaze paint, top glaze, top paint, clear lacquer and
special surface layers, for example polyurethane.
• Non-film-forming surface treatments include mud paint, colorless wood oil and chemical
surface treatments, for example iron vitriol treatment.

A film-forming surface treatment makes the surface easier to clean and protects the glulam
against mechanical damage. There are special topcoats and clearcoats that counteract
the spread of flame and the development of smoke in the event of a fire, so-called fire
protection paints, see further under section Planning with fire in mind, page 62.

Glulam can be surface treated with the same means and methods used for ordinary
wood. The technical and aesthetic conditions determine the choice in the individual case.
Impregnated glulam does indeed provide effective protection against rot, but must be surface
treated and maintained in the same way as ordinary glulam.

Forest sauna Tomtebo, Gävle, winner of the Wood Prize 2012.

Glulam is normally delivered with a moisture ratio that corresponds at most to the target
moisture ratio of 16% from the glulam manufacturer. When built-in, the surface moisture ratio
in glulam may not exceed 18%. When painting, the surface moisture ratio may not
exceed 16%.

Glulam indoors - surface treatment advice

• In normally heated premises, no surface treatment of the glulam is required unless it is to be
given a different color than the glulam's own yellow-white. Then all types of surface
Moisture quotient meter Check the
treatments that are used on ordinary wood can be used – topcoat, topcoat, topcoat,
moisture content
clearcoat or wood oil. In the case of maintenance painting, the same type of
surface treatment as originally used should primarily be used.

• In premises with a high moisture load, for example swimming pools and wet
spaces or other premises with a risk of condensation, you should be restrictive with
surface treatments that require extensive pre-treatments during maintenance, for
example cover paint and clear varnish. Therefore, choose the appropriate varnish or wood
oil, which is more maintenance-friendly.

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Surface treatment and maintenance

Guidance for choosing the surface treatment material for interior glulam
Combination possibilities for repainting and maintenance: ÿ = Suitable ÿ = Possible ÿ = Unsuitable

Table 23 Guidance for choosing the surface treatment material for interior glulam

1) 2) Clear varnish 3)
Color type Linseed oil paint Alkyd oil paint Acrylate paint Wood protection oil Glaze

New painting

Untreated, new ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ

Maintenance

Previously painted, linseed oil paint ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ

Previously painted, alkyd paint ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ

Previously painted, acrylic paint ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ

Previously oiled, wood protection oil ÿ ÿ ÿ 4) ÿ ÿ ÿ

Previously clear lacquered ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ

Previously painted, glaze color ÿ ÿ ÿ 5) ÿ ÿ 6) ÿ

4)
1) Alkyd oil paints are primarily recommended for interior wooden worktops and the middle sides of Oiled wooden surfaces must be primed with an alkyd oil primer before painting with the top coat.
window frames. Solvent-based or water-based alkyd oil paint is available.
5) Glazed wooden surfaces must be primed with alkyd oil primer before painting with
2) Commercial preparations are usually a combination of various drying and non-drying oils and fungicides. the top color.
Relatively short maintenance intervals. 6) Clear lacquer is used as a protective top coat on glazed surfaces that are exposed to heavy wear.
Oils containing wax should be avoided.
3) Highlights the structure and grain of the wood. Different binders are available, for example alkyd or
acrylate. Water-borne or solvent-borne glaze occurs.

Protect glulam: Glulam outdoors - surface treatment advice

• Untreated glulam and glulam that has been surface-treated with an unpigmented
treatment (colorless wood oil) turns gray after a period of outdoor exposure. An
untreated wooden surface or insufficiently maintained surface treatment can
cause moistening through precipitation, wet snow, melt or splash water, which in
turn can eventually cause discoloration and cracking.

Against precipitation Against solar radiation

• The most important degrading factors for outdoor exposure are precipitation, sleet,
solar radiation and soil moisture. Changes between rain and sunshine mean
great stress on weather-exposed surfaces. Glulam must be protected against
precipitation.
• In the case of sunlight, a surface can quickly reach a high temperature - dark
surfaces can reach up to 70 °C. This results in severe drying of the surface,
which causes movement as a result, with the risk that the surface layer will
Against dirt Against soil moisture
gradually begin to crack.

Avoid cracking Glulam

products that are intended to be exposed outdoors, for example exterior panel board,
can be delivered industrially surface-treated and then finished painted after
installation. Such a treatment must have a film thickness on the base paint of at least
60 µm (mymeter) dry layer. 60 µm is equal to 0.06 mm, or that you need 1 liter of
paint for approximately 6 m2
.

Smaller cracks, so-called drying cracks, are generally so small and superficial
that they do not pose any major inconvenience. Larger cracks give water the opportunity
to quickly penetrate the inner parts of the glulam. They also provide pockets for
moisture-retaining debris and dirt that can accelerate the onset of microbial
growth.

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Surface treatment and maintenance

Guidance for choosing a surface treatment material for external glulam

The properties are divided into three classes: 3 = Very good 2 = Good 1 = Less good

The properties can vary with, for example, layer thickness, dry content, pigment type.

Combination possibilities for repainting and maintenance: ÿ = Suitable ÿ = Possible ÿ = Unsuitable

Table 24 Guidance for choosing the surface treatment material for external glulam

1) 2) 3) 4) 5)
Color type Linseed oil paint Alkyd oil paint Acrylate paint Mud color Cover glaze Glaze Wood oil Wood tar

Characteristics

Moisture protection 3 3 3 1 2 2 2 2

UV protection and color fastness 3 3 3 3 2 1 1 2

Gloss resistance 1 2 3 1 6) 2 1 1 1

Mechanical protection 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 1

Drying time 1 2 3 3 3 7) 3 8) 1 1

New painting

Untreated, new ÿ ÿ ÿ 11) ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ

Untreated, surface aged ÿ ÿ ÿ 11) ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ

Impregnated, wood protection class ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ

NTR/A och NTR/AB 9)

Impregnated, wood protection class ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ

NTR/B 10)

Maintenance

Previously painted, linseed oil paint ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ

Previously painted, alkyd oil paint ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ

Previously painted, acrylic paint ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ

Previously painted, mud color ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ

Previously painted, glaze color ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ

Former oil, wood protection oil ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ

Formerly oil, petroleum oil ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ

Tar treated, wood tar ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ

Iron vitriol treated, iron vitriol ÿ ÿ ÿ 11) ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ

1) When painting with acrylate paint on untreated wood, wooden surfaces must be oiled 5) Different qualities occur. Dries very slowly. Strong smell.
penetrating primer and primed with alkyd oil primer according to 6) Mud paints have a matte finish.
paint manufacturer's instructions. 7) For topcoat with alkyd as binder, the drying time is 2.
2)
Usually mud color in red, but other pigments occur. 8) For glaze with alkyd as binder, the drying time is 2.
9)
Waterborne. Only on sawn or finely sawn wooden surfaces. Linseed oil content no The use of impregnated wood and wood preservatives is regulated by
more than 8 percent of the weight of the wet paint. The Chemicals Inspectorate, CHEMISTRY.

3) Can have different binders, for example alkyd, acrylate or alkyd + acrylate. Water- 10) Occurs in, among other things, windows and garden furniture made of pine and is
borne or solvent-borne. oil-based.
11)
4) Commercial preparations are usually a combination of different drying agents Wooden surfaces must be primed with penetrating primer and then a coat of alkyd
and non-drying oils and sometimes a small component of fungicide, oil primer before painting with the top coat.
a substance against attack by microorganisms. Oils containing wax should be avoided.

Especially on horizontal surfaces and in large cracks where water

can stand, there is a great risk of rot. Cracks that have occurred
should be filled with suitable material to prevent further cracking.
With the help of primarily the right constructive design, long-
lasting dampness can be minimized. Heating from heating pipes or
hot air blowing can lead to the risk of local drying out and cracking.

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Surface treatment and maintenance

Different covering abilities of paint types Rapid moisture ratio changes can be mitigated with a moisture-protective
coating or surface treatment.
End wood surfaces absorb moisture significantly faster than other wood surfaces.
Load-bearing glulam beams that have weather-exposed surfaces must
generally be provided with a cladding of, for example, ventilated sheet
metal cladding or external panel boards, especially on end timber surfaces
and top faces. If this is not possible, the exposed surfaces must be regularly
Covering Lasering Unpigmented treated with a moisture protection, for example penetrating base oil or
wood protection product.
Figure 96 The sun's UV rays break down a wooden surface. The image
shows the difference between the covering ability of different paint Prevent degradation of UV radiation
types to prevent degradation.
By using a pigmented surface treatment, better protection against UV
radiation is obtained. The higher the pigment content, the better the
protection – a topcoat provides optimal UV protection and good durability.
Topcoat and topcoat paint provide a certain but limited UV protection
and thus less durability compared to topcoat paint systems.
Clear varnish and colorless wood oil generally provide insufficient
protection against UV rays and should therefore not be used for glulam
exposed to the outdoors, which is difficult to replace, unless one accepts
the superficial weathering. Clear varnish on exterior glulam can
eventually start to crack and peel off, making maintenance difficult. There
are clear lacquers with a built-in UV filter. In qualified contexts, glulam can
be provided with a protective surface layer of polyurethane.

Maintenance
Maintenance of buildings accounts for a significant part of their total costs.
Caring for buildings requires understanding, knowledge, care and
judgement. A building or facility that is not maintained falls into disrepair.
For wooden bridges, there are official requirements for regular
inspections.
Maintenance aims to perpetuate functions and to preserve.
Regular inspection of various building parts is included in the ongoing
Metropol Parasol in Seville with protective surface layer of polyurethane.
maintenance and is necessary in order to be able to detect impaired
function or incipient damage in time and to be able to determine
suitable maintenance measures.
There are no fixed maintenance intervals for different materials and
constructions. External influences can vary so much that it is impossible
to generally state how often an overhaul needs to be done and which
maintenance intervals for various measures that are involved in an individual
case.
Follow lined up Verify
checklist the glulam

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Surface treatment and maintenance

Measurement of
Maintenance planning average moisture

content in a piece of wood

The maintenance should be scheduled and a maintenance plan should contain
– the resistance
measures that are required during the current period, normally the next ten to method. About 15 mm into
fifteen years. In the maintenance plan, the measures to be carried out annually during the glulam lamella.
the period as well as the scope and costs are reported.
The condition of a glulam frame from a maintenance point of view can be 300 mm

determined using different methods. The most common and easiest way is visual from the end.

assessment on site. Inspection by an experienced structural engineer/

-constructor gives a good picture of the maintenance status of the glulam frame.
With the help of measurement and sampling, one can obtain complete
reliable basis to be able to make a more secure assessment. Measuring the
0.3 of the width of the
moisture content of the glulam is a common method for obtaining more information glulam from the edge.

about moisture conditions. If there is incipient rot or microbial growth, the type and
species can be determined by cultivation with the help of specialist companies.

Review and checks should be done regularly and systematically in the form
Measurement of surface moisture
of surveys or inspections. Be sure to document carefully. ratio on glulam - the pins are placed
The result of the inspection then serves as a basis for assessing which measures against the wood surface and parallel
to the end.
must be put in place and when these measures must be carried out at the latest.

In the case of glulam frames, the following should be observed during an inspection/ 300 mm

inspection: from the end.

• Carrying capacity.
• Presence of rot.
• Presence of microbial growth.
• Moisture ratio in the glulam.
• Presence or traces of insects.
• Occurrence of cracks and delamination (deficient adhesive joints).
• Presence of cracks and gaps.
• Function of the bandages.
• Presence of troublesome failure (balconies or joists).
of the electrode tips Print
• Deformations, for example abnormal bending or other changes in shape.
mantle surface is pressed down
in the spring wood (lighter).

• The condition of fasteners, for example the presence of corrosion.

20-30o
Outdoor exposed glulam
Sensitive points where glulam is included are, for example, eaves with
cantilevered glulam beams or, for example, external glulam columns. End wood
surfaces are particularly sensitive to moisture and therefore require regular
inspection.
Horizontal glulam surfaces must be covered with sheet metal or protected in an
The longitudinal direction of the glulam
equivalent way against precipitation. Sheet metal and sheet metal coverings should
be regularly reviewed so that they fulfill their intended function.
The bottom of the hammer electrode can be ground down so that the
Paint layer protects the wood against the degrading UV radiation and, as a
correct angle is achieved.
rule, also against moisture. Already a few years after a painting, visible defects
appear in a layer of paint and these defects gradually increase over the years.
Figure 97 Measurement of average moisture ratio and surface moisture ratio.

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Surface treatment and maintenance

Cow stable with frame of glulam.

External influences vary greatly between inland and coastal climates. Even the winds
have different effects - a southern facade is much more exposed than the other
facades. North facades are located in cooler and more humid climates. The height of
buildings can also have different effects. Wooden bridges over waterways are
exposed to large amounts of moisture.
Changes in the ambient air humidity can cause significant moisture movements,
which in turn can cause cracks in the wooden substrate and cracking in the paint layer.
The maintenance requirements for different paint systems vary as much as the
climate.
Materials exposed outdoors are exposed to heavy soiling from
air pollution. For technical and aesthetic reasons, exterior painted surfaces
may need to be cleaned. A brush and water can often be enough. A more efficient
method is high-pressure washing, but one should be careful with the external
environment and with the working environment, and take into account that the glulam
Glulam bridge for heavy traffic, Iggesund.
is not supplied with unnecessarily large amounts of moisture that cannot be
removed within a reasonable time.
Painted surfaces should be regularly reviewed for presence
of discolouration, blistering and cracking (cracking paint layer).

Check that the glulam is free from rot and microbial growth.
Coarse continuous cracks in glulam are unsuitable painting substrates for covering
paint, which is why such glulam must be replaced in connection with maintenance.
Cracks, which allow moisture in and which are impossible to "paint over",
should also not occur in glulam exposed to the outdoors.
Once the status of the glulam frame has been established, it remains to propose and
take necessary maintenance measures. If the existing paint layer is to be removed,
you have great freedom to choose the color type for the repainting. If the existing
paint layer is in such a condition that essential parts can remain, the existing paint
layer should be carefully taken into account and analyzed when choosing a
color.
Example of a bow catch with slotted steel plates and
steel dowels, Kolmården Zoo.

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Surface treatment and maintenance

Maintenance painting
Painting must not be carried out on glulam that has rot damage or large
cracks. Smaller cracks are always there - they usually do not cause any
problems if you treat them liberally with penetrating primer or wood protection
product and primer.
During maintenance, glulam that is damaged or otherwise unsuitable as a
painting substrate must be replaced before the painting work can begin.
Surfaces that have microbial growth must be cleaned. New glued wood
surfaces intended for topcoating must be protected against light degradation
as soon as possible, as the wood surface weakens even after a few weeks of
outdoor exposure and this leads to a reduced durability of certain paint
types, especially for modern topcoat systems. Such glulam must therefore,
after checking the surface moisture ratio, be surface treated as soon as possible after assembly.
It is important to minimize the risk of external moisture
glulam surfaces, to prevent cracking, deformations and microbial growth.
The most effective and durable moisture-proof surface treatment is obtained
with a covering, film-forming paint system.
As a rule, repainting can be carried out on an existing paint layer provided
that the paint layer is well anchored to the wooden substrate. Loose layers of
paint must be removed. As far as possible, you should choose the same
color type for the repainting as the existing outermost color layer, provided that
the existing one has not given rise to rot. In the case of excessively thick and
cracking paint layers, i.e. after a number of maintenance paintings, paint
removal should be considered. Forest sauna, Tomtebo, Gävle, winner of the Wood Prize 2012.
Walls with linseed oil glaze, floor untreated core pine,
For covering painting, an agent that can penetrate the glulam is used
pergola roofs of glulam in grey-white oil glaze.
for the first treatment – the primer. When using traditional paint types - linseed
oil paint and alkyd oil paint - the primer can usually consist of penetrating primer
oil or wood protection product and primer (in some cases diluted finished paint/
top paint).
In a modern topcoat system, priming is generally a two-step process
with a penetrating primer or wood preservative and a sealing primer. Penetrating
base oil should provide moisture protection and should contain effective
ingredients against microbial growth. The base color must be penetrating
and provide additional moisture protection. The finished paint - the top paint
- is usually alkyd oil paint or acrylate paint, but other types of paint also
occur, for example mixtures of alkyd and acrylate. The top coat should Finish color/top color

technically protect the base coat against degradation. A modern cover paint Primer
system has waterborne products that are gentle on the environment and Penetrating
people. The paint manufacturer's instructions must be followed carefully. soil oil

Original surface treatment has been chosen from the beginning with
several different factors in mind. Covering paint systems generally provide
good color fastness and durability, but often require extensive pre-treatment
during maintenance.
Laser color gives poorer color fastness and durability in comparison
with covering color system but is easier to maintain. However, the choice
of surface treatment is also conditioned by aesthetics.
Read more about operation and maintenance of glulam in Operation and maintenance of glulam
wood from Swedish Wood. Figure 98 Cover paint system

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Wood protection

Wood protection

Impregnated glulam
Where constructive wood protection is deemed insufficient and where there is a risk
of serious personal injury, it may be justified to use impregnated glulam.

By using impregnated glulam in certain special situations

long-lasting and effective rot protection can be obtained. However, it cannot replace
the constructive wooden protection, but must be seen as a complement.
Moisture added to a structure can cause problems other than rot.

Impregnated wood is sold in six different wood protection classes, NTR/M, NTR/A,
NTR/AB, NTR/B, NTR/Gran and NTR/GW which are suitable for different
areas of use. Wood protection class NTR/M is intended for use in seawater where
there is a risk of shipworm infestation. Class NTR/A is intended for permanent
ground contact and class NTR/AB for use above ground.

Impregnated glulam columns Class NTR/B is intended for external carpentry and is used almost
exclusively for impregnating wood for windows and front doors.
Impregnated wood according to these classes is produced according to
common Nordic rules drawn up by the Nordic Wood Protection Council, NTR, and
which are based on European standards. The companies that produce classified,
impregnated wood are certified according to a set of regulations that was also
drawn up by NTR.
Glulam can be made with slats of impregnated wood and the protective effect
can be further increased by finishing with penetrating base oil. Alternatively, entire
glulam elements can be industrially impregnated.

Please note that glulam products cannot be classified according to NTR-

the system but only the included glulam.
The regulations of the Chemicals Inspectorate, KEMI, regulate the use of products
made of impregnated wood. Wood for constructions that require particularly good
protection against wood-destroying organisms may be impregnated in wood
protection class NTR/A in the following situations:

• Structures in permanent contact with soil, fresh water or brackish water.

• Structures above ground where personal safety requires that they not be weakened
or that may be difficult to inspect and replace.
• To provide protection against wood-destroying fungi and insects.

Bridge structures and outdoor bleachers are examples of areas of use for
impregnated glulam.

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Checklist for description and ordering

Checklist for description

and ordering
A well-executed glulam construction requires a correct and unambiguous description. When
planning and drawing up documents, the following information should be entered:

No. Description Datum Sign

1 Element designation for identification.

2 Number of units. In the case of different units, the number of units for these must be specified, to
for example 20 columns with a length of 5,400 mm, 10 columns with a length of 3,200 mm and so on.

Note that a three-link frame or a three-link arch consists of two elements.

3 Type of structural element, for example straight beam, column, saddle beam
or reference to drawing.

4 Nominal cross-section dimensions must be specified, see also section Dimensioning, page 61.

5 A glulam beam is specified with width dimension b, height dimension h and length dimension L.

6 A glulam column is specified with width dimension b, depth dimension h and height dimension L.

7 For beams with different height measurements, for example saddle beams, the minimum height/maximum height is specified.
For special element types, dimensions are specified on the drawing. Processing, for example recesses and
cutting, can be carried out by the manufacturer according to the drawing, see section Dimensioning, page 61.

8 Strength class according to SS-EN 14080, for example GL30c.

9 Glue type. Manufacturing standard is Glue type I.

10 Appearance quality. The stock standard in Sweden is clean planed, unrepaired surfaces such as
is denoted R. Planed, repaired surfaces are denoted RL. Planed surfaces are denoted H.
Adjusted surfaces are designated J. Appearance classes according to section Appearance quality, page 22.

11 If planed, repaired surfaces are specified, state which surfaces after assembly
become visible.

12 If elevation is desired, enter the measurement for the elevation in mm.

13 If a type of wood other than spruce is desired, for example pine.

14 If impregnated glulam is desired, state the wood protection class of the included glulam
alternatively, if the entire glulam element is to be impregnated and any surface treatment.

15 Special requests regarding packaging, for example piecemeal packaging, order of loading, edge protection for
crane assembly, etcetera.

16 If dimensional tolerances other than the standardized ones are desired, specify special requirements for plus and
minus tolerances, see page 23.

Table 25 Example of specification in connection with an order

Type of element Number of pieces) b (mm) h (mm) L (mm) Appearance quality Strength class/adhesive type Remark

Rak balk 12 90 405 9 000 R GL30c / Limtyp Packing: PE-film

Pillar 24 90 315 3 500 R GL30c / Limtyp Primed 60 ÿm

Note The glulam manufacturer may have their own designations for appearance quality.

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Handle glulam correctly

Handle glulam correctly

Storage and handling of glulam requires care and can decisively affect not
only the design of the construction but also the project's finances and planning. In

Drained land
order to be able to install glulam elements, access to some form of lifting
Protect against
Precipitation device is almost always required.
For protection against precipitation, solar radiation, dirt and soil moisture during
transport, storage and assembly, glulam is usually delivered packaged, in bundles
or individually.

By delivery
Place glulam for Protect against Protect against • Assembly: plan the assembly well in advance of unloading to avoid time-
outdoor use soiling solar radiation consuming reloading. •
ventilated and
Packaging: check that it is complete.
protected
• Quantity and dimensions: check that the number of glulam products and
dimensions and that fittings match the order and the delivery note.

• Quality: check the delivery, note any visible damage.

Match the variety and labeling against the order and the delivery note.
• Moisture content: sample a number of glulam products with an electric resistance
moisture content meter with insulated hammer electrodes to obtain an indication
Make sure Check the that the moisture content matches the order.
the packaging is complete quality • Mark clearly and systematically individual glulam products and
fittings to facilitate assembly.
• Drain any moisture inside the packaging by cutting it open on the underside.

• Check that the glulam is clean of soil and dirt.

Moisture quotient meter Check the During storage

moisture content
• Never lay glulam directly on the ground.
• Do not place glulam where there is a risk of contamination from, for
example, splashes from roof drips or traffic.
• The ground must be cleared of snow.
• Make sure that the storage location is in the shade during spring, summer and
autumn. Sunlit glulam surfaces get a higher temperature than the outdoor
temperature, which can lead to cracking or condensation, which increases
the risk of microbial growth.
• Use clean underlays, at least 300 mm high above the ground or floor and which
provide good ventilation. Make sure to have a sufficient number of
undercuts so that the glulam does not bend.
• The substrate must be dry and flat so that the glulam elements do not buckle
Aeration or become subject to warping.
• Place clean bedding laths between the glulam elements and place the laths
Figure 99 Storage of glulam vertically above each other.
Examples of how to briefly protect glulam on the construction site.
• During outdoor storage, glulam is protected, for example, with tarpaulins that are
placed on clean joists so that adequate ventilation is obtained under the
tarpaulin. Make sure that the tarpaulin does not touch the glulam anywhere. Do
not let the tarp go all the way down to the ground.
• Avoid long-term outdoor storage on the construction site.

Note: If the glulam has become damp, it must be given the opportunity to dry out
slowly to prevent the appearance of cracks. However, it is normal that cracks
Ventilation under Protect against Sprinkle the glued can occur from the drying out that the glulam is exposed to during the first
tarpaulin solar radiation wood if it has become
year of the building.
moist

78 Glulam Handbook – Part 1

Machine Translated by Google
Handle glulam correctly

Use clean gloves, straps and

During assembly edge protection when lifting the
crane.
• Check the moisture ratio and the surface moisture ratio before using the glulam product
and that there is no microbial growth.
• Use wide, clean straps when lifting by crane and protect glulam
the edges of the elements with sheet metal angles or other edge protection, so that no
lift marks appear.
• Make sure work gloves, straps and other lifting equipment are clean.
• Do not walk on surfaces that should be visible after assembly.
• Take the necessary measures to secure the frame against wind and other stresses
during the construction phase. • Fix the glulam products in
the correct position until the frame has been stabilized.

• Leave the packaging in place after assembly as protection against soiling

RIGHT
and precipitation during the construction phase.
• In connection with assembly, building fittings made of hot-dip galvanized sheet
steel and anchor nails or screws are advantageously used.
UP
In the construction and wood goods trade, there are various types of standardized
construction fittings.
• Check that the surface moisture ratio during installation is no more than 18% and
when painting no more than 16%. Take random samples with an electrical resistance
moisture quotient meter with insulated hammer electrodes.

Weight information during handling

Use the following weight data when handling glulam:
• Glulam approximately 500 kg/m3 .

• Impregnated glulam Circa 600 kg/m3 .

Maintain the moisture ratio Do not step on the glulam product.

A batch of glulam normally has a moisture content that corresponds to a maximum target
moisture ratio of 16% when delivered from the glulam manufacturer. Glulam is supplied with

a transport cover. If the packaging is completely sealed, glulam can be stored outdoors
under cover for a short time.

If the packaging is broken, repair it (even minor tears) or remove it completely and continue
to store the glulam in a dry and warm space if it is to be used indoors. Glulam to be used in
unheated buildings or in outdoor climates, protected under roof, can be stored in a cold
Six-sided Glued wood for interior
space well protected from precipitation.
packaging household shall

stored indoors

Manage waste
Sort wood waste from glulam into a separate fraction that can then be chipped and burned for
energy recovery. Waste from impregnated glulam must be handled according to instructions
from the municipality's environmental office.

Read more about handling glulam in Handle glulam correctly from Svenskt Trä. Waste

Figure 100 Handle glulam correctly

Glulam Handbook – Part 1 79

Machine Translated by Google

Askim Square
Machine Translated by Google

Symbols

Symbols
Symbols in SS-EN 1995-1-1.

Symbol Explanation Fv,Rd Designing shear capacity per shear plane for a connector; dimensioning

Latin capitals shear capacity

A
Fv,Rk Characteristic shear capacity per shear plane for a connector
Cross-sectional area

Aef Effective area of the contact surface between a nail plate and the
Fv,w,Ed Dimensioning transverse force in beam webs
underlying wood; effective contact area at pressure perpendicular to
the fiber direction Fx,Ed Dimensioning value for a force in the x direction

Of Flange cross-sectional area My, Ed Dimensioning value for a force in the y direction

Anet, t Net cross-sectional area perpendicular to the fiber direction Fx,Rd Dimensioning value for a plate's bearing capacity in the x
direction
Anet, v Net shear area parallel to the fiber direction

C
Fy,Rd Dimensioning value for a plate's bearing capacity in the y
Spring constant
direction
E0,05 The 5 percent fractile of the modulus of elasticity
Fx,Rk The plate's characteristic bearing capacity in the x direction
Ed The design value of the modulus of elasticity
Fy,Rk The plate's characteristic bearing capacity in the y-direction
in giving The average value of the modulus of elasticity
G0,05 The 5 percent fractile of the shear modulus
Emean, fin Final average value of the modulus of elasticity
Gd The design value of the shear modulus
F Kraft
Gmean The mean value of the shear modulus
FA, Ed Dimensioning force on a nail plate acting in the center of gravity of
H The total height of a truss
the effective area
If Moment of inertia of the flange
FA,min,d Minimum dimensioning force on a nail plate acting in the center of
gravity of the effective area itoria Torsional moment of inertia

Fax, Ed Dimensioning axial force on a connector From

Moment of inertia about the weaker axis

Fax,Rd Design value for axial pull-out capacity for a connector Kser Displacement module

Photocopying, fin Final displacement modulus

Fax,Rk Characteristic value for axial pull-out capacity of a connector To Instantaneous displacement modulus at failure limit state

Lnet,t The net width of the cross-sectional area perpendicular to

Fc Pressure force
fiber direction
Fd Dimensioning power
Lnet,v Net length of fracture surface in shear
Fd,ser Dimensioning force in the serviceability limit state
MA,Ed Dimensioning moments on a nail plate
Ff,Rd Dimensioning bearing capacity per connector in a wall element
Map,d Dimensioning moments in the crown zone

Md Dimensioning moments
Fi,c,Ed Dimensioning reaction force (pressure) at the end
of a wall panel My,Rk Characteristic yield moment of a connector

N Axial force
Fi,t,Ed Dimensioning reaction force (pull) at the end of a wall
panel R90, d Dimensioning stain carrying capacity

Fi,green,Ed Vertical load on a wall R90, k Characteristic stain-carrying ability

Be, v, Rd Dimensioning bearing capacity in case of plate action for part Rax,d Designing bearing capacity for an axially loaded joint
element i or wall i

Fla Transverse load Rax, k Characteristic bearing capacity for an axially loaded
Dimensioning power from a dimensioning connection
FM,Ed

moment
Rax, ÿ, k Characteristic bearing capacity at an angle ÿ to the fiber
direction
Ft Traction force

Rd Dimensioning value of bearing capacity

Ft,Rk Characteristic value for the tensile capacity of a joint
Ref,k Effective characteristic bearing capacity of a dressing

Fv,0,Rk Characteristic bearing capacity of a screw with a shim along the Riv, d Dimensioning shear capacity for a wall
fiber direction
Rk Characteristic carrying capacity
Fv, Ed Designing shear force per shear plane for a connector; horizontal
Rsp,k Characteristic stain-carrying ability
dimensioning force on a wall plate
Rto,k Characteristic bearing capacity for a dental tray

Glulam Handbook – Part 1 81

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Symbols

Rv,d Dimensioning shear capacity for a wall ff,t,d Designing tensile strength of beam flange

IN Transverse force; volume fh,k

Characteristic hole edge strength

Seen, Vl The transverse forces in the upper and lower parts of a beam fhead,k Characteristic tensile strength of fasteners
with a hole
f1 Lowest natural frequency
We Bending resistance about the y-axis
fm,k Characteristic flexural strength
Xd Dimensioning value for a strength property
fm,y,d Designing bending strength around the y-axis (main axis)
Xk Characteristic value for a strength property

Latin lower case fm,z,d Designing bending strength around the z-axis (main axis)
a Distance

fm, a, d Dimensioning bending strength at the angle ÿ to the fiber

a1 Distance, parallel to the fiber direction, between connectors within
a row direction

Minimum end distance to the center of gravity of the wood screw ft,0,d Dimensioning tensile strength along the fiber direction
a1,CG

in the respective timber part ft,0,k Characteristic tensile strength along the fiber direction

a2 Distance, perpendicular to the fiber direction, between rows of ft,90,d Dimensioning tensile strength perpendicular to the fiber
connectors
direction

a2,CG Minimum edge distance to the center of gravity of the wood screw ft,w,d Designing tensile strength of beam webs
in the respective timber part
fu,k Characteristic tensile strength of screw
a3,c
Distance between connector and unloaded end
fv,0,d Designing panel shear strength
a3,t
Distance between connector and loaded end
fv,ax,ÿ,k Characteristic pull-out strength at angle ÿ to the fiber
a4, c
Distance between connector and unloaded edge
direction

a4, t
Distance between connector and loaded edge
fv,ax,90,k Characteristic tensile strength perpendicular to the fiber

father Largest initial crookedness in a timber part in a truss direction

abow,perm Maximum permissible initial crookedness in a timber part in a fv,d Dimensioning shear strength
truss h Height; wall height
TRUE Largest placement deviation for a truss The height of the head zone
hap

true, perm Maximum permissible placement deviation for a truss Hole depth
hd

b Width
he Penetration depth; distance to loaded edge
bi Width of panel i or wall i
hef Effective height
bnet Free distance between wall studs
hf,c Height of printed flange
b The breadth of life
hf,t Height of the drawn flange
d Diameter; the outer diameter of the thread
hrl Distance from the bottom edge of the hole to the bottom edge

d1 Diameter of the center hole of a shim; internal diameter of the thread of the element

the game
Distance from the upper edge of the hole to the upper edge of the element

dc Shim diameter
hw Life height

def Effective diameter

i
Angle of recess
dh The main diameter of the connector
kc,y, kc,z
Instability factor
fh,i,k
Characteristic hole edge strength for wood part i
kcr Crack factor for shear capacity
fa,0,0 Characteristic anchorage strength per unit area for
kcrit Factor used in tilt calculation
ÿ = 0° and ÿ = 0°
kd Dimension factor for disc
but, 90, 90 Characteristic anchorage strength per unit area for
ÿ = 90° and ÿ = 90° kdef Deformation factor

fa,a,b,k Characteristic anchorage strength kdis Correction factor that takes into account the
stress distribution in the crown zone
fax,k Characteristic pullout strength of the tip end of a nail; characteristic
tensile strength kf,1, kf,2, kf,3 kh Correction factors for bearing capacity of braces

fc,0,d Dimensioning compressive strength along the fiber direction Height factor

fc,w,d Designing compressive strength of beam webs ki,q

Factor for spread load

ff,c,d Dimensioning compressive strength of beam flange km Factor that takes into account redistribution of bending
stresses in a cross section
fc,90,k Characteristic compressive strength perpendicular to the
fiber direction kmod Load duration and moisture factor

82 Glulam Handbook – Part 1

Machine Translated by Google
Symbols

kn Factor for wall cladding Greek lower case

DKK
Reduction factor a The angle between the x-direction and the force in a nail plate; the
angle between force and fiber direction; the angle between the
kR,ed Reduction factor for bearing capacity
attack of the load and the loaded edge (or end)
ks Factor for distance between connectors;
b The angle between the fiber direction and the force of a nail
correction factor for spring constant
plate
ks,red Reduction factor for mutual distance
ÿc Rakhetsfaktor

kshape Factor depending on the shape of the cross section

c Angle between the x-direction of a nail plate and the main direction
ksys Factor for carrying capacity of a system of the wooden element

kv Reduction factor for beams with recesses ÿM Partial coefficient for material properties, also takes into account
uncertainties in the calculation model and measurement
as Volume factor deviations

ky eller kz
Instability factor
ÿy Slenderness ratio corresponding to bending around the y-axis
la,min Minimum anchoring length for a glued screw
ÿz Slenderness number corresponding to bending around the z-axis
l, l Span; contact length
ÿrel,y Relative slenderness number corresponding to bending around the y-axis
the Distance from a hole to the center line of the element support
ÿrel,z Relative slenderness number corresponding to bending around the z-axis
lef Effective length; effective distribution length Characteristic density
ÿk

lV Distance from a hole to the end of the element

rm Medium density

lZ Center distance between holes

ÿc,0,d Dimensioning compressive stress along the fiber direction
m Mass per unit area sc, a, d Dimensioning compressive stress at the angle ÿ to the fiber

n40 Number of frequencies below 40 Hz direction

nef Effective number of connectors ÿf, c, d Average value for dimensioning compressive stress in flange

pd Widespread load ÿf,c,max,d Dimensioning compressive stress in the outermost fiber of the flange

qi Equivalent uniformly distributed load sf,t,d Average value for dimensioning tensile stress in flange

r ÿf,t,max,d Dimensioning tensile stress in the outermost fiber of the flange

Radius of curvature

s ÿm,crit Critical bending stress

Distance/division

Base distance between connectors ÿm,y,d Designing bending stress around the y-axis (main axis)
s0

also inner radii

ÿm,z,d Designing bending stress about the z-axis (main axis)
t Thickness

tpen Penetration cm, a, d Dimensioning bending stress at the angle ÿ to the fiber
direction
ucreep cryptdeformation
ÿN Normal voltage
unsightly Final deformation
ÿt,0,d Dimensioning tensile stress along the fiber direction
unfun, G Final deformation for permanent load G
ÿt,90,d Dimensioning tensile stress perpendicular to the fiber
unfine,Q,1 Final deformation for the variable principal
direction
load Q1
ÿw,c,d Dimensioning compressive stress in beam webs
unfin,Q,i Final deformation for associated variable loads Qi
ÿw,t,d Dimensioning tensile stress in beam webs
wins Currently deforming
ÿd Designing shear stress
uinst, G Instantaneous deformation for permanent load G
ÿF,d Designing anchorage tension of axial force
wont, Q, 1 Instantaneous deformation for the variable main load Q1
ÿM,d Dimensioning anchoring tension of moments
wont, Q, i Instantaneous deformation for associated variable
ÿtor,d Designing shear stress of torsion
loads Qi
ÿ0 Factor for combination value of variable loads
wc Elevation
ÿ1 Factor for frequent value of variable load
wcreep Creep flexion
p2 Factor for quasi-permanent value of variable load
wfin Final declension
g Relative attenuation
gain Instantaneous deflection

soon, fin Final net deflection

in Impulshastighetsrespons

Glulam Handbook – Part 1 83

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References, Disclaimers

References
SS-EN 301:2013 Adhesives – Adhesives of phenolic and amino plastics for load-bearing wooden structures – Classification and property requirements.
SIS Publishing AB, 2013.

SS-EN 1991-1-3:2003/AC:2009+A1:2015 Eurocode 1: Loads on structures - Part 1-3: General loads - Snow load.
SIS Publishing AB, 2003.

SS-EN 1995-1-1:2004/AC:2006+A2:2014 Eurocode 5: Dimensioning of wooden structures - Part 1-1: General - Common rules and
regulations for buildings. SIS Publishing AB, 2004.

SS-EN 1995-1-2:2004/AC:2010 Eurocode 5: Dimensioning of wooden structures – Part 1-2: General – Fire engineering dimensioning. SIS
Publishing AB, 2004.

SS-EN 13501-1:2007+A1:2009 Fire classification of building products and building elements – Part 1:
Classification based on test data from methods that measure reaction to fire. SIS Publishing AB, 2009.

SS-EN 14080:2013 Wooden constructions – Glulam and glued structural timber – Requirements. SIS Publishing AB, 2013.

SS-EN 14298:2004 Sawn timber – Assessment of drying quality. SIS Publishing AB, 2004.

SS-EN 15425:2008 Adhesives – One-component polyurethane for load-bearing wooden structures – Classification and functional requirements.
SIS Publishing AB, 2008.

Disclaimers
By using the contents of Glued Timber Handbook Part 1, you agree to the terms of use stated below. All information in Glued Wood Handbook
Part 1 is provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered an advisory or professional relationship with the reader.

All information is provided as is and without warranty of any kind, to the extent permitted by applicable law. Although the publisher makes
reasonable efforts to provide reliable information in Limträhandbok Part 1, the publisher does not guarantee that the content is free of inaccuracies,
mistakes and/or lack of information or that the content is current and relevant to the user's needs.

The publisher, Föreningen Sveriges Skogsindustrier, makes no guarantee for any results arising from the use of the information contained in the Glued
Wood Handbook Part 1. All use of information in the Glued Wood Handbook Part 1 is at your own risk and responsibility.

The rights to the contents of the Glued Wood Handbook Part 1 belong to the Association of Swedish Forest Industries. The content is protected
according to the Copyright Act. Abuse is blamed. Copying of the content is prohibited.

Föreningen Sveriges Skogsindustrier does not take any responsibility for damage that may be caused due to the contents of the Glued
Timber Handbook Part 1.

84 Glulam Handbook – Part 1

Machine Translated by Google
Swedish glulam industry

Swedish glulam industry

The raw materials come from Swedish forests and the finished products meet the
European standard for CE-marked glulam. Every glulam manufacturer has an
environmental declaration and they are certified by an accredited certification body.

Martinson Group AB
Martinson Group AB Burträskvägen
53 937 80
Bygdsiljum Tel:
0914-207 00 Fax:
0914-207 81 www.martinsons.se

Glulam of Sweden AB
Glulam of Sweden AB
Folkets Husvägen
6 840 10 Ljungaverk
Tel: 0691-363 50
Fax: 0691-330 10
www.glulam.se

Setra Trävaror AB

Setra Trävaror AB
Swedish Wood
Amungsvägen 17
770 70 Långshyttan
Tel: 0225-635 00
Moelven Töreboda AB Fax: 0225-600 34
www.setragroup.com

Moelven Töreboda AB
Box
49 545 21
Töreboda Tel:
010-122 62 00
Fax: 0506-162 63 www.moelven.se

Glulam Handbook – Part 1 85

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Project manager
Glulam Handbook Part 1
Roberto Crocetti – Lunds Tekniska Högskola
© The Association of Swedish Forest Industries, 2016 Johan Fröbel – Swedish Wood
Fifth edition
Lead writer and editor
Holger Gross – Gross Production AB
Publisher
The forest industries Reference group and fact checker
Swedish Wood Eric Borgström – Svenskt Trä
Box 55525 Leif Cederlöf – Setra Trävaror AB
102 04 STOCKHOLM Roberto Crocetti – Lunds Tekniska Högskola
Tel: 08-762 72 60 Mikael Fonselius – Woodvalue, Finland
Fax: 08-762 79 90 Johan Fröbel – Swedish Wood
E-mail: [email protected] Jouni Hakkarainen – Metsä Wood, Finland Åge
www.svenskttra.se Holmestad – Moelven Limtre AS, Norway
Thomas Johansson – Moelven Töreboda AB
Rune Karlsson – Rune Karlsson's Construction Project in Hedemora
Greger Lindgren – Martinsons Byggsystem KB
Harald Liven – Moelven Limtre AS, Norway
Päivi Myllylä – Puuinfo OY, Finland
Tero Vesanen – Finnish Glulam Association, Finland
Gunnar Utskot – Vestlandske Limtre Industri AS, Norway

Coworker
Bengt Friberg – ProService Kommunikation AB
Rune Karlsson – Rune Karlsson's Building Design in Hedemora:
Dimension tables
Lotta Olsson – ProService Kommunikation AB
Sture Samuelsson: Glued wood history
Marie Åsell – Swedish Wood

Illustrations
Vendela Martinac – Thelander Architecture & Design AB
Cornelia Thelander – Thelander Architecture & Design AB

Photo
Tobias Andersson Åkerblom, page 11 underst
Per Bergkvist, page 72
Patrick Degerman, page 15, 64, 68, 76
Sören Håkanlind, page 7, 4, 8, 9, 16, 21 lower, 32, 52, 80 Åke E:son
Lindman, page 1, 30, 65 lower, 66, 69, 74 upper, 75
First, sir 5
Carl Michael Johannesson, page 29, 74 bottom
Kristofer Lönnå, page 74 middle
Martinson Group AB, page 12 bottom, 21, 15, 41, 42, 74, 76
Moelven Limtre AS, page 10 top
Moelven Töreboda AB, page 6, 11 upper, 12 upper, 56, 62
ProService Kommunikation AB, page 21 top
Gösta Wendelius, page 10 bottom

Graphic form and production

ProService Communication AB

ISBN 978-91-983601-4-1

86 Glulam Handbook – Part 1

Machine Translated by Google

Publications and websites from Swedish Wood

Publications on glulam
Order via www.svenskttra.se/publikationer.

Operation Handle Glulam manual in

Operation and maintenance of glulam
Handle glulam correctly Glulam Handbook
Surface treatment, maintenance planning, maintenance

and Ordering, handling and storage

glulam correctly Glulam HandbookFrom 4 Planning and assembly of glulam constructions

four parts
maintenance of glulam Glulam HandbookFrom 3 Dimensioning of glulam constructions

Folder and quick Glulam HandbookOf 2

Project planning of glulam constructions 1. Facts about glulam.
guide in color that
Facts about glulam
88 pages.
Folder From 1

describes how to store 2. Design of glulam

describing surface -
glulam on the constructions. 268 pages.
treatment and
maintenance Plan and prepare
Receive and check
construction site. 6
pages and label.
Fold cock poisons when handling

3. Dimensioning of
Protect glulam

of glulam. 6 pages.
Handling of glulam
Maintain the moisture ratio
Surface treatment Measurement of moisture ratio
Maintenance planning Manage waste

Format A4. glulam constructions. 224

Maintenance inspection/Inspections Order the right glulam and the right moisture ratio

Maintenance painting Swedish glulam industry

Format A4.
Swedish glulam industry Quick guide

pages.
4. Planning and assembly of
glulam constructions. 80
Glulam
pages.
PocketGuide Format A4.

Collected information
about glulam.
36 pages.
Format A6.

Publications about wood

Order via www.svenskttra.se/publikationer.

Choosing wood Dimensioning of wooden structures Dimensioning Guide for Guide for trade sorting
Choosing wood Dimensioning of wooden structures
Sizing example Trade sorting
A non-fiction book about wood
Collected information Rules and formulas
From 3
EDITION 2: 2016
of wooden and Durability classes and strength classes
Dimensioning of wooden structures according to Eurocode 5

Of 2
about the material Design of wooden structures

From 1
EDITION 2: 2016
constructions in three parts
wood. 120 pages. EDITION 2: 2016

1. Design of wooden 12 pages. Format A4.

Format A4.
constructions. 316 Trade sorting
of sawn wood products in Europe according to SS-EN 1611-1

pages.
Trade sorting
Environment

The material
Moisture
2. Rules and formulas
Wood called ydd

A guide to sawn timber

range
Products

The construction process

Management
Surface treatment
Bandage types
General concepts
Material properties
Bending
Axial load
Dimensioning in ultimate limit state (ULS)
Dimensioning of wooden joints
Composite wooden elements
according to
Building regulations Cross section subjectHorizontal
to shear stabilization Commercial sorting classes according to SS-EN 1611-1

Business access

Introduction to designUse
Constructive properties
Cross section subjected

andlimit
dimensioning
of sawn
Joints
permit
timber
with steel
to combined
Dimensioning in stresses
service limit state (SLS)
Elements with varying cross-sections or curved shape

and wood-based composite products

connectors
Eurocode 5. 64 pages. Strength classes C14 – C30

products in Europe according to

Dimensioning of structural elements
Panel action in failure
in wooden limit
stud state
walls
Dimensioning of wooden joints
Stagning
Composite wooden elements
SS-EN 1611-1.
Horizontal stabilization
Dimensioning for serviceability limit states
Wooden building systems for homes
3. Examples. 64 pages. Definitions with measurement rules and requirements

60 pages. Format A5.

Construction systems for infrastructure Features according to tables
Tables

Format A4.

KL wood handbook Lazy dog

EDITION 6: 2018

Handle the Business access

Dimensioning

Handle the wood correctly KL wood handbook Working qualities

Target and surface moisture ratio

Ordering, handling and storage

wood correctly Facts and planning of KL wooden constructions Lazy dog Industrial surface treatment

Wood protection

Work assortment

Facts about KL wood, Helpline for builders

Glued wood assortment

Color access
A helper for
Screw and nail access
Tables

Folder and guidance in planning and dimensioning and timber

construction consumption. 84
label in color 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
calculations for static pages. Format A6.
describing how
dimensioning of KL timber. 188 Also available as an app.
wood is stored at the
pages in color. Search for Lathunden i
construction site.
Plan and prepare
KL wood as construction material

Construction system for KL wood

Format A4. App Store or Google Play
Receive and check

Weight information during handling

Protect the wood

6 pages and label. Dimensioning of KL wooden constructions
Connections and connection details
Floor joists
Maintain the moisture ratio Walls
KL wood and fire

and download.
Measurement of average moisture content and surface moisture content

Format A4.
Manage waste KL wood and sound
Order the right wood and the right moisture ratio KL wood and heat and moisture

Quick guide Procurement and assembly

Homepages

www.svenskttra.se www.svenskttra.se/limtra www.traguiden.se www.traradhuset.se

Machine Translated by Google

Svenskt Trä works for the dissemination of knowledge, inspiration and Box 55525
development relating to wood, wood products and wood construction. The 102 04 Stockholm
goal is to increase the use of wood in Sweden and on selected markets abroad
Tel: 08-762 72 60
through information and inspiration. Swedish Wood also aims to highlight wood
as a competitive, environmentally friendly and sustainable material.
Fax: 08-762 79 90
[email protected]
Svenskt Trä is a business within the industry organization Skogs- 7 3 50009 430890 > ProService

svenskttra.se
industriern. Behind Svenskt Trä is the Swedish sawmill and glulam industry.
ISBN 978-91-983601-4-1
© The Association of Swedish Forest Industries, 2016.