Upload
others
View
4
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
BASIC STRENGTH PROPERTIES OF ONCOSPERMA TIGILLARIUM AT SMALL CLEAR
Mohd Faiz Jafni Bin Ahmad Mustafa
Bachelor of Engineering with Honours TA (Civil Engineering) 210 2014 M697 2014
to the best of my knowledge is the said students work
PICHIDAT IIAICLUAT AICADEIIIIC
UNIAS
UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK IIIII1000268759ItttilIII ~I Grade WKOI
Please tick (J) Final Year Project Report o Masters D PhD D
DECLARATION OF ORIGINAL WORK
This declaration is made on the ~~~~ day of r~I~2014
Students Declaration I MOHD FAIZ JAFNI BIN AHMAD MUSTAFA 29038 FACULTY OF ENGINEERING hereby declare that the work entitled BASIC STRENGTH PROPERTIES OF ONCOSPERMA TIGILLARIUM AT SMALL CLEAR is my original work I have not copied from any other students work or from any other sources except where due reference or acknowledgement is made explicitly in the text nor has any part been written for me by another person
1qQ7~O~ Date submitted Mohd Fai
Supervisors Declaration I GADDAFI BIN ISMAIL hereby certify that the work entitled BASIC STRENGTH PROPERTIES OF ONCOSPERMA TIGILLARIUM AT SMALL CLEAR was prepared by the above named student and was submitted to the FACULTY as a partial fulfillment for the conferment of BENG (HONS) (CIVIL) and the aforementione
Receiv~d for examination by (Dr Gaddafi bin Ismaili)
Date ~l~ (dIltf
I declare that ProjectJThesis is classified as (Please tick (f)
D CONFIDENTIAL (Contains confidential information under the Official Secret Act 1972) D RESTRICTED (Contains restricted information as specified by the organisation where n research was done) ~OPEN ACCESS
ValidationofPTojed1The~
I therefore duly affirmed with free consent and willingness declare that this said ProjectJThesis shall be placed officially in the Centre for Academic Information Services with the abiding interest and rights as follows
bull This ProjectThesis is the sole legal property ofUniversiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) bull The Centre for Academic Information Services has the lawful right to make copies for the
purpose of academic and research only and not for other purpose bull The Centre for Academic Information Services has the lawful right to digitalize the
content for the Local Content Database bull The Centre for Academic Information Services has the lawful right to make copies of the
ProjectThesis for academic exchange between Higher Learning Institute bull No dispute or any claim shall arise from the student itself neither third party on this
ProjectJThesis once it becomes the sole property of UNIMAS bull This ProjectlThesis or any material data and information related to it shall not be
distributed published or disclosed to any party by the student except with UNIMAS permission
Student signature _-+- ___a-79~--- Supemso SignaturO~fZshy(Date) 4 Ji yflt07201
Current Address ~
10 fDlQO DaS01lt Tmwr 3400 KtAcbl) I iUtrlt WtlflC
I
Notes If the ProjectThesis is CONFIDENTIAL or RESTRICTED please attach together as annexure a letter from the organization with the period and reasons of confidentiality and restriction
[The instrument is duly prepared by The Centre for Academic Information Services)
~
L
I
Pusat Khidmat l-akJumat Akadern~ UNlVERSm MALAYSIA SAftAWAK
BASIC STRENGTH PROPERTIES OF ONCOSPERMA TIGILLARIUM AT SMALL CLEAR
MOHD FAIZ JAFNI BIN AHMAD MUSTAFA
Thesis is submitted to Faculty of Engineering Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For The Degree of Bachelor of Engineering with Honours
(Civil Engineering) 2014
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Allah Almighty for giving me the opportunity to breathe till
this day to be able to complete this report paper Alhamdulillah and may He bless us all I
would also like to extend my greatest thanks my parents Rita binti Mohd Omar and Ahmad
Mustafa bin Wahid for giving me moral as well as monetary support in order to complete
this task I am nothing without their kind contribution and prayers
Secondly I would like to thank Dr Gaddafi Ismaili for giving me the opportunity to
work as his understudy and becoming my supervising lecturer Thanks to all his guidance
and assistance I would not have reached his far without him A million thanks to all my
friends who have always been there for me through thick and thin Thank you to Faculty of
Resource Science and Technology (FRST) especially to Head of Department of Science
and Environmental Ecology Prof Dr Cheksum bt Tawan and Mr Hidir Marzuki who
have assisted us for species ID identification Thank you to all the lecturers at the Civil
Engineering department for assisting me in any way possible
Not forgetting the Department of Asset and Department of Security of UNIMAS for
allowing me to proceed with my research by approving the sample collection and
constantly monitoring my progress during sample collection to ensure my safety Without
the concern of the fellow security guards I may have not made it in one piece out of the
wilderness ofUNIMAS Thank you very much
Last but not least I would like to thank the kind staffs and lab technician at the civil
engineering lab and also the laboratory technician from Sarawak Forestry Cooperate (SFC)
including Mr Nunggah Dr Alik Duju Mr Wong and Mr Chai for their assistance This
report would not have been realized without the help from all the parties responsible
Thanks also goes to all those who have helped me directly and indirectly Thank you and
may we all live long and prosper
ABSTRAK
Dalam dunia moden masa kini hutan konkrit merebak dengan cepat sekali di
seluruh dunia menolak hutan semula jadi keluar dari jalan Konkrit menjadi bahan binaan
yang semakin menuntut Walau bagaimanapun harga konkrit tidak murah Oleh itu kayu
bahan binaan yang boleh diperbaharui dan mesra alam diminta keluar sebagai altematif
dalam industri pembinaan Seperti mana-mana bahan pembinaan lain kayu mempunyai
rintangan sendiri dari segi degradasi biologi rintangan kimia kestabilan dimensi rintangan
haba luluhawa dan kerosakan Walau bagaimanapun jika dirawat dengan betul balak
boleh menjadi saingan sengit untuk konkrit Selain itu kayu mempunyai nilai estetika yang
sangat tinggi berbanding dengan bahan-bahan pembinaan lain Kayu keras adalah jenis
kayu sering dipilih sebagai bahan struktur kerana ia mempunyai kekuatan yang lebih tinggi
tetapi memerlukan masa yang sangat lama untuk matang kira-kira 100 tahun Oleh itu
spesis kayu berkembang pesat dengan nama Oncosperma Tigillarium atau lebih dikenali
dengan nama biasa kelapa Nibong dipilih untuk dieksperimentasikan untuk menentukan
sifat-sifat asas fizikal dan sifat mekanikal dalam mencari altematifkepada kayu keras Oleh
itu satu siri ujian telah dijalankan ke atas specimen dalam keaadaan air-dry Oncosperma
Tigillarium untuk mengkaji sifat-sifat kekuatan seperti kekuatan lenturan kekuatan
mampatan selari dengan ira kekerasan dan rintangan hentaman antara sampel dari 6 batang
pokok berbeza Ujian dijalankan mengikut Piawaian British BS 373 1957 Spesimen
diperolehi dalam kawasan kampus Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNlMAS) Ujian makmal
telah dijalankan di Perbadanan Perhutanan Sarawak (SFC) Berdasarkan analisis data
Oncosperma Tigillarium menunjukkan ciri-ciri kekuatan yang setanding dengan kayu keras
sederhana atau kayu keras yang lain walaupun ia dianggap sebagai non-worthy timber
ii
ABSTRACT
In the modem world today concrete jungles are spreading like wildfire all over the
world pushing natural forests out of the way Concrete becomes an ever demanded
construction material however the price of concrete is not cheap Therefore timber a
renewable and eco-friendly construction material is sought out as an alternative in the
construction industry Like any other materials timber has its own setbacks in terms of
biological degradation chemical resistance dimensional stability thermal resistance
weathering and decay However if treated properly timber can become a fierce adversary
to concrete Moreover timber has a very high aesthetic value compared to other
construction materials Hardwood is the type of timber often chosen as structural material
as it has higher strength but requires a very long time to mature about 100 years Thus a
species of fast-growing timber of name Oncosperma Tigillarium or better known for its
common name Nibong palm is chosen to be experimented on to determine its basic
physical properties and mechanical properties in the search for an alternative to hardwood
timber Therefore a series of tests were conducted on air dry specimens of Oncosperma
Tigillarium to study the strength properties such as bending properties compressive
strength parallel to grain hardness and impact resistance between samples from different
culms Tests are carried out in accordance to British Standard 373 1957 Method for testing
small clear specimens of timber Specimens were obtained within the vicinity of the
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) campus The laboratory tests were conducted at
the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) Based on the data analysis Oncosperma
Tigillarium shows strength properties which are comparable to other medium hardwood or
even hardwood even though is it classified to be a non-worthy timber
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Content Page
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABSTRACT ii
LIST OF ABBREVIA nONS Xlll
ABSTRAK iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS iv
LIST OF TABLES ix
LIST OF FIGURES x
Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION 1
11 General
12 Problem Statements 2
13 Aims and Objectives 4
14 Scope of Work 5
15 Chapter Outline 6
Chapter 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 7
21 General 7
22 Palm 8
23 Nibong Palm (Oncosperma Tigillarium) 9
iv
Chapter 3
24
25
26
27
28
29
210
211
212
213
214
215
Pusat Kbidmat MakJumat Akademjl UNIVERSm MALAYSIA SARAWAh
Moisture Content
Shrinkage
Grain
Basic Density
Static Bending Test
Other Non-worthy Timber (Bamboo)
Mechanical Properties
Hardness
Impact Bending Test
Modulus of Elasticity (MOE)
Modulus of Rupture (MOR)
Effect of Moisture Content in Mechanical
Properties
METHODOLOGY
31 General
32 Desk Study
33 Approval from Authorities
331 Problems Faced
34 Sample Collection
341 Tools and Equipment
342 Marking and Cutting
343 Problems Faced
v
10
11
11
12
12
15
16
16
16
16
17
17
18
18
18
21
22
22
22
23
27
]
35 Transportation of Sample 28
36 Sample Preparation 31
361 Tools and Equipment 31
362 Vertical Band Saw Mill 31
363 Single Rip Machine 32
364 Digital Double-Sided Planer 33
365 Marking and Cutting 36
37 Sample Testing 36
371 Physical Properties 37
3711 Moisture Content Determination 37
3712 Basic Density Determination 38
372 Strength Properties 39
3721 Static Bending Test 39
3722 Compression Pamllel to Gmin Test 41
3723 Janka Hardness Test 43
3724 Impact Bending Test 45
373 Problems Faced 46
38 Results and Discussion 47
39 Conclusion and Recommendations 47
Chapter 4 RESUL TS ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 48
41 General 48
42 Oncosperma Tigillarium 48
vi
43 Testing Result of Small Clear Specimens of 49
Different Tree Culms
431 Compression Parallel to Grain Test 49
432 Static Bending Test 50
433 Impact bending Test 51
434 Janka Hardness Test 52
435 Moisture Content 52
436 Basic Density 53
44 Discussion 54
441 Comparison in Moisture Content of Oncosperma 55
Tigilarium
442 Comparison in Basic Density of Oncosperma 56
Tigilarium
443 Comparison in Compression Parallel to Grain of 57
Oncosperma Tigillarium
444 Comparison in Static Bending Test of 58
Oncosperma Tigilarium
445 Comparison in Hardness Test of Oncosperma 59
Tigillarium
446 Comparison in Impact Bending Test of 62
Oncosperma Tigilarium
45 Overall Average 64
46 Mechanical Properties vs Basic Density 66
vii
Chapter 5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 70
51 General 70
52 Conclusions 70
53 Recommendations for Oncosperma Tigillarium 71
54 Recommendations for Further Research and 71
Study
REFERENCES 73
APPENDIX 77
viii
LIST OF TABLES
Table Description Page
31 Item Used In Sample Collection and Its Purpose 23
32 Items Used In Sample Preparation and Its Purpose 31
33 Moisture Content for Nibong Culm Samples 37
34 Static Bending Test Results Table 39
35 Compression Parallel-to-Grain Test Results Table 41
36 Hardness Test Results Table 44
37 Impact Bending Test Results Table 45
41 Specimen Numbering for Oncosperma Tigillarium Sample 49
42 Average Value of Compression Parallel to Grain Test Result of 50
Different Tree Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry
Condition
43 Average Value of Static Bending Test Result of Different Tree Culms 51
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
44 Average Value oflmpact Bending Test Result of Different Tree 51
Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
45 Average Value of Janka Hardness Test Result of Different Tree Culms 52
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
46 Average Value of Moisture Content of Different Tree Culms of 53
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
47 Average Value of Basic Density of Different Tree Culms of 54
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
48 Summary of Physical and Mechanical Properties of Oncosperma 64
Tigillarium in Sarawak
49 Comparison between Oncosperma Tigillarium with other Timber in 65
Borneo
ix
LIST OF FIGURES
Description ~age~
11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber Federal Center South 1
Building 1202 USACE Seattle District Headquarters
12 Deforestation 3
13 Oncosperma Tigillarium 4
21 Comparison Of C02 Emissions Related To Fabrication of One Beam 8
of Aluminum Steel Reinforced Concrete and Solid Wood
22 Nibong Posts and Joists at Bako Fishing Village Sarawak 10
23 Static Bending Test Data on Small Clear Specimens 13
24 Modified Static Bending Test Data to 12 Percent MC 14
25 Static Bending Test Force vs Displacement Graph 15
31 Research Work Flow Chart 19
32 Location of Site for Sample Collection Within UNlMAS 20
33 Roadside of Sample Collection Site 20
34 Tools and Equipment for Sample Collection 22
35 Marking and Cutting of Nibong Palm Samples 24
36 Measuring 24
37 Cutting 25
38 Removal of Thorns 26
39 Stacking of Trees 26
310 Cutting Trees Into 3 Segments 27
311 Security Guard Approaching 28
312 Ahed And Son Sdn Bhd 239 tons Lorry 28
313 Security Guard Routine Check 29
314 Forklift 30
315 Stacking at Sarawak Forestry 30
316 Vertical Band Saw Mill 32
317 Single Rip Machine 33
318 Removing Pith 34
x
II
319 Digital Double-Sided Planer 35
320 Transporting Samples to Lab 35 ~ 321 Labeling Samples for Final Cutting 36
322 Weighted Sample 38
323 Measured Sample 38 ~
324 Static Bending Test on Sample 39 ~ I 325 Sample During Static Bending Test 40 8
326 Sample after Static Bending Test 40
327 Sample during Compression Test 41
328 Sample after Compression Test (Type ofFracture) 42
329 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 42
0
~ 4
330 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 43 ~
331 Hardness Test Concept 43 ~
332 Sample during Hardness Test 44 ~
333 Sample after Hardness Test 440
334 Sample During Impact Bending Test 45 ~
335 Sample after Impact Bending Test 46 ~
41 Moisture Content of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 55 ~ 42 Basic Density of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 56 ~
43 Maximum Load of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 57 ~
44 Maximum Compressive Strength For Different Oncospenna 57 ~
Tigillarium Culms ~ 45 Maximum Load For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 58 8
46 Modulus Of Rupture (MOR) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 ~ 9
Culms
47 Modulus Of Elasticity (MOE) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 0
Culms 0
48 Comparison Of Maximum Load Modulus OfRupture (MOR) And 60 ~
Modulus OfElasticity (MOE) For Different On cos penna Tigillarium ~
Culms ~
xi
I 1
49 Maximum Tangential Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium 61
Culms
410 Maximum Radial Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms 61
411 Comparison Between Maximum Tangential And Radial Load For 62
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
412 Work Done In Joules For Different Impact Bending Specimens For 63
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
413 Maximum Load Compression V s Density 66
414 Maximum Compressive Strength Vs Density 66
415 Maximum Load Bending V s Density 67
416 MOR Vs Density 67
417 MOE Vs Density 68
418 Tangential Hardness V s Density 68
419 Radial Hardness V s Density 69
xii
ASTM
BS
FRIM
SFC
FSP
MOE
MOR
MC
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
American Society for Testing and Materials
British Standard
Forest Research Institute of Malaysia
Sarawak Forestry Corporation
Fiber Saturation Point
Modulus of elasticity
Modulus of rupture
Moisture content
xiii
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
11 General
Timber is one of the oldest materials used in construction since the birth of
construction technology It is one of the most readily available materials in recent times
Timber was the main material used in construction before concrete and steel
construction methods were discovered Timber is divided into two softwood and
hardwood Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees strictly speaking non-monocot
angiosperm trees while softwood is wood from gymnosperm trees
Figure 11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber (Architizer 2013)
1
of
~s
~e l
~d
ot
Wood is easily handled it has a long lifespan and nearly unlimited applications whether
in construction or other usages No other building material is produced and used with as
little energy and damage to the environment as wood Compared to other building
materials wood is light in weight and highly resilient Countless bridges towers and
wooden structures all over the world bear witness to this statement Wooden houses
roof trusses walls floors and stairs have been in use for generations Wood dwellings
over 700 years old yet still inhabited today are proofs of woods lifelong durability as a
building material People choose to build with wood on the grounds of economy
aesthetics and biology Wood radiates warmth and is harmless to the environment
Additionally modern construction methods do not require any chemical preservative
treatments Timber construction materials undergo strict control checks concerning
quality and performance The quality of many timber products is ensured by specific
standards Efficient prefabricating smooth processing and constant availability make
construction with wood quick and economic Building with wood is always the right
choice (GermanTimber 2007)
Timber is without a doubt one of the most environmentally friendly building
materials available in the environmentally challenged world we live in today It is
remarkably versatile able to work well with other materials such as concrete and metal
as composite structures It is also naturally renewable but requires human ethics to
preserve its renewability Timber also has high aesthetic value and not to mention light
and strong to build structures with It also has an inviting warm and welcoming sense
which makes us feel cozy and comfortable Whether it is a landmark building
government office housing school or hospital architects look to timber to express
contemporary art and beauty in the structure they design Timber is a high performance
material light in weight yet with excellent load bearing and thermal properties (Brash
2008)
12 Problem Statement
Deforestation and global warming are not a new epidemic in the modern world
today Vast development in developed and developing countries are stripping the Earth
of its forests Timber is abundant in most countries especially tropical countries like in
the Southeast Asia or South America Although there are still abundant trees in the
2
world it doesnt mean we can chop every tree we see just for our own personal gain
Mother Nature has taken care of us for generations its time for us to give back to
Mother Nature
Figure 12 Deforestation (Compost 2013)
Most hardwood stands mature in 70 to 120 years With proper management
renewing the forest takes less time The time required to mature a hardwood tree
depends on the species An oak tree requires 80-120 years to mature whereas a poplar
tree can mature and be ready to harvest in 40 years or less (Unknown) It takes tens of
years to grow a single hardwood tree but it takes merely hours to chop down entire
forests Irresponsible logging is one of the major factors which affect the sustainability
of timber as construction materials or other usages Loggers who do not cut down the
tree properly will cause the tree to not regenerate Harvesting timber also requires skills
Thus an alternative to slow growing hardwood is required to compensate for the
long time required to grow hardwood timber Fast-growing timbers such as medium
hardwood light hardwood and softwood are being tested and experimented to find the
most suitable alternative which could make timber the new concrete or steel
Oncosperma tigillarium is a very amazing-looking tall large slender palm massed with
armed trunks armed trunks and beautiful elegantly-arched drooping leathery fronds
which is sparsely distributed along the inland fringes of mangrove forest and other low
wet swampy vegetation Its trunk is slender up to 15 centimeters in diameter ringed
3
middotn
to
tire
lity
the
lis
the
urn
the
ee
ith
ow
ged
with old leaf scars with up to 50 densely anned with scattered slender black spines
that are about 5 to 10 centimeters long crown shaft are conspicuous and anned with
slender black spines Fronds are feather-shaped ascending to spreading pendulous
elegantly-arched armed and dark to bright green Inflorescences are ramified (multishy
branched) and yellow up to 80 centimeters long infrafoliar (emerging from below the
fronds) and anned Its flowers are arranged in groups of 3 (2 male flowers to 1 female
flower) Its fruits are globose 1 centimeters in diameter mildly-depressed purple to
black and single-seeded (Ridley 2012) Oncosperma tigillariums common name is
Nibong palm in English or simply Nibong in Malay Oncosperma tigillarium may
prove to be a breakthrough in the search for new fast-growing timbers for construction
purposes It is available in abundance in the forests of Sarawak and can also be
exploited for plantation of softwood timber and harvested for construction purposes
Strength properties at small clear will be tested for this tree species
Figure 13 Oncosperma Tigillarium (Ridley 1864)
13 Aims and Objectives
In this research report the timber with the scientific name Oncosperma
tigillarium or better known for its common name in Malaysia Nibong is one of the
4
Pusat Khidmlt Maddumlt Akademik UNlVERSrrl MAlAYSIA SARAW
fast-growing timber available in the forests of Malaysia and also Indonesia where it is
said to originate (Ridley 2012)
The main aim in this project is to investigate and acquire the information on the
relationship of distribution patterns of strength and physical properties with small clear
sample sizes of the Oncosperma tigillarium timber
Objective
1 To determine the strength and physical properties at air-dry conditions of
Oncosperma tigillarium
2 To understand the relationship between the variation of strength from pith to
sapwood of Oncosperma tigillarium and
3 To identify the distribution pattern of strength and physical properties with
Oncosperma tigillarium
14 Scope of Work
A series of study and laboratory tests are required to be done in order to achieve
the aim and objective In order to accomplish this certain scopes of study of work shall
be done so that the whole laboratory procedures can be run at a more systematic way
The test will be conducted by using 20 x 20mm (A) x 300mm (L) and 20 x 20mm (A) x
60mm (L) small clear size sample Laboratory tests will be carried out to determine the
strength and physical properties of Oncosperma tigillarium at air-dry conditions The
types of laboratory tests to be carried out are as in the table below
Table 11 Laboratory tests for strength and physical properties of timber
No Laboratory Test
Static bending test
2 Compression test
3 Moisture content test
4 Basic density test
5 Hardness test
5
is
of
to
th
lYe
~Il
y
u
~e
he
The sample of Oncosperma tigillarium to be used in this research study was
collected in the wetland forest areas within the UNIMAS vicinity The sample
collection and sample preparation procedure are discussed more elaborately in Chapter
3 This research implements the standards from BS 373 1957 Methods for Testing
Small Clear Specimens of Timber
15 Chapter Outline
This report consists of five chapters Chapter one will focus on the importance of
timber and the role and contribution of timber in the construction industry Chapter one
shall also cover the problem statement aim and objective scope of works and chapter
outline
Chapter two consists of the literature review regarding this project This chapter
explains about the test that is listed under scope of works for further improvement
Chapter three covers the methodology where it elaborates on the methods used
in this research mainly sample collection and preparation
Chapter four is results and discussion this chapter shall convey the results
gathered from the series of laboratory tests and the discussions regarding the findings
Chapter five is conclusion and recommendation this chapter explains about the
conclusion of this research and recommendation on this research for further
improvement
6
CHAPTER 2
LITERA TURE REVIEW
21 General
Due to its heterogeneity and species diversity timber is a complex building
material Timber does not have consistent predictable reproducible and uniform
properties as the properties vary with species age site and environmental conditions
(Ahamada Zziwa Yasin Naku Ziraba amp Mwakali 2009) The demand for quality
timber for construction will increase in Malaysia and other developing countries due to
a boom in the building construction industry With extreme exploitation and scarcity of
traditional hardwood timber species such as chengal (Neobaanocarpus heimii) and
meranti (Shorea spp) there is a diversity of previously unpopular species on the
market Zziwa etal (2009) revealed that there are 48 timber species on market and
despite the big number consumers prefer only 20 The durability integrity and safety
of structures from such species cannot be assured Reliable structural use of timber has
always been hampered by lack of appropriate design codes and well-established
standards
Timber is one of the oldest construction materials used In Malaysia timber used
to be the main materials used to build houses especially traditional Malay houses
Examples of landmark timber structures in Malaysia are Istana Lama which was built in
1902 Istana Kenangan Perak which was built in 1960 and lastly Kampung Laut Mosque
which is over 300 years old Until today timber has been the preferable material used
for the construction of residential areas in European countries and North America
(Ahmad 2011)
Why should we build with timber For one timber is a renewable resource
According to Ahmad (2011) the growth rate of commercial forests in North America is
7
to the best of my knowledge is the said students work
PICHIDAT IIAICLUAT AICADEIIIIC
UNIAS
UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK IIIII1000268759ItttilIII ~I Grade WKOI
Please tick (J) Final Year Project Report o Masters D PhD D
DECLARATION OF ORIGINAL WORK
This declaration is made on the ~~~~ day of r~I~2014
Students Declaration I MOHD FAIZ JAFNI BIN AHMAD MUSTAFA 29038 FACULTY OF ENGINEERING hereby declare that the work entitled BASIC STRENGTH PROPERTIES OF ONCOSPERMA TIGILLARIUM AT SMALL CLEAR is my original work I have not copied from any other students work or from any other sources except where due reference or acknowledgement is made explicitly in the text nor has any part been written for me by another person
1qQ7~O~ Date submitted Mohd Fai
Supervisors Declaration I GADDAFI BIN ISMAIL hereby certify that the work entitled BASIC STRENGTH PROPERTIES OF ONCOSPERMA TIGILLARIUM AT SMALL CLEAR was prepared by the above named student and was submitted to the FACULTY as a partial fulfillment for the conferment of BENG (HONS) (CIVIL) and the aforementione
Receiv~d for examination by (Dr Gaddafi bin Ismaili)
Date ~l~ (dIltf
I declare that ProjectJThesis is classified as (Please tick (f)
D CONFIDENTIAL (Contains confidential information under the Official Secret Act 1972) D RESTRICTED (Contains restricted information as specified by the organisation where n research was done) ~OPEN ACCESS
ValidationofPTojed1The~
I therefore duly affirmed with free consent and willingness declare that this said ProjectJThesis shall be placed officially in the Centre for Academic Information Services with the abiding interest and rights as follows
bull This ProjectThesis is the sole legal property ofUniversiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) bull The Centre for Academic Information Services has the lawful right to make copies for the
purpose of academic and research only and not for other purpose bull The Centre for Academic Information Services has the lawful right to digitalize the
content for the Local Content Database bull The Centre for Academic Information Services has the lawful right to make copies of the
ProjectThesis for academic exchange between Higher Learning Institute bull No dispute or any claim shall arise from the student itself neither third party on this
ProjectJThesis once it becomes the sole property of UNIMAS bull This ProjectlThesis or any material data and information related to it shall not be
distributed published or disclosed to any party by the student except with UNIMAS permission
Student signature _-+- ___a-79~--- Supemso SignaturO~fZshy(Date) 4 Ji yflt07201
Current Address ~
10 fDlQO DaS01lt Tmwr 3400 KtAcbl) I iUtrlt WtlflC
I
Notes If the ProjectThesis is CONFIDENTIAL or RESTRICTED please attach together as annexure a letter from the organization with the period and reasons of confidentiality and restriction
[The instrument is duly prepared by The Centre for Academic Information Services)
~
L
I
Pusat Khidmat l-akJumat Akadern~ UNlVERSm MALAYSIA SAftAWAK
BASIC STRENGTH PROPERTIES OF ONCOSPERMA TIGILLARIUM AT SMALL CLEAR
MOHD FAIZ JAFNI BIN AHMAD MUSTAFA
Thesis is submitted to Faculty of Engineering Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For The Degree of Bachelor of Engineering with Honours
(Civil Engineering) 2014
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Allah Almighty for giving me the opportunity to breathe till
this day to be able to complete this report paper Alhamdulillah and may He bless us all I
would also like to extend my greatest thanks my parents Rita binti Mohd Omar and Ahmad
Mustafa bin Wahid for giving me moral as well as monetary support in order to complete
this task I am nothing without their kind contribution and prayers
Secondly I would like to thank Dr Gaddafi Ismaili for giving me the opportunity to
work as his understudy and becoming my supervising lecturer Thanks to all his guidance
and assistance I would not have reached his far without him A million thanks to all my
friends who have always been there for me through thick and thin Thank you to Faculty of
Resource Science and Technology (FRST) especially to Head of Department of Science
and Environmental Ecology Prof Dr Cheksum bt Tawan and Mr Hidir Marzuki who
have assisted us for species ID identification Thank you to all the lecturers at the Civil
Engineering department for assisting me in any way possible
Not forgetting the Department of Asset and Department of Security of UNIMAS for
allowing me to proceed with my research by approving the sample collection and
constantly monitoring my progress during sample collection to ensure my safety Without
the concern of the fellow security guards I may have not made it in one piece out of the
wilderness ofUNIMAS Thank you very much
Last but not least I would like to thank the kind staffs and lab technician at the civil
engineering lab and also the laboratory technician from Sarawak Forestry Cooperate (SFC)
including Mr Nunggah Dr Alik Duju Mr Wong and Mr Chai for their assistance This
report would not have been realized without the help from all the parties responsible
Thanks also goes to all those who have helped me directly and indirectly Thank you and
may we all live long and prosper
ABSTRAK
Dalam dunia moden masa kini hutan konkrit merebak dengan cepat sekali di
seluruh dunia menolak hutan semula jadi keluar dari jalan Konkrit menjadi bahan binaan
yang semakin menuntut Walau bagaimanapun harga konkrit tidak murah Oleh itu kayu
bahan binaan yang boleh diperbaharui dan mesra alam diminta keluar sebagai altematif
dalam industri pembinaan Seperti mana-mana bahan pembinaan lain kayu mempunyai
rintangan sendiri dari segi degradasi biologi rintangan kimia kestabilan dimensi rintangan
haba luluhawa dan kerosakan Walau bagaimanapun jika dirawat dengan betul balak
boleh menjadi saingan sengit untuk konkrit Selain itu kayu mempunyai nilai estetika yang
sangat tinggi berbanding dengan bahan-bahan pembinaan lain Kayu keras adalah jenis
kayu sering dipilih sebagai bahan struktur kerana ia mempunyai kekuatan yang lebih tinggi
tetapi memerlukan masa yang sangat lama untuk matang kira-kira 100 tahun Oleh itu
spesis kayu berkembang pesat dengan nama Oncosperma Tigillarium atau lebih dikenali
dengan nama biasa kelapa Nibong dipilih untuk dieksperimentasikan untuk menentukan
sifat-sifat asas fizikal dan sifat mekanikal dalam mencari altematifkepada kayu keras Oleh
itu satu siri ujian telah dijalankan ke atas specimen dalam keaadaan air-dry Oncosperma
Tigillarium untuk mengkaji sifat-sifat kekuatan seperti kekuatan lenturan kekuatan
mampatan selari dengan ira kekerasan dan rintangan hentaman antara sampel dari 6 batang
pokok berbeza Ujian dijalankan mengikut Piawaian British BS 373 1957 Spesimen
diperolehi dalam kawasan kampus Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNlMAS) Ujian makmal
telah dijalankan di Perbadanan Perhutanan Sarawak (SFC) Berdasarkan analisis data
Oncosperma Tigillarium menunjukkan ciri-ciri kekuatan yang setanding dengan kayu keras
sederhana atau kayu keras yang lain walaupun ia dianggap sebagai non-worthy timber
ii
ABSTRACT
In the modem world today concrete jungles are spreading like wildfire all over the
world pushing natural forests out of the way Concrete becomes an ever demanded
construction material however the price of concrete is not cheap Therefore timber a
renewable and eco-friendly construction material is sought out as an alternative in the
construction industry Like any other materials timber has its own setbacks in terms of
biological degradation chemical resistance dimensional stability thermal resistance
weathering and decay However if treated properly timber can become a fierce adversary
to concrete Moreover timber has a very high aesthetic value compared to other
construction materials Hardwood is the type of timber often chosen as structural material
as it has higher strength but requires a very long time to mature about 100 years Thus a
species of fast-growing timber of name Oncosperma Tigillarium or better known for its
common name Nibong palm is chosen to be experimented on to determine its basic
physical properties and mechanical properties in the search for an alternative to hardwood
timber Therefore a series of tests were conducted on air dry specimens of Oncosperma
Tigillarium to study the strength properties such as bending properties compressive
strength parallel to grain hardness and impact resistance between samples from different
culms Tests are carried out in accordance to British Standard 373 1957 Method for testing
small clear specimens of timber Specimens were obtained within the vicinity of the
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) campus The laboratory tests were conducted at
the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) Based on the data analysis Oncosperma
Tigillarium shows strength properties which are comparable to other medium hardwood or
even hardwood even though is it classified to be a non-worthy timber
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Content Page
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABSTRACT ii
LIST OF ABBREVIA nONS Xlll
ABSTRAK iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS iv
LIST OF TABLES ix
LIST OF FIGURES x
Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION 1
11 General
12 Problem Statements 2
13 Aims and Objectives 4
14 Scope of Work 5
15 Chapter Outline 6
Chapter 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 7
21 General 7
22 Palm 8
23 Nibong Palm (Oncosperma Tigillarium) 9
iv
Chapter 3
24
25
26
27
28
29
210
211
212
213
214
215
Pusat Kbidmat MakJumat Akademjl UNIVERSm MALAYSIA SARAWAh
Moisture Content
Shrinkage
Grain
Basic Density
Static Bending Test
Other Non-worthy Timber (Bamboo)
Mechanical Properties
Hardness
Impact Bending Test
Modulus of Elasticity (MOE)
Modulus of Rupture (MOR)
Effect of Moisture Content in Mechanical
Properties
METHODOLOGY
31 General
32 Desk Study
33 Approval from Authorities
331 Problems Faced
34 Sample Collection
341 Tools and Equipment
342 Marking and Cutting
343 Problems Faced
v
10
11
11
12
12
15
16
16
16
16
17
17
18
18
18
21
22
22
22
23
27
]
35 Transportation of Sample 28
36 Sample Preparation 31
361 Tools and Equipment 31
362 Vertical Band Saw Mill 31
363 Single Rip Machine 32
364 Digital Double-Sided Planer 33
365 Marking and Cutting 36
37 Sample Testing 36
371 Physical Properties 37
3711 Moisture Content Determination 37
3712 Basic Density Determination 38
372 Strength Properties 39
3721 Static Bending Test 39
3722 Compression Pamllel to Gmin Test 41
3723 Janka Hardness Test 43
3724 Impact Bending Test 45
373 Problems Faced 46
38 Results and Discussion 47
39 Conclusion and Recommendations 47
Chapter 4 RESUL TS ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 48
41 General 48
42 Oncosperma Tigillarium 48
vi
43 Testing Result of Small Clear Specimens of 49
Different Tree Culms
431 Compression Parallel to Grain Test 49
432 Static Bending Test 50
433 Impact bending Test 51
434 Janka Hardness Test 52
435 Moisture Content 52
436 Basic Density 53
44 Discussion 54
441 Comparison in Moisture Content of Oncosperma 55
Tigilarium
442 Comparison in Basic Density of Oncosperma 56
Tigilarium
443 Comparison in Compression Parallel to Grain of 57
Oncosperma Tigillarium
444 Comparison in Static Bending Test of 58
Oncosperma Tigilarium
445 Comparison in Hardness Test of Oncosperma 59
Tigillarium
446 Comparison in Impact Bending Test of 62
Oncosperma Tigilarium
45 Overall Average 64
46 Mechanical Properties vs Basic Density 66
vii
Chapter 5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 70
51 General 70
52 Conclusions 70
53 Recommendations for Oncosperma Tigillarium 71
54 Recommendations for Further Research and 71
Study
REFERENCES 73
APPENDIX 77
viii
LIST OF TABLES
Table Description Page
31 Item Used In Sample Collection and Its Purpose 23
32 Items Used In Sample Preparation and Its Purpose 31
33 Moisture Content for Nibong Culm Samples 37
34 Static Bending Test Results Table 39
35 Compression Parallel-to-Grain Test Results Table 41
36 Hardness Test Results Table 44
37 Impact Bending Test Results Table 45
41 Specimen Numbering for Oncosperma Tigillarium Sample 49
42 Average Value of Compression Parallel to Grain Test Result of 50
Different Tree Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry
Condition
43 Average Value of Static Bending Test Result of Different Tree Culms 51
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
44 Average Value oflmpact Bending Test Result of Different Tree 51
Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
45 Average Value of Janka Hardness Test Result of Different Tree Culms 52
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
46 Average Value of Moisture Content of Different Tree Culms of 53
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
47 Average Value of Basic Density of Different Tree Culms of 54
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
48 Summary of Physical and Mechanical Properties of Oncosperma 64
Tigillarium in Sarawak
49 Comparison between Oncosperma Tigillarium with other Timber in 65
Borneo
ix
LIST OF FIGURES
Description ~age~
11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber Federal Center South 1
Building 1202 USACE Seattle District Headquarters
12 Deforestation 3
13 Oncosperma Tigillarium 4
21 Comparison Of C02 Emissions Related To Fabrication of One Beam 8
of Aluminum Steel Reinforced Concrete and Solid Wood
22 Nibong Posts and Joists at Bako Fishing Village Sarawak 10
23 Static Bending Test Data on Small Clear Specimens 13
24 Modified Static Bending Test Data to 12 Percent MC 14
25 Static Bending Test Force vs Displacement Graph 15
31 Research Work Flow Chart 19
32 Location of Site for Sample Collection Within UNlMAS 20
33 Roadside of Sample Collection Site 20
34 Tools and Equipment for Sample Collection 22
35 Marking and Cutting of Nibong Palm Samples 24
36 Measuring 24
37 Cutting 25
38 Removal of Thorns 26
39 Stacking of Trees 26
310 Cutting Trees Into 3 Segments 27
311 Security Guard Approaching 28
312 Ahed And Son Sdn Bhd 239 tons Lorry 28
313 Security Guard Routine Check 29
314 Forklift 30
315 Stacking at Sarawak Forestry 30
316 Vertical Band Saw Mill 32
317 Single Rip Machine 33
318 Removing Pith 34
x
II
319 Digital Double-Sided Planer 35
320 Transporting Samples to Lab 35 ~ 321 Labeling Samples for Final Cutting 36
322 Weighted Sample 38
323 Measured Sample 38 ~
324 Static Bending Test on Sample 39 ~ I 325 Sample During Static Bending Test 40 8
326 Sample after Static Bending Test 40
327 Sample during Compression Test 41
328 Sample after Compression Test (Type ofFracture) 42
329 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 42
0
~ 4
330 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 43 ~
331 Hardness Test Concept 43 ~
332 Sample during Hardness Test 44 ~
333 Sample after Hardness Test 440
334 Sample During Impact Bending Test 45 ~
335 Sample after Impact Bending Test 46 ~
41 Moisture Content of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 55 ~ 42 Basic Density of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 56 ~
43 Maximum Load of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 57 ~
44 Maximum Compressive Strength For Different Oncospenna 57 ~
Tigillarium Culms ~ 45 Maximum Load For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 58 8
46 Modulus Of Rupture (MOR) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 ~ 9
Culms
47 Modulus Of Elasticity (MOE) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 0
Culms 0
48 Comparison Of Maximum Load Modulus OfRupture (MOR) And 60 ~
Modulus OfElasticity (MOE) For Different On cos penna Tigillarium ~
Culms ~
xi
I 1
49 Maximum Tangential Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium 61
Culms
410 Maximum Radial Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms 61
411 Comparison Between Maximum Tangential And Radial Load For 62
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
412 Work Done In Joules For Different Impact Bending Specimens For 63
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
413 Maximum Load Compression V s Density 66
414 Maximum Compressive Strength Vs Density 66
415 Maximum Load Bending V s Density 67
416 MOR Vs Density 67
417 MOE Vs Density 68
418 Tangential Hardness V s Density 68
419 Radial Hardness V s Density 69
xii
ASTM
BS
FRIM
SFC
FSP
MOE
MOR
MC
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
American Society for Testing and Materials
British Standard
Forest Research Institute of Malaysia
Sarawak Forestry Corporation
Fiber Saturation Point
Modulus of elasticity
Modulus of rupture
Moisture content
xiii
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
11 General
Timber is one of the oldest materials used in construction since the birth of
construction technology It is one of the most readily available materials in recent times
Timber was the main material used in construction before concrete and steel
construction methods were discovered Timber is divided into two softwood and
hardwood Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees strictly speaking non-monocot
angiosperm trees while softwood is wood from gymnosperm trees
Figure 11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber (Architizer 2013)
1
of
~s
~e l
~d
ot
Wood is easily handled it has a long lifespan and nearly unlimited applications whether
in construction or other usages No other building material is produced and used with as
little energy and damage to the environment as wood Compared to other building
materials wood is light in weight and highly resilient Countless bridges towers and
wooden structures all over the world bear witness to this statement Wooden houses
roof trusses walls floors and stairs have been in use for generations Wood dwellings
over 700 years old yet still inhabited today are proofs of woods lifelong durability as a
building material People choose to build with wood on the grounds of economy
aesthetics and biology Wood radiates warmth and is harmless to the environment
Additionally modern construction methods do not require any chemical preservative
treatments Timber construction materials undergo strict control checks concerning
quality and performance The quality of many timber products is ensured by specific
standards Efficient prefabricating smooth processing and constant availability make
construction with wood quick and economic Building with wood is always the right
choice (GermanTimber 2007)
Timber is without a doubt one of the most environmentally friendly building
materials available in the environmentally challenged world we live in today It is
remarkably versatile able to work well with other materials such as concrete and metal
as composite structures It is also naturally renewable but requires human ethics to
preserve its renewability Timber also has high aesthetic value and not to mention light
and strong to build structures with It also has an inviting warm and welcoming sense
which makes us feel cozy and comfortable Whether it is a landmark building
government office housing school or hospital architects look to timber to express
contemporary art and beauty in the structure they design Timber is a high performance
material light in weight yet with excellent load bearing and thermal properties (Brash
2008)
12 Problem Statement
Deforestation and global warming are not a new epidemic in the modern world
today Vast development in developed and developing countries are stripping the Earth
of its forests Timber is abundant in most countries especially tropical countries like in
the Southeast Asia or South America Although there are still abundant trees in the
2
world it doesnt mean we can chop every tree we see just for our own personal gain
Mother Nature has taken care of us for generations its time for us to give back to
Mother Nature
Figure 12 Deforestation (Compost 2013)
Most hardwood stands mature in 70 to 120 years With proper management
renewing the forest takes less time The time required to mature a hardwood tree
depends on the species An oak tree requires 80-120 years to mature whereas a poplar
tree can mature and be ready to harvest in 40 years or less (Unknown) It takes tens of
years to grow a single hardwood tree but it takes merely hours to chop down entire
forests Irresponsible logging is one of the major factors which affect the sustainability
of timber as construction materials or other usages Loggers who do not cut down the
tree properly will cause the tree to not regenerate Harvesting timber also requires skills
Thus an alternative to slow growing hardwood is required to compensate for the
long time required to grow hardwood timber Fast-growing timbers such as medium
hardwood light hardwood and softwood are being tested and experimented to find the
most suitable alternative which could make timber the new concrete or steel
Oncosperma tigillarium is a very amazing-looking tall large slender palm massed with
armed trunks armed trunks and beautiful elegantly-arched drooping leathery fronds
which is sparsely distributed along the inland fringes of mangrove forest and other low
wet swampy vegetation Its trunk is slender up to 15 centimeters in diameter ringed
3
middotn
to
tire
lity
the
lis
the
urn
the
ee
ith
ow
ged
with old leaf scars with up to 50 densely anned with scattered slender black spines
that are about 5 to 10 centimeters long crown shaft are conspicuous and anned with
slender black spines Fronds are feather-shaped ascending to spreading pendulous
elegantly-arched armed and dark to bright green Inflorescences are ramified (multishy
branched) and yellow up to 80 centimeters long infrafoliar (emerging from below the
fronds) and anned Its flowers are arranged in groups of 3 (2 male flowers to 1 female
flower) Its fruits are globose 1 centimeters in diameter mildly-depressed purple to
black and single-seeded (Ridley 2012) Oncosperma tigillariums common name is
Nibong palm in English or simply Nibong in Malay Oncosperma tigillarium may
prove to be a breakthrough in the search for new fast-growing timbers for construction
purposes It is available in abundance in the forests of Sarawak and can also be
exploited for plantation of softwood timber and harvested for construction purposes
Strength properties at small clear will be tested for this tree species
Figure 13 Oncosperma Tigillarium (Ridley 1864)
13 Aims and Objectives
In this research report the timber with the scientific name Oncosperma
tigillarium or better known for its common name in Malaysia Nibong is one of the
4
Pusat Khidmlt Maddumlt Akademik UNlVERSrrl MAlAYSIA SARAW
fast-growing timber available in the forests of Malaysia and also Indonesia where it is
said to originate (Ridley 2012)
The main aim in this project is to investigate and acquire the information on the
relationship of distribution patterns of strength and physical properties with small clear
sample sizes of the Oncosperma tigillarium timber
Objective
1 To determine the strength and physical properties at air-dry conditions of
Oncosperma tigillarium
2 To understand the relationship between the variation of strength from pith to
sapwood of Oncosperma tigillarium and
3 To identify the distribution pattern of strength and physical properties with
Oncosperma tigillarium
14 Scope of Work
A series of study and laboratory tests are required to be done in order to achieve
the aim and objective In order to accomplish this certain scopes of study of work shall
be done so that the whole laboratory procedures can be run at a more systematic way
The test will be conducted by using 20 x 20mm (A) x 300mm (L) and 20 x 20mm (A) x
60mm (L) small clear size sample Laboratory tests will be carried out to determine the
strength and physical properties of Oncosperma tigillarium at air-dry conditions The
types of laboratory tests to be carried out are as in the table below
Table 11 Laboratory tests for strength and physical properties of timber
No Laboratory Test
Static bending test
2 Compression test
3 Moisture content test
4 Basic density test
5 Hardness test
5
is
of
to
th
lYe
~Il
y
u
~e
he
The sample of Oncosperma tigillarium to be used in this research study was
collected in the wetland forest areas within the UNIMAS vicinity The sample
collection and sample preparation procedure are discussed more elaborately in Chapter
3 This research implements the standards from BS 373 1957 Methods for Testing
Small Clear Specimens of Timber
15 Chapter Outline
This report consists of five chapters Chapter one will focus on the importance of
timber and the role and contribution of timber in the construction industry Chapter one
shall also cover the problem statement aim and objective scope of works and chapter
outline
Chapter two consists of the literature review regarding this project This chapter
explains about the test that is listed under scope of works for further improvement
Chapter three covers the methodology where it elaborates on the methods used
in this research mainly sample collection and preparation
Chapter four is results and discussion this chapter shall convey the results
gathered from the series of laboratory tests and the discussions regarding the findings
Chapter five is conclusion and recommendation this chapter explains about the
conclusion of this research and recommendation on this research for further
improvement
6
CHAPTER 2
LITERA TURE REVIEW
21 General
Due to its heterogeneity and species diversity timber is a complex building
material Timber does not have consistent predictable reproducible and uniform
properties as the properties vary with species age site and environmental conditions
(Ahamada Zziwa Yasin Naku Ziraba amp Mwakali 2009) The demand for quality
timber for construction will increase in Malaysia and other developing countries due to
a boom in the building construction industry With extreme exploitation and scarcity of
traditional hardwood timber species such as chengal (Neobaanocarpus heimii) and
meranti (Shorea spp) there is a diversity of previously unpopular species on the
market Zziwa etal (2009) revealed that there are 48 timber species on market and
despite the big number consumers prefer only 20 The durability integrity and safety
of structures from such species cannot be assured Reliable structural use of timber has
always been hampered by lack of appropriate design codes and well-established
standards
Timber is one of the oldest construction materials used In Malaysia timber used
to be the main materials used to build houses especially traditional Malay houses
Examples of landmark timber structures in Malaysia are Istana Lama which was built in
1902 Istana Kenangan Perak which was built in 1960 and lastly Kampung Laut Mosque
which is over 300 years old Until today timber has been the preferable material used
for the construction of residential areas in European countries and North America
(Ahmad 2011)
Why should we build with timber For one timber is a renewable resource
According to Ahmad (2011) the growth rate of commercial forests in North America is
7
I declare that ProjectJThesis is classified as (Please tick (f)
D CONFIDENTIAL (Contains confidential information under the Official Secret Act 1972) D RESTRICTED (Contains restricted information as specified by the organisation where n research was done) ~OPEN ACCESS
ValidationofPTojed1The~
I therefore duly affirmed with free consent and willingness declare that this said ProjectJThesis shall be placed officially in the Centre for Academic Information Services with the abiding interest and rights as follows
bull This ProjectThesis is the sole legal property ofUniversiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) bull The Centre for Academic Information Services has the lawful right to make copies for the
purpose of academic and research only and not for other purpose bull The Centre for Academic Information Services has the lawful right to digitalize the
content for the Local Content Database bull The Centre for Academic Information Services has the lawful right to make copies of the
ProjectThesis for academic exchange between Higher Learning Institute bull No dispute or any claim shall arise from the student itself neither third party on this
ProjectJThesis once it becomes the sole property of UNIMAS bull This ProjectlThesis or any material data and information related to it shall not be
distributed published or disclosed to any party by the student except with UNIMAS permission
Student signature _-+- ___a-79~--- Supemso SignaturO~fZshy(Date) 4 Ji yflt07201
Current Address ~
10 fDlQO DaS01lt Tmwr 3400 KtAcbl) I iUtrlt WtlflC
I
Notes If the ProjectThesis is CONFIDENTIAL or RESTRICTED please attach together as annexure a letter from the organization with the period and reasons of confidentiality and restriction
[The instrument is duly prepared by The Centre for Academic Information Services)
~
L
I
Pusat Khidmat l-akJumat Akadern~ UNlVERSm MALAYSIA SAftAWAK
BASIC STRENGTH PROPERTIES OF ONCOSPERMA TIGILLARIUM AT SMALL CLEAR
MOHD FAIZ JAFNI BIN AHMAD MUSTAFA
Thesis is submitted to Faculty of Engineering Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For The Degree of Bachelor of Engineering with Honours
(Civil Engineering) 2014
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Allah Almighty for giving me the opportunity to breathe till
this day to be able to complete this report paper Alhamdulillah and may He bless us all I
would also like to extend my greatest thanks my parents Rita binti Mohd Omar and Ahmad
Mustafa bin Wahid for giving me moral as well as monetary support in order to complete
this task I am nothing without their kind contribution and prayers
Secondly I would like to thank Dr Gaddafi Ismaili for giving me the opportunity to
work as his understudy and becoming my supervising lecturer Thanks to all his guidance
and assistance I would not have reached his far without him A million thanks to all my
friends who have always been there for me through thick and thin Thank you to Faculty of
Resource Science and Technology (FRST) especially to Head of Department of Science
and Environmental Ecology Prof Dr Cheksum bt Tawan and Mr Hidir Marzuki who
have assisted us for species ID identification Thank you to all the lecturers at the Civil
Engineering department for assisting me in any way possible
Not forgetting the Department of Asset and Department of Security of UNIMAS for
allowing me to proceed with my research by approving the sample collection and
constantly monitoring my progress during sample collection to ensure my safety Without
the concern of the fellow security guards I may have not made it in one piece out of the
wilderness ofUNIMAS Thank you very much
Last but not least I would like to thank the kind staffs and lab technician at the civil
engineering lab and also the laboratory technician from Sarawak Forestry Cooperate (SFC)
including Mr Nunggah Dr Alik Duju Mr Wong and Mr Chai for their assistance This
report would not have been realized without the help from all the parties responsible
Thanks also goes to all those who have helped me directly and indirectly Thank you and
may we all live long and prosper
ABSTRAK
Dalam dunia moden masa kini hutan konkrit merebak dengan cepat sekali di
seluruh dunia menolak hutan semula jadi keluar dari jalan Konkrit menjadi bahan binaan
yang semakin menuntut Walau bagaimanapun harga konkrit tidak murah Oleh itu kayu
bahan binaan yang boleh diperbaharui dan mesra alam diminta keluar sebagai altematif
dalam industri pembinaan Seperti mana-mana bahan pembinaan lain kayu mempunyai
rintangan sendiri dari segi degradasi biologi rintangan kimia kestabilan dimensi rintangan
haba luluhawa dan kerosakan Walau bagaimanapun jika dirawat dengan betul balak
boleh menjadi saingan sengit untuk konkrit Selain itu kayu mempunyai nilai estetika yang
sangat tinggi berbanding dengan bahan-bahan pembinaan lain Kayu keras adalah jenis
kayu sering dipilih sebagai bahan struktur kerana ia mempunyai kekuatan yang lebih tinggi
tetapi memerlukan masa yang sangat lama untuk matang kira-kira 100 tahun Oleh itu
spesis kayu berkembang pesat dengan nama Oncosperma Tigillarium atau lebih dikenali
dengan nama biasa kelapa Nibong dipilih untuk dieksperimentasikan untuk menentukan
sifat-sifat asas fizikal dan sifat mekanikal dalam mencari altematifkepada kayu keras Oleh
itu satu siri ujian telah dijalankan ke atas specimen dalam keaadaan air-dry Oncosperma
Tigillarium untuk mengkaji sifat-sifat kekuatan seperti kekuatan lenturan kekuatan
mampatan selari dengan ira kekerasan dan rintangan hentaman antara sampel dari 6 batang
pokok berbeza Ujian dijalankan mengikut Piawaian British BS 373 1957 Spesimen
diperolehi dalam kawasan kampus Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNlMAS) Ujian makmal
telah dijalankan di Perbadanan Perhutanan Sarawak (SFC) Berdasarkan analisis data
Oncosperma Tigillarium menunjukkan ciri-ciri kekuatan yang setanding dengan kayu keras
sederhana atau kayu keras yang lain walaupun ia dianggap sebagai non-worthy timber
ii
ABSTRACT
In the modem world today concrete jungles are spreading like wildfire all over the
world pushing natural forests out of the way Concrete becomes an ever demanded
construction material however the price of concrete is not cheap Therefore timber a
renewable and eco-friendly construction material is sought out as an alternative in the
construction industry Like any other materials timber has its own setbacks in terms of
biological degradation chemical resistance dimensional stability thermal resistance
weathering and decay However if treated properly timber can become a fierce adversary
to concrete Moreover timber has a very high aesthetic value compared to other
construction materials Hardwood is the type of timber often chosen as structural material
as it has higher strength but requires a very long time to mature about 100 years Thus a
species of fast-growing timber of name Oncosperma Tigillarium or better known for its
common name Nibong palm is chosen to be experimented on to determine its basic
physical properties and mechanical properties in the search for an alternative to hardwood
timber Therefore a series of tests were conducted on air dry specimens of Oncosperma
Tigillarium to study the strength properties such as bending properties compressive
strength parallel to grain hardness and impact resistance between samples from different
culms Tests are carried out in accordance to British Standard 373 1957 Method for testing
small clear specimens of timber Specimens were obtained within the vicinity of the
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) campus The laboratory tests were conducted at
the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) Based on the data analysis Oncosperma
Tigillarium shows strength properties which are comparable to other medium hardwood or
even hardwood even though is it classified to be a non-worthy timber
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Content Page
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABSTRACT ii
LIST OF ABBREVIA nONS Xlll
ABSTRAK iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS iv
LIST OF TABLES ix
LIST OF FIGURES x
Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION 1
11 General
12 Problem Statements 2
13 Aims and Objectives 4
14 Scope of Work 5
15 Chapter Outline 6
Chapter 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 7
21 General 7
22 Palm 8
23 Nibong Palm (Oncosperma Tigillarium) 9
iv
Chapter 3
24
25
26
27
28
29
210
211
212
213
214
215
Pusat Kbidmat MakJumat Akademjl UNIVERSm MALAYSIA SARAWAh
Moisture Content
Shrinkage
Grain
Basic Density
Static Bending Test
Other Non-worthy Timber (Bamboo)
Mechanical Properties
Hardness
Impact Bending Test
Modulus of Elasticity (MOE)
Modulus of Rupture (MOR)
Effect of Moisture Content in Mechanical
Properties
METHODOLOGY
31 General
32 Desk Study
33 Approval from Authorities
331 Problems Faced
34 Sample Collection
341 Tools and Equipment
342 Marking and Cutting
343 Problems Faced
v
10
11
11
12
12
15
16
16
16
16
17
17
18
18
18
21
22
22
22
23
27
]
35 Transportation of Sample 28
36 Sample Preparation 31
361 Tools and Equipment 31
362 Vertical Band Saw Mill 31
363 Single Rip Machine 32
364 Digital Double-Sided Planer 33
365 Marking and Cutting 36
37 Sample Testing 36
371 Physical Properties 37
3711 Moisture Content Determination 37
3712 Basic Density Determination 38
372 Strength Properties 39
3721 Static Bending Test 39
3722 Compression Pamllel to Gmin Test 41
3723 Janka Hardness Test 43
3724 Impact Bending Test 45
373 Problems Faced 46
38 Results and Discussion 47
39 Conclusion and Recommendations 47
Chapter 4 RESUL TS ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 48
41 General 48
42 Oncosperma Tigillarium 48
vi
43 Testing Result of Small Clear Specimens of 49
Different Tree Culms
431 Compression Parallel to Grain Test 49
432 Static Bending Test 50
433 Impact bending Test 51
434 Janka Hardness Test 52
435 Moisture Content 52
436 Basic Density 53
44 Discussion 54
441 Comparison in Moisture Content of Oncosperma 55
Tigilarium
442 Comparison in Basic Density of Oncosperma 56
Tigilarium
443 Comparison in Compression Parallel to Grain of 57
Oncosperma Tigillarium
444 Comparison in Static Bending Test of 58
Oncosperma Tigilarium
445 Comparison in Hardness Test of Oncosperma 59
Tigillarium
446 Comparison in Impact Bending Test of 62
Oncosperma Tigilarium
45 Overall Average 64
46 Mechanical Properties vs Basic Density 66
vii
Chapter 5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 70
51 General 70
52 Conclusions 70
53 Recommendations for Oncosperma Tigillarium 71
54 Recommendations for Further Research and 71
Study
REFERENCES 73
APPENDIX 77
viii
LIST OF TABLES
Table Description Page
31 Item Used In Sample Collection and Its Purpose 23
32 Items Used In Sample Preparation and Its Purpose 31
33 Moisture Content for Nibong Culm Samples 37
34 Static Bending Test Results Table 39
35 Compression Parallel-to-Grain Test Results Table 41
36 Hardness Test Results Table 44
37 Impact Bending Test Results Table 45
41 Specimen Numbering for Oncosperma Tigillarium Sample 49
42 Average Value of Compression Parallel to Grain Test Result of 50
Different Tree Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry
Condition
43 Average Value of Static Bending Test Result of Different Tree Culms 51
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
44 Average Value oflmpact Bending Test Result of Different Tree 51
Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
45 Average Value of Janka Hardness Test Result of Different Tree Culms 52
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
46 Average Value of Moisture Content of Different Tree Culms of 53
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
47 Average Value of Basic Density of Different Tree Culms of 54
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
48 Summary of Physical and Mechanical Properties of Oncosperma 64
Tigillarium in Sarawak
49 Comparison between Oncosperma Tigillarium with other Timber in 65
Borneo
ix
LIST OF FIGURES
Description ~age~
11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber Federal Center South 1
Building 1202 USACE Seattle District Headquarters
12 Deforestation 3
13 Oncosperma Tigillarium 4
21 Comparison Of C02 Emissions Related To Fabrication of One Beam 8
of Aluminum Steel Reinforced Concrete and Solid Wood
22 Nibong Posts and Joists at Bako Fishing Village Sarawak 10
23 Static Bending Test Data on Small Clear Specimens 13
24 Modified Static Bending Test Data to 12 Percent MC 14
25 Static Bending Test Force vs Displacement Graph 15
31 Research Work Flow Chart 19
32 Location of Site for Sample Collection Within UNlMAS 20
33 Roadside of Sample Collection Site 20
34 Tools and Equipment for Sample Collection 22
35 Marking and Cutting of Nibong Palm Samples 24
36 Measuring 24
37 Cutting 25
38 Removal of Thorns 26
39 Stacking of Trees 26
310 Cutting Trees Into 3 Segments 27
311 Security Guard Approaching 28
312 Ahed And Son Sdn Bhd 239 tons Lorry 28
313 Security Guard Routine Check 29
314 Forklift 30
315 Stacking at Sarawak Forestry 30
316 Vertical Band Saw Mill 32
317 Single Rip Machine 33
318 Removing Pith 34
x
II
319 Digital Double-Sided Planer 35
320 Transporting Samples to Lab 35 ~ 321 Labeling Samples for Final Cutting 36
322 Weighted Sample 38
323 Measured Sample 38 ~
324 Static Bending Test on Sample 39 ~ I 325 Sample During Static Bending Test 40 8
326 Sample after Static Bending Test 40
327 Sample during Compression Test 41
328 Sample after Compression Test (Type ofFracture) 42
329 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 42
0
~ 4
330 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 43 ~
331 Hardness Test Concept 43 ~
332 Sample during Hardness Test 44 ~
333 Sample after Hardness Test 440
334 Sample During Impact Bending Test 45 ~
335 Sample after Impact Bending Test 46 ~
41 Moisture Content of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 55 ~ 42 Basic Density of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 56 ~
43 Maximum Load of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 57 ~
44 Maximum Compressive Strength For Different Oncospenna 57 ~
Tigillarium Culms ~ 45 Maximum Load For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 58 8
46 Modulus Of Rupture (MOR) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 ~ 9
Culms
47 Modulus Of Elasticity (MOE) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 0
Culms 0
48 Comparison Of Maximum Load Modulus OfRupture (MOR) And 60 ~
Modulus OfElasticity (MOE) For Different On cos penna Tigillarium ~
Culms ~
xi
I 1
49 Maximum Tangential Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium 61
Culms
410 Maximum Radial Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms 61
411 Comparison Between Maximum Tangential And Radial Load For 62
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
412 Work Done In Joules For Different Impact Bending Specimens For 63
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
413 Maximum Load Compression V s Density 66
414 Maximum Compressive Strength Vs Density 66
415 Maximum Load Bending V s Density 67
416 MOR Vs Density 67
417 MOE Vs Density 68
418 Tangential Hardness V s Density 68
419 Radial Hardness V s Density 69
xii
ASTM
BS
FRIM
SFC
FSP
MOE
MOR
MC
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
American Society for Testing and Materials
British Standard
Forest Research Institute of Malaysia
Sarawak Forestry Corporation
Fiber Saturation Point
Modulus of elasticity
Modulus of rupture
Moisture content
xiii
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
11 General
Timber is one of the oldest materials used in construction since the birth of
construction technology It is one of the most readily available materials in recent times
Timber was the main material used in construction before concrete and steel
construction methods were discovered Timber is divided into two softwood and
hardwood Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees strictly speaking non-monocot
angiosperm trees while softwood is wood from gymnosperm trees
Figure 11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber (Architizer 2013)
1
of
~s
~e l
~d
ot
Wood is easily handled it has a long lifespan and nearly unlimited applications whether
in construction or other usages No other building material is produced and used with as
little energy and damage to the environment as wood Compared to other building
materials wood is light in weight and highly resilient Countless bridges towers and
wooden structures all over the world bear witness to this statement Wooden houses
roof trusses walls floors and stairs have been in use for generations Wood dwellings
over 700 years old yet still inhabited today are proofs of woods lifelong durability as a
building material People choose to build with wood on the grounds of economy
aesthetics and biology Wood radiates warmth and is harmless to the environment
Additionally modern construction methods do not require any chemical preservative
treatments Timber construction materials undergo strict control checks concerning
quality and performance The quality of many timber products is ensured by specific
standards Efficient prefabricating smooth processing and constant availability make
construction with wood quick and economic Building with wood is always the right
choice (GermanTimber 2007)
Timber is without a doubt one of the most environmentally friendly building
materials available in the environmentally challenged world we live in today It is
remarkably versatile able to work well with other materials such as concrete and metal
as composite structures It is also naturally renewable but requires human ethics to
preserve its renewability Timber also has high aesthetic value and not to mention light
and strong to build structures with It also has an inviting warm and welcoming sense
which makes us feel cozy and comfortable Whether it is a landmark building
government office housing school or hospital architects look to timber to express
contemporary art and beauty in the structure they design Timber is a high performance
material light in weight yet with excellent load bearing and thermal properties (Brash
2008)
12 Problem Statement
Deforestation and global warming are not a new epidemic in the modern world
today Vast development in developed and developing countries are stripping the Earth
of its forests Timber is abundant in most countries especially tropical countries like in
the Southeast Asia or South America Although there are still abundant trees in the
2
world it doesnt mean we can chop every tree we see just for our own personal gain
Mother Nature has taken care of us for generations its time for us to give back to
Mother Nature
Figure 12 Deforestation (Compost 2013)
Most hardwood stands mature in 70 to 120 years With proper management
renewing the forest takes less time The time required to mature a hardwood tree
depends on the species An oak tree requires 80-120 years to mature whereas a poplar
tree can mature and be ready to harvest in 40 years or less (Unknown) It takes tens of
years to grow a single hardwood tree but it takes merely hours to chop down entire
forests Irresponsible logging is one of the major factors which affect the sustainability
of timber as construction materials or other usages Loggers who do not cut down the
tree properly will cause the tree to not regenerate Harvesting timber also requires skills
Thus an alternative to slow growing hardwood is required to compensate for the
long time required to grow hardwood timber Fast-growing timbers such as medium
hardwood light hardwood and softwood are being tested and experimented to find the
most suitable alternative which could make timber the new concrete or steel
Oncosperma tigillarium is a very amazing-looking tall large slender palm massed with
armed trunks armed trunks and beautiful elegantly-arched drooping leathery fronds
which is sparsely distributed along the inland fringes of mangrove forest and other low
wet swampy vegetation Its trunk is slender up to 15 centimeters in diameter ringed
3
middotn
to
tire
lity
the
lis
the
urn
the
ee
ith
ow
ged
with old leaf scars with up to 50 densely anned with scattered slender black spines
that are about 5 to 10 centimeters long crown shaft are conspicuous and anned with
slender black spines Fronds are feather-shaped ascending to spreading pendulous
elegantly-arched armed and dark to bright green Inflorescences are ramified (multishy
branched) and yellow up to 80 centimeters long infrafoliar (emerging from below the
fronds) and anned Its flowers are arranged in groups of 3 (2 male flowers to 1 female
flower) Its fruits are globose 1 centimeters in diameter mildly-depressed purple to
black and single-seeded (Ridley 2012) Oncosperma tigillariums common name is
Nibong palm in English or simply Nibong in Malay Oncosperma tigillarium may
prove to be a breakthrough in the search for new fast-growing timbers for construction
purposes It is available in abundance in the forests of Sarawak and can also be
exploited for plantation of softwood timber and harvested for construction purposes
Strength properties at small clear will be tested for this tree species
Figure 13 Oncosperma Tigillarium (Ridley 1864)
13 Aims and Objectives
In this research report the timber with the scientific name Oncosperma
tigillarium or better known for its common name in Malaysia Nibong is one of the
4
Pusat Khidmlt Maddumlt Akademik UNlVERSrrl MAlAYSIA SARAW
fast-growing timber available in the forests of Malaysia and also Indonesia where it is
said to originate (Ridley 2012)
The main aim in this project is to investigate and acquire the information on the
relationship of distribution patterns of strength and physical properties with small clear
sample sizes of the Oncosperma tigillarium timber
Objective
1 To determine the strength and physical properties at air-dry conditions of
Oncosperma tigillarium
2 To understand the relationship between the variation of strength from pith to
sapwood of Oncosperma tigillarium and
3 To identify the distribution pattern of strength and physical properties with
Oncosperma tigillarium
14 Scope of Work
A series of study and laboratory tests are required to be done in order to achieve
the aim and objective In order to accomplish this certain scopes of study of work shall
be done so that the whole laboratory procedures can be run at a more systematic way
The test will be conducted by using 20 x 20mm (A) x 300mm (L) and 20 x 20mm (A) x
60mm (L) small clear size sample Laboratory tests will be carried out to determine the
strength and physical properties of Oncosperma tigillarium at air-dry conditions The
types of laboratory tests to be carried out are as in the table below
Table 11 Laboratory tests for strength and physical properties of timber
No Laboratory Test
Static bending test
2 Compression test
3 Moisture content test
4 Basic density test
5 Hardness test
5
is
of
to
th
lYe
~Il
y
u
~e
he
The sample of Oncosperma tigillarium to be used in this research study was
collected in the wetland forest areas within the UNIMAS vicinity The sample
collection and sample preparation procedure are discussed more elaborately in Chapter
3 This research implements the standards from BS 373 1957 Methods for Testing
Small Clear Specimens of Timber
15 Chapter Outline
This report consists of five chapters Chapter one will focus on the importance of
timber and the role and contribution of timber in the construction industry Chapter one
shall also cover the problem statement aim and objective scope of works and chapter
outline
Chapter two consists of the literature review regarding this project This chapter
explains about the test that is listed under scope of works for further improvement
Chapter three covers the methodology where it elaborates on the methods used
in this research mainly sample collection and preparation
Chapter four is results and discussion this chapter shall convey the results
gathered from the series of laboratory tests and the discussions regarding the findings
Chapter five is conclusion and recommendation this chapter explains about the
conclusion of this research and recommendation on this research for further
improvement
6
CHAPTER 2
LITERA TURE REVIEW
21 General
Due to its heterogeneity and species diversity timber is a complex building
material Timber does not have consistent predictable reproducible and uniform
properties as the properties vary with species age site and environmental conditions
(Ahamada Zziwa Yasin Naku Ziraba amp Mwakali 2009) The demand for quality
timber for construction will increase in Malaysia and other developing countries due to
a boom in the building construction industry With extreme exploitation and scarcity of
traditional hardwood timber species such as chengal (Neobaanocarpus heimii) and
meranti (Shorea spp) there is a diversity of previously unpopular species on the
market Zziwa etal (2009) revealed that there are 48 timber species on market and
despite the big number consumers prefer only 20 The durability integrity and safety
of structures from such species cannot be assured Reliable structural use of timber has
always been hampered by lack of appropriate design codes and well-established
standards
Timber is one of the oldest construction materials used In Malaysia timber used
to be the main materials used to build houses especially traditional Malay houses
Examples of landmark timber structures in Malaysia are Istana Lama which was built in
1902 Istana Kenangan Perak which was built in 1960 and lastly Kampung Laut Mosque
which is over 300 years old Until today timber has been the preferable material used
for the construction of residential areas in European countries and North America
(Ahmad 2011)
Why should we build with timber For one timber is a renewable resource
According to Ahmad (2011) the growth rate of commercial forests in North America is
7
Pusat Khidmat l-akJumat Akadern~ UNlVERSm MALAYSIA SAftAWAK
BASIC STRENGTH PROPERTIES OF ONCOSPERMA TIGILLARIUM AT SMALL CLEAR
MOHD FAIZ JAFNI BIN AHMAD MUSTAFA
Thesis is submitted to Faculty of Engineering Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For The Degree of Bachelor of Engineering with Honours
(Civil Engineering) 2014
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Allah Almighty for giving me the opportunity to breathe till
this day to be able to complete this report paper Alhamdulillah and may He bless us all I
would also like to extend my greatest thanks my parents Rita binti Mohd Omar and Ahmad
Mustafa bin Wahid for giving me moral as well as monetary support in order to complete
this task I am nothing without their kind contribution and prayers
Secondly I would like to thank Dr Gaddafi Ismaili for giving me the opportunity to
work as his understudy and becoming my supervising lecturer Thanks to all his guidance
and assistance I would not have reached his far without him A million thanks to all my
friends who have always been there for me through thick and thin Thank you to Faculty of
Resource Science and Technology (FRST) especially to Head of Department of Science
and Environmental Ecology Prof Dr Cheksum bt Tawan and Mr Hidir Marzuki who
have assisted us for species ID identification Thank you to all the lecturers at the Civil
Engineering department for assisting me in any way possible
Not forgetting the Department of Asset and Department of Security of UNIMAS for
allowing me to proceed with my research by approving the sample collection and
constantly monitoring my progress during sample collection to ensure my safety Without
the concern of the fellow security guards I may have not made it in one piece out of the
wilderness ofUNIMAS Thank you very much
Last but not least I would like to thank the kind staffs and lab technician at the civil
engineering lab and also the laboratory technician from Sarawak Forestry Cooperate (SFC)
including Mr Nunggah Dr Alik Duju Mr Wong and Mr Chai for their assistance This
report would not have been realized without the help from all the parties responsible
Thanks also goes to all those who have helped me directly and indirectly Thank you and
may we all live long and prosper
ABSTRAK
Dalam dunia moden masa kini hutan konkrit merebak dengan cepat sekali di
seluruh dunia menolak hutan semula jadi keluar dari jalan Konkrit menjadi bahan binaan
yang semakin menuntut Walau bagaimanapun harga konkrit tidak murah Oleh itu kayu
bahan binaan yang boleh diperbaharui dan mesra alam diminta keluar sebagai altematif
dalam industri pembinaan Seperti mana-mana bahan pembinaan lain kayu mempunyai
rintangan sendiri dari segi degradasi biologi rintangan kimia kestabilan dimensi rintangan
haba luluhawa dan kerosakan Walau bagaimanapun jika dirawat dengan betul balak
boleh menjadi saingan sengit untuk konkrit Selain itu kayu mempunyai nilai estetika yang
sangat tinggi berbanding dengan bahan-bahan pembinaan lain Kayu keras adalah jenis
kayu sering dipilih sebagai bahan struktur kerana ia mempunyai kekuatan yang lebih tinggi
tetapi memerlukan masa yang sangat lama untuk matang kira-kira 100 tahun Oleh itu
spesis kayu berkembang pesat dengan nama Oncosperma Tigillarium atau lebih dikenali
dengan nama biasa kelapa Nibong dipilih untuk dieksperimentasikan untuk menentukan
sifat-sifat asas fizikal dan sifat mekanikal dalam mencari altematifkepada kayu keras Oleh
itu satu siri ujian telah dijalankan ke atas specimen dalam keaadaan air-dry Oncosperma
Tigillarium untuk mengkaji sifat-sifat kekuatan seperti kekuatan lenturan kekuatan
mampatan selari dengan ira kekerasan dan rintangan hentaman antara sampel dari 6 batang
pokok berbeza Ujian dijalankan mengikut Piawaian British BS 373 1957 Spesimen
diperolehi dalam kawasan kampus Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNlMAS) Ujian makmal
telah dijalankan di Perbadanan Perhutanan Sarawak (SFC) Berdasarkan analisis data
Oncosperma Tigillarium menunjukkan ciri-ciri kekuatan yang setanding dengan kayu keras
sederhana atau kayu keras yang lain walaupun ia dianggap sebagai non-worthy timber
ii
ABSTRACT
In the modem world today concrete jungles are spreading like wildfire all over the
world pushing natural forests out of the way Concrete becomes an ever demanded
construction material however the price of concrete is not cheap Therefore timber a
renewable and eco-friendly construction material is sought out as an alternative in the
construction industry Like any other materials timber has its own setbacks in terms of
biological degradation chemical resistance dimensional stability thermal resistance
weathering and decay However if treated properly timber can become a fierce adversary
to concrete Moreover timber has a very high aesthetic value compared to other
construction materials Hardwood is the type of timber often chosen as structural material
as it has higher strength but requires a very long time to mature about 100 years Thus a
species of fast-growing timber of name Oncosperma Tigillarium or better known for its
common name Nibong palm is chosen to be experimented on to determine its basic
physical properties and mechanical properties in the search for an alternative to hardwood
timber Therefore a series of tests were conducted on air dry specimens of Oncosperma
Tigillarium to study the strength properties such as bending properties compressive
strength parallel to grain hardness and impact resistance between samples from different
culms Tests are carried out in accordance to British Standard 373 1957 Method for testing
small clear specimens of timber Specimens were obtained within the vicinity of the
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) campus The laboratory tests were conducted at
the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) Based on the data analysis Oncosperma
Tigillarium shows strength properties which are comparable to other medium hardwood or
even hardwood even though is it classified to be a non-worthy timber
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Content Page
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABSTRACT ii
LIST OF ABBREVIA nONS Xlll
ABSTRAK iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS iv
LIST OF TABLES ix
LIST OF FIGURES x
Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION 1
11 General
12 Problem Statements 2
13 Aims and Objectives 4
14 Scope of Work 5
15 Chapter Outline 6
Chapter 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 7
21 General 7
22 Palm 8
23 Nibong Palm (Oncosperma Tigillarium) 9
iv
Chapter 3
24
25
26
27
28
29
210
211
212
213
214
215
Pusat Kbidmat MakJumat Akademjl UNIVERSm MALAYSIA SARAWAh
Moisture Content
Shrinkage
Grain
Basic Density
Static Bending Test
Other Non-worthy Timber (Bamboo)
Mechanical Properties
Hardness
Impact Bending Test
Modulus of Elasticity (MOE)
Modulus of Rupture (MOR)
Effect of Moisture Content in Mechanical
Properties
METHODOLOGY
31 General
32 Desk Study
33 Approval from Authorities
331 Problems Faced
34 Sample Collection
341 Tools and Equipment
342 Marking and Cutting
343 Problems Faced
v
10
11
11
12
12
15
16
16
16
16
17
17
18
18
18
21
22
22
22
23
27
]
35 Transportation of Sample 28
36 Sample Preparation 31
361 Tools and Equipment 31
362 Vertical Band Saw Mill 31
363 Single Rip Machine 32
364 Digital Double-Sided Planer 33
365 Marking and Cutting 36
37 Sample Testing 36
371 Physical Properties 37
3711 Moisture Content Determination 37
3712 Basic Density Determination 38
372 Strength Properties 39
3721 Static Bending Test 39
3722 Compression Pamllel to Gmin Test 41
3723 Janka Hardness Test 43
3724 Impact Bending Test 45
373 Problems Faced 46
38 Results and Discussion 47
39 Conclusion and Recommendations 47
Chapter 4 RESUL TS ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 48
41 General 48
42 Oncosperma Tigillarium 48
vi
43 Testing Result of Small Clear Specimens of 49
Different Tree Culms
431 Compression Parallel to Grain Test 49
432 Static Bending Test 50
433 Impact bending Test 51
434 Janka Hardness Test 52
435 Moisture Content 52
436 Basic Density 53
44 Discussion 54
441 Comparison in Moisture Content of Oncosperma 55
Tigilarium
442 Comparison in Basic Density of Oncosperma 56
Tigilarium
443 Comparison in Compression Parallel to Grain of 57
Oncosperma Tigillarium
444 Comparison in Static Bending Test of 58
Oncosperma Tigilarium
445 Comparison in Hardness Test of Oncosperma 59
Tigillarium
446 Comparison in Impact Bending Test of 62
Oncosperma Tigilarium
45 Overall Average 64
46 Mechanical Properties vs Basic Density 66
vii
Chapter 5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 70
51 General 70
52 Conclusions 70
53 Recommendations for Oncosperma Tigillarium 71
54 Recommendations for Further Research and 71
Study
REFERENCES 73
APPENDIX 77
viii
LIST OF TABLES
Table Description Page
31 Item Used In Sample Collection and Its Purpose 23
32 Items Used In Sample Preparation and Its Purpose 31
33 Moisture Content for Nibong Culm Samples 37
34 Static Bending Test Results Table 39
35 Compression Parallel-to-Grain Test Results Table 41
36 Hardness Test Results Table 44
37 Impact Bending Test Results Table 45
41 Specimen Numbering for Oncosperma Tigillarium Sample 49
42 Average Value of Compression Parallel to Grain Test Result of 50
Different Tree Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry
Condition
43 Average Value of Static Bending Test Result of Different Tree Culms 51
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
44 Average Value oflmpact Bending Test Result of Different Tree 51
Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
45 Average Value of Janka Hardness Test Result of Different Tree Culms 52
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
46 Average Value of Moisture Content of Different Tree Culms of 53
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
47 Average Value of Basic Density of Different Tree Culms of 54
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
48 Summary of Physical and Mechanical Properties of Oncosperma 64
Tigillarium in Sarawak
49 Comparison between Oncosperma Tigillarium with other Timber in 65
Borneo
ix
LIST OF FIGURES
Description ~age~
11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber Federal Center South 1
Building 1202 USACE Seattle District Headquarters
12 Deforestation 3
13 Oncosperma Tigillarium 4
21 Comparison Of C02 Emissions Related To Fabrication of One Beam 8
of Aluminum Steel Reinforced Concrete and Solid Wood
22 Nibong Posts and Joists at Bako Fishing Village Sarawak 10
23 Static Bending Test Data on Small Clear Specimens 13
24 Modified Static Bending Test Data to 12 Percent MC 14
25 Static Bending Test Force vs Displacement Graph 15
31 Research Work Flow Chart 19
32 Location of Site for Sample Collection Within UNlMAS 20
33 Roadside of Sample Collection Site 20
34 Tools and Equipment for Sample Collection 22
35 Marking and Cutting of Nibong Palm Samples 24
36 Measuring 24
37 Cutting 25
38 Removal of Thorns 26
39 Stacking of Trees 26
310 Cutting Trees Into 3 Segments 27
311 Security Guard Approaching 28
312 Ahed And Son Sdn Bhd 239 tons Lorry 28
313 Security Guard Routine Check 29
314 Forklift 30
315 Stacking at Sarawak Forestry 30
316 Vertical Band Saw Mill 32
317 Single Rip Machine 33
318 Removing Pith 34
x
II
319 Digital Double-Sided Planer 35
320 Transporting Samples to Lab 35 ~ 321 Labeling Samples for Final Cutting 36
322 Weighted Sample 38
323 Measured Sample 38 ~
324 Static Bending Test on Sample 39 ~ I 325 Sample During Static Bending Test 40 8
326 Sample after Static Bending Test 40
327 Sample during Compression Test 41
328 Sample after Compression Test (Type ofFracture) 42
329 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 42
0
~ 4
330 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 43 ~
331 Hardness Test Concept 43 ~
332 Sample during Hardness Test 44 ~
333 Sample after Hardness Test 440
334 Sample During Impact Bending Test 45 ~
335 Sample after Impact Bending Test 46 ~
41 Moisture Content of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 55 ~ 42 Basic Density of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 56 ~
43 Maximum Load of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 57 ~
44 Maximum Compressive Strength For Different Oncospenna 57 ~
Tigillarium Culms ~ 45 Maximum Load For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 58 8
46 Modulus Of Rupture (MOR) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 ~ 9
Culms
47 Modulus Of Elasticity (MOE) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 0
Culms 0
48 Comparison Of Maximum Load Modulus OfRupture (MOR) And 60 ~
Modulus OfElasticity (MOE) For Different On cos penna Tigillarium ~
Culms ~
xi
I 1
49 Maximum Tangential Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium 61
Culms
410 Maximum Radial Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms 61
411 Comparison Between Maximum Tangential And Radial Load For 62
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
412 Work Done In Joules For Different Impact Bending Specimens For 63
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
413 Maximum Load Compression V s Density 66
414 Maximum Compressive Strength Vs Density 66
415 Maximum Load Bending V s Density 67
416 MOR Vs Density 67
417 MOE Vs Density 68
418 Tangential Hardness V s Density 68
419 Radial Hardness V s Density 69
xii
ASTM
BS
FRIM
SFC
FSP
MOE
MOR
MC
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
American Society for Testing and Materials
British Standard
Forest Research Institute of Malaysia
Sarawak Forestry Corporation
Fiber Saturation Point
Modulus of elasticity
Modulus of rupture
Moisture content
xiii
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
11 General
Timber is one of the oldest materials used in construction since the birth of
construction technology It is one of the most readily available materials in recent times
Timber was the main material used in construction before concrete and steel
construction methods were discovered Timber is divided into two softwood and
hardwood Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees strictly speaking non-monocot
angiosperm trees while softwood is wood from gymnosperm trees
Figure 11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber (Architizer 2013)
1
of
~s
~e l
~d
ot
Wood is easily handled it has a long lifespan and nearly unlimited applications whether
in construction or other usages No other building material is produced and used with as
little energy and damage to the environment as wood Compared to other building
materials wood is light in weight and highly resilient Countless bridges towers and
wooden structures all over the world bear witness to this statement Wooden houses
roof trusses walls floors and stairs have been in use for generations Wood dwellings
over 700 years old yet still inhabited today are proofs of woods lifelong durability as a
building material People choose to build with wood on the grounds of economy
aesthetics and biology Wood radiates warmth and is harmless to the environment
Additionally modern construction methods do not require any chemical preservative
treatments Timber construction materials undergo strict control checks concerning
quality and performance The quality of many timber products is ensured by specific
standards Efficient prefabricating smooth processing and constant availability make
construction with wood quick and economic Building with wood is always the right
choice (GermanTimber 2007)
Timber is without a doubt one of the most environmentally friendly building
materials available in the environmentally challenged world we live in today It is
remarkably versatile able to work well with other materials such as concrete and metal
as composite structures It is also naturally renewable but requires human ethics to
preserve its renewability Timber also has high aesthetic value and not to mention light
and strong to build structures with It also has an inviting warm and welcoming sense
which makes us feel cozy and comfortable Whether it is a landmark building
government office housing school or hospital architects look to timber to express
contemporary art and beauty in the structure they design Timber is a high performance
material light in weight yet with excellent load bearing and thermal properties (Brash
2008)
12 Problem Statement
Deforestation and global warming are not a new epidemic in the modern world
today Vast development in developed and developing countries are stripping the Earth
of its forests Timber is abundant in most countries especially tropical countries like in
the Southeast Asia or South America Although there are still abundant trees in the
2
world it doesnt mean we can chop every tree we see just for our own personal gain
Mother Nature has taken care of us for generations its time for us to give back to
Mother Nature
Figure 12 Deforestation (Compost 2013)
Most hardwood stands mature in 70 to 120 years With proper management
renewing the forest takes less time The time required to mature a hardwood tree
depends on the species An oak tree requires 80-120 years to mature whereas a poplar
tree can mature and be ready to harvest in 40 years or less (Unknown) It takes tens of
years to grow a single hardwood tree but it takes merely hours to chop down entire
forests Irresponsible logging is one of the major factors which affect the sustainability
of timber as construction materials or other usages Loggers who do not cut down the
tree properly will cause the tree to not regenerate Harvesting timber also requires skills
Thus an alternative to slow growing hardwood is required to compensate for the
long time required to grow hardwood timber Fast-growing timbers such as medium
hardwood light hardwood and softwood are being tested and experimented to find the
most suitable alternative which could make timber the new concrete or steel
Oncosperma tigillarium is a very amazing-looking tall large slender palm massed with
armed trunks armed trunks and beautiful elegantly-arched drooping leathery fronds
which is sparsely distributed along the inland fringes of mangrove forest and other low
wet swampy vegetation Its trunk is slender up to 15 centimeters in diameter ringed
3
middotn
to
tire
lity
the
lis
the
urn
the
ee
ith
ow
ged
with old leaf scars with up to 50 densely anned with scattered slender black spines
that are about 5 to 10 centimeters long crown shaft are conspicuous and anned with
slender black spines Fronds are feather-shaped ascending to spreading pendulous
elegantly-arched armed and dark to bright green Inflorescences are ramified (multishy
branched) and yellow up to 80 centimeters long infrafoliar (emerging from below the
fronds) and anned Its flowers are arranged in groups of 3 (2 male flowers to 1 female
flower) Its fruits are globose 1 centimeters in diameter mildly-depressed purple to
black and single-seeded (Ridley 2012) Oncosperma tigillariums common name is
Nibong palm in English or simply Nibong in Malay Oncosperma tigillarium may
prove to be a breakthrough in the search for new fast-growing timbers for construction
purposes It is available in abundance in the forests of Sarawak and can also be
exploited for plantation of softwood timber and harvested for construction purposes
Strength properties at small clear will be tested for this tree species
Figure 13 Oncosperma Tigillarium (Ridley 1864)
13 Aims and Objectives
In this research report the timber with the scientific name Oncosperma
tigillarium or better known for its common name in Malaysia Nibong is one of the
4
Pusat Khidmlt Maddumlt Akademik UNlVERSrrl MAlAYSIA SARAW
fast-growing timber available in the forests of Malaysia and also Indonesia where it is
said to originate (Ridley 2012)
The main aim in this project is to investigate and acquire the information on the
relationship of distribution patterns of strength and physical properties with small clear
sample sizes of the Oncosperma tigillarium timber
Objective
1 To determine the strength and physical properties at air-dry conditions of
Oncosperma tigillarium
2 To understand the relationship between the variation of strength from pith to
sapwood of Oncosperma tigillarium and
3 To identify the distribution pattern of strength and physical properties with
Oncosperma tigillarium
14 Scope of Work
A series of study and laboratory tests are required to be done in order to achieve
the aim and objective In order to accomplish this certain scopes of study of work shall
be done so that the whole laboratory procedures can be run at a more systematic way
The test will be conducted by using 20 x 20mm (A) x 300mm (L) and 20 x 20mm (A) x
60mm (L) small clear size sample Laboratory tests will be carried out to determine the
strength and physical properties of Oncosperma tigillarium at air-dry conditions The
types of laboratory tests to be carried out are as in the table below
Table 11 Laboratory tests for strength and physical properties of timber
No Laboratory Test
Static bending test
2 Compression test
3 Moisture content test
4 Basic density test
5 Hardness test
5
is
of
to
th
lYe
~Il
y
u
~e
he
The sample of Oncosperma tigillarium to be used in this research study was
collected in the wetland forest areas within the UNIMAS vicinity The sample
collection and sample preparation procedure are discussed more elaborately in Chapter
3 This research implements the standards from BS 373 1957 Methods for Testing
Small Clear Specimens of Timber
15 Chapter Outline
This report consists of five chapters Chapter one will focus on the importance of
timber and the role and contribution of timber in the construction industry Chapter one
shall also cover the problem statement aim and objective scope of works and chapter
outline
Chapter two consists of the literature review regarding this project This chapter
explains about the test that is listed under scope of works for further improvement
Chapter three covers the methodology where it elaborates on the methods used
in this research mainly sample collection and preparation
Chapter four is results and discussion this chapter shall convey the results
gathered from the series of laboratory tests and the discussions regarding the findings
Chapter five is conclusion and recommendation this chapter explains about the
conclusion of this research and recommendation on this research for further
improvement
6
CHAPTER 2
LITERA TURE REVIEW
21 General
Due to its heterogeneity and species diversity timber is a complex building
material Timber does not have consistent predictable reproducible and uniform
properties as the properties vary with species age site and environmental conditions
(Ahamada Zziwa Yasin Naku Ziraba amp Mwakali 2009) The demand for quality
timber for construction will increase in Malaysia and other developing countries due to
a boom in the building construction industry With extreme exploitation and scarcity of
traditional hardwood timber species such as chengal (Neobaanocarpus heimii) and
meranti (Shorea spp) there is a diversity of previously unpopular species on the
market Zziwa etal (2009) revealed that there are 48 timber species on market and
despite the big number consumers prefer only 20 The durability integrity and safety
of structures from such species cannot be assured Reliable structural use of timber has
always been hampered by lack of appropriate design codes and well-established
standards
Timber is one of the oldest construction materials used In Malaysia timber used
to be the main materials used to build houses especially traditional Malay houses
Examples of landmark timber structures in Malaysia are Istana Lama which was built in
1902 Istana Kenangan Perak which was built in 1960 and lastly Kampung Laut Mosque
which is over 300 years old Until today timber has been the preferable material used
for the construction of residential areas in European countries and North America
(Ahmad 2011)
Why should we build with timber For one timber is a renewable resource
According to Ahmad (2011) the growth rate of commercial forests in North America is
7
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank Allah Almighty for giving me the opportunity to breathe till
this day to be able to complete this report paper Alhamdulillah and may He bless us all I
would also like to extend my greatest thanks my parents Rita binti Mohd Omar and Ahmad
Mustafa bin Wahid for giving me moral as well as monetary support in order to complete
this task I am nothing without their kind contribution and prayers
Secondly I would like to thank Dr Gaddafi Ismaili for giving me the opportunity to
work as his understudy and becoming my supervising lecturer Thanks to all his guidance
and assistance I would not have reached his far without him A million thanks to all my
friends who have always been there for me through thick and thin Thank you to Faculty of
Resource Science and Technology (FRST) especially to Head of Department of Science
and Environmental Ecology Prof Dr Cheksum bt Tawan and Mr Hidir Marzuki who
have assisted us for species ID identification Thank you to all the lecturers at the Civil
Engineering department for assisting me in any way possible
Not forgetting the Department of Asset and Department of Security of UNIMAS for
allowing me to proceed with my research by approving the sample collection and
constantly monitoring my progress during sample collection to ensure my safety Without
the concern of the fellow security guards I may have not made it in one piece out of the
wilderness ofUNIMAS Thank you very much
Last but not least I would like to thank the kind staffs and lab technician at the civil
engineering lab and also the laboratory technician from Sarawak Forestry Cooperate (SFC)
including Mr Nunggah Dr Alik Duju Mr Wong and Mr Chai for their assistance This
report would not have been realized without the help from all the parties responsible
Thanks also goes to all those who have helped me directly and indirectly Thank you and
may we all live long and prosper
ABSTRAK
Dalam dunia moden masa kini hutan konkrit merebak dengan cepat sekali di
seluruh dunia menolak hutan semula jadi keluar dari jalan Konkrit menjadi bahan binaan
yang semakin menuntut Walau bagaimanapun harga konkrit tidak murah Oleh itu kayu
bahan binaan yang boleh diperbaharui dan mesra alam diminta keluar sebagai altematif
dalam industri pembinaan Seperti mana-mana bahan pembinaan lain kayu mempunyai
rintangan sendiri dari segi degradasi biologi rintangan kimia kestabilan dimensi rintangan
haba luluhawa dan kerosakan Walau bagaimanapun jika dirawat dengan betul balak
boleh menjadi saingan sengit untuk konkrit Selain itu kayu mempunyai nilai estetika yang
sangat tinggi berbanding dengan bahan-bahan pembinaan lain Kayu keras adalah jenis
kayu sering dipilih sebagai bahan struktur kerana ia mempunyai kekuatan yang lebih tinggi
tetapi memerlukan masa yang sangat lama untuk matang kira-kira 100 tahun Oleh itu
spesis kayu berkembang pesat dengan nama Oncosperma Tigillarium atau lebih dikenali
dengan nama biasa kelapa Nibong dipilih untuk dieksperimentasikan untuk menentukan
sifat-sifat asas fizikal dan sifat mekanikal dalam mencari altematifkepada kayu keras Oleh
itu satu siri ujian telah dijalankan ke atas specimen dalam keaadaan air-dry Oncosperma
Tigillarium untuk mengkaji sifat-sifat kekuatan seperti kekuatan lenturan kekuatan
mampatan selari dengan ira kekerasan dan rintangan hentaman antara sampel dari 6 batang
pokok berbeza Ujian dijalankan mengikut Piawaian British BS 373 1957 Spesimen
diperolehi dalam kawasan kampus Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNlMAS) Ujian makmal
telah dijalankan di Perbadanan Perhutanan Sarawak (SFC) Berdasarkan analisis data
Oncosperma Tigillarium menunjukkan ciri-ciri kekuatan yang setanding dengan kayu keras
sederhana atau kayu keras yang lain walaupun ia dianggap sebagai non-worthy timber
ii
ABSTRACT
In the modem world today concrete jungles are spreading like wildfire all over the
world pushing natural forests out of the way Concrete becomes an ever demanded
construction material however the price of concrete is not cheap Therefore timber a
renewable and eco-friendly construction material is sought out as an alternative in the
construction industry Like any other materials timber has its own setbacks in terms of
biological degradation chemical resistance dimensional stability thermal resistance
weathering and decay However if treated properly timber can become a fierce adversary
to concrete Moreover timber has a very high aesthetic value compared to other
construction materials Hardwood is the type of timber often chosen as structural material
as it has higher strength but requires a very long time to mature about 100 years Thus a
species of fast-growing timber of name Oncosperma Tigillarium or better known for its
common name Nibong palm is chosen to be experimented on to determine its basic
physical properties and mechanical properties in the search for an alternative to hardwood
timber Therefore a series of tests were conducted on air dry specimens of Oncosperma
Tigillarium to study the strength properties such as bending properties compressive
strength parallel to grain hardness and impact resistance between samples from different
culms Tests are carried out in accordance to British Standard 373 1957 Method for testing
small clear specimens of timber Specimens were obtained within the vicinity of the
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) campus The laboratory tests were conducted at
the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) Based on the data analysis Oncosperma
Tigillarium shows strength properties which are comparable to other medium hardwood or
even hardwood even though is it classified to be a non-worthy timber
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Content Page
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABSTRACT ii
LIST OF ABBREVIA nONS Xlll
ABSTRAK iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS iv
LIST OF TABLES ix
LIST OF FIGURES x
Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION 1
11 General
12 Problem Statements 2
13 Aims and Objectives 4
14 Scope of Work 5
15 Chapter Outline 6
Chapter 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 7
21 General 7
22 Palm 8
23 Nibong Palm (Oncosperma Tigillarium) 9
iv
Chapter 3
24
25
26
27
28
29
210
211
212
213
214
215
Pusat Kbidmat MakJumat Akademjl UNIVERSm MALAYSIA SARAWAh
Moisture Content
Shrinkage
Grain
Basic Density
Static Bending Test
Other Non-worthy Timber (Bamboo)
Mechanical Properties
Hardness
Impact Bending Test
Modulus of Elasticity (MOE)
Modulus of Rupture (MOR)
Effect of Moisture Content in Mechanical
Properties
METHODOLOGY
31 General
32 Desk Study
33 Approval from Authorities
331 Problems Faced
34 Sample Collection
341 Tools and Equipment
342 Marking and Cutting
343 Problems Faced
v
10
11
11
12
12
15
16
16
16
16
17
17
18
18
18
21
22
22
22
23
27
]
35 Transportation of Sample 28
36 Sample Preparation 31
361 Tools and Equipment 31
362 Vertical Band Saw Mill 31
363 Single Rip Machine 32
364 Digital Double-Sided Planer 33
365 Marking and Cutting 36
37 Sample Testing 36
371 Physical Properties 37
3711 Moisture Content Determination 37
3712 Basic Density Determination 38
372 Strength Properties 39
3721 Static Bending Test 39
3722 Compression Pamllel to Gmin Test 41
3723 Janka Hardness Test 43
3724 Impact Bending Test 45
373 Problems Faced 46
38 Results and Discussion 47
39 Conclusion and Recommendations 47
Chapter 4 RESUL TS ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 48
41 General 48
42 Oncosperma Tigillarium 48
vi
43 Testing Result of Small Clear Specimens of 49
Different Tree Culms
431 Compression Parallel to Grain Test 49
432 Static Bending Test 50
433 Impact bending Test 51
434 Janka Hardness Test 52
435 Moisture Content 52
436 Basic Density 53
44 Discussion 54
441 Comparison in Moisture Content of Oncosperma 55
Tigilarium
442 Comparison in Basic Density of Oncosperma 56
Tigilarium
443 Comparison in Compression Parallel to Grain of 57
Oncosperma Tigillarium
444 Comparison in Static Bending Test of 58
Oncosperma Tigilarium
445 Comparison in Hardness Test of Oncosperma 59
Tigillarium
446 Comparison in Impact Bending Test of 62
Oncosperma Tigilarium
45 Overall Average 64
46 Mechanical Properties vs Basic Density 66
vii
Chapter 5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 70
51 General 70
52 Conclusions 70
53 Recommendations for Oncosperma Tigillarium 71
54 Recommendations for Further Research and 71
Study
REFERENCES 73
APPENDIX 77
viii
LIST OF TABLES
Table Description Page
31 Item Used In Sample Collection and Its Purpose 23
32 Items Used In Sample Preparation and Its Purpose 31
33 Moisture Content for Nibong Culm Samples 37
34 Static Bending Test Results Table 39
35 Compression Parallel-to-Grain Test Results Table 41
36 Hardness Test Results Table 44
37 Impact Bending Test Results Table 45
41 Specimen Numbering for Oncosperma Tigillarium Sample 49
42 Average Value of Compression Parallel to Grain Test Result of 50
Different Tree Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry
Condition
43 Average Value of Static Bending Test Result of Different Tree Culms 51
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
44 Average Value oflmpact Bending Test Result of Different Tree 51
Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
45 Average Value of Janka Hardness Test Result of Different Tree Culms 52
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
46 Average Value of Moisture Content of Different Tree Culms of 53
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
47 Average Value of Basic Density of Different Tree Culms of 54
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
48 Summary of Physical and Mechanical Properties of Oncosperma 64
Tigillarium in Sarawak
49 Comparison between Oncosperma Tigillarium with other Timber in 65
Borneo
ix
LIST OF FIGURES
Description ~age~
11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber Federal Center South 1
Building 1202 USACE Seattle District Headquarters
12 Deforestation 3
13 Oncosperma Tigillarium 4
21 Comparison Of C02 Emissions Related To Fabrication of One Beam 8
of Aluminum Steel Reinforced Concrete and Solid Wood
22 Nibong Posts and Joists at Bako Fishing Village Sarawak 10
23 Static Bending Test Data on Small Clear Specimens 13
24 Modified Static Bending Test Data to 12 Percent MC 14
25 Static Bending Test Force vs Displacement Graph 15
31 Research Work Flow Chart 19
32 Location of Site for Sample Collection Within UNlMAS 20
33 Roadside of Sample Collection Site 20
34 Tools and Equipment for Sample Collection 22
35 Marking and Cutting of Nibong Palm Samples 24
36 Measuring 24
37 Cutting 25
38 Removal of Thorns 26
39 Stacking of Trees 26
310 Cutting Trees Into 3 Segments 27
311 Security Guard Approaching 28
312 Ahed And Son Sdn Bhd 239 tons Lorry 28
313 Security Guard Routine Check 29
314 Forklift 30
315 Stacking at Sarawak Forestry 30
316 Vertical Band Saw Mill 32
317 Single Rip Machine 33
318 Removing Pith 34
x
II
319 Digital Double-Sided Planer 35
320 Transporting Samples to Lab 35 ~ 321 Labeling Samples for Final Cutting 36
322 Weighted Sample 38
323 Measured Sample 38 ~
324 Static Bending Test on Sample 39 ~ I 325 Sample During Static Bending Test 40 8
326 Sample after Static Bending Test 40
327 Sample during Compression Test 41
328 Sample after Compression Test (Type ofFracture) 42
329 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 42
0
~ 4
330 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 43 ~
331 Hardness Test Concept 43 ~
332 Sample during Hardness Test 44 ~
333 Sample after Hardness Test 440
334 Sample During Impact Bending Test 45 ~
335 Sample after Impact Bending Test 46 ~
41 Moisture Content of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 55 ~ 42 Basic Density of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 56 ~
43 Maximum Load of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 57 ~
44 Maximum Compressive Strength For Different Oncospenna 57 ~
Tigillarium Culms ~ 45 Maximum Load For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 58 8
46 Modulus Of Rupture (MOR) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 ~ 9
Culms
47 Modulus Of Elasticity (MOE) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 0
Culms 0
48 Comparison Of Maximum Load Modulus OfRupture (MOR) And 60 ~
Modulus OfElasticity (MOE) For Different On cos penna Tigillarium ~
Culms ~
xi
I 1
49 Maximum Tangential Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium 61
Culms
410 Maximum Radial Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms 61
411 Comparison Between Maximum Tangential And Radial Load For 62
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
412 Work Done In Joules For Different Impact Bending Specimens For 63
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
413 Maximum Load Compression V s Density 66
414 Maximum Compressive Strength Vs Density 66
415 Maximum Load Bending V s Density 67
416 MOR Vs Density 67
417 MOE Vs Density 68
418 Tangential Hardness V s Density 68
419 Radial Hardness V s Density 69
xii
ASTM
BS
FRIM
SFC
FSP
MOE
MOR
MC
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
American Society for Testing and Materials
British Standard
Forest Research Institute of Malaysia
Sarawak Forestry Corporation
Fiber Saturation Point
Modulus of elasticity
Modulus of rupture
Moisture content
xiii
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
11 General
Timber is one of the oldest materials used in construction since the birth of
construction technology It is one of the most readily available materials in recent times
Timber was the main material used in construction before concrete and steel
construction methods were discovered Timber is divided into two softwood and
hardwood Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees strictly speaking non-monocot
angiosperm trees while softwood is wood from gymnosperm trees
Figure 11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber (Architizer 2013)
1
of
~s
~e l
~d
ot
Wood is easily handled it has a long lifespan and nearly unlimited applications whether
in construction or other usages No other building material is produced and used with as
little energy and damage to the environment as wood Compared to other building
materials wood is light in weight and highly resilient Countless bridges towers and
wooden structures all over the world bear witness to this statement Wooden houses
roof trusses walls floors and stairs have been in use for generations Wood dwellings
over 700 years old yet still inhabited today are proofs of woods lifelong durability as a
building material People choose to build with wood on the grounds of economy
aesthetics and biology Wood radiates warmth and is harmless to the environment
Additionally modern construction methods do not require any chemical preservative
treatments Timber construction materials undergo strict control checks concerning
quality and performance The quality of many timber products is ensured by specific
standards Efficient prefabricating smooth processing and constant availability make
construction with wood quick and economic Building with wood is always the right
choice (GermanTimber 2007)
Timber is without a doubt one of the most environmentally friendly building
materials available in the environmentally challenged world we live in today It is
remarkably versatile able to work well with other materials such as concrete and metal
as composite structures It is also naturally renewable but requires human ethics to
preserve its renewability Timber also has high aesthetic value and not to mention light
and strong to build structures with It also has an inviting warm and welcoming sense
which makes us feel cozy and comfortable Whether it is a landmark building
government office housing school or hospital architects look to timber to express
contemporary art and beauty in the structure they design Timber is a high performance
material light in weight yet with excellent load bearing and thermal properties (Brash
2008)
12 Problem Statement
Deforestation and global warming are not a new epidemic in the modern world
today Vast development in developed and developing countries are stripping the Earth
of its forests Timber is abundant in most countries especially tropical countries like in
the Southeast Asia or South America Although there are still abundant trees in the
2
world it doesnt mean we can chop every tree we see just for our own personal gain
Mother Nature has taken care of us for generations its time for us to give back to
Mother Nature
Figure 12 Deforestation (Compost 2013)
Most hardwood stands mature in 70 to 120 years With proper management
renewing the forest takes less time The time required to mature a hardwood tree
depends on the species An oak tree requires 80-120 years to mature whereas a poplar
tree can mature and be ready to harvest in 40 years or less (Unknown) It takes tens of
years to grow a single hardwood tree but it takes merely hours to chop down entire
forests Irresponsible logging is one of the major factors which affect the sustainability
of timber as construction materials or other usages Loggers who do not cut down the
tree properly will cause the tree to not regenerate Harvesting timber also requires skills
Thus an alternative to slow growing hardwood is required to compensate for the
long time required to grow hardwood timber Fast-growing timbers such as medium
hardwood light hardwood and softwood are being tested and experimented to find the
most suitable alternative which could make timber the new concrete or steel
Oncosperma tigillarium is a very amazing-looking tall large slender palm massed with
armed trunks armed trunks and beautiful elegantly-arched drooping leathery fronds
which is sparsely distributed along the inland fringes of mangrove forest and other low
wet swampy vegetation Its trunk is slender up to 15 centimeters in diameter ringed
3
middotn
to
tire
lity
the
lis
the
urn
the
ee
ith
ow
ged
with old leaf scars with up to 50 densely anned with scattered slender black spines
that are about 5 to 10 centimeters long crown shaft are conspicuous and anned with
slender black spines Fronds are feather-shaped ascending to spreading pendulous
elegantly-arched armed and dark to bright green Inflorescences are ramified (multishy
branched) and yellow up to 80 centimeters long infrafoliar (emerging from below the
fronds) and anned Its flowers are arranged in groups of 3 (2 male flowers to 1 female
flower) Its fruits are globose 1 centimeters in diameter mildly-depressed purple to
black and single-seeded (Ridley 2012) Oncosperma tigillariums common name is
Nibong palm in English or simply Nibong in Malay Oncosperma tigillarium may
prove to be a breakthrough in the search for new fast-growing timbers for construction
purposes It is available in abundance in the forests of Sarawak and can also be
exploited for plantation of softwood timber and harvested for construction purposes
Strength properties at small clear will be tested for this tree species
Figure 13 Oncosperma Tigillarium (Ridley 1864)
13 Aims and Objectives
In this research report the timber with the scientific name Oncosperma
tigillarium or better known for its common name in Malaysia Nibong is one of the
4
Pusat Khidmlt Maddumlt Akademik UNlVERSrrl MAlAYSIA SARAW
fast-growing timber available in the forests of Malaysia and also Indonesia where it is
said to originate (Ridley 2012)
The main aim in this project is to investigate and acquire the information on the
relationship of distribution patterns of strength and physical properties with small clear
sample sizes of the Oncosperma tigillarium timber
Objective
1 To determine the strength and physical properties at air-dry conditions of
Oncosperma tigillarium
2 To understand the relationship between the variation of strength from pith to
sapwood of Oncosperma tigillarium and
3 To identify the distribution pattern of strength and physical properties with
Oncosperma tigillarium
14 Scope of Work
A series of study and laboratory tests are required to be done in order to achieve
the aim and objective In order to accomplish this certain scopes of study of work shall
be done so that the whole laboratory procedures can be run at a more systematic way
The test will be conducted by using 20 x 20mm (A) x 300mm (L) and 20 x 20mm (A) x
60mm (L) small clear size sample Laboratory tests will be carried out to determine the
strength and physical properties of Oncosperma tigillarium at air-dry conditions The
types of laboratory tests to be carried out are as in the table below
Table 11 Laboratory tests for strength and physical properties of timber
No Laboratory Test
Static bending test
2 Compression test
3 Moisture content test
4 Basic density test
5 Hardness test
5
is
of
to
th
lYe
~Il
y
u
~e
he
The sample of Oncosperma tigillarium to be used in this research study was
collected in the wetland forest areas within the UNIMAS vicinity The sample
collection and sample preparation procedure are discussed more elaborately in Chapter
3 This research implements the standards from BS 373 1957 Methods for Testing
Small Clear Specimens of Timber
15 Chapter Outline
This report consists of five chapters Chapter one will focus on the importance of
timber and the role and contribution of timber in the construction industry Chapter one
shall also cover the problem statement aim and objective scope of works and chapter
outline
Chapter two consists of the literature review regarding this project This chapter
explains about the test that is listed under scope of works for further improvement
Chapter three covers the methodology where it elaborates on the methods used
in this research mainly sample collection and preparation
Chapter four is results and discussion this chapter shall convey the results
gathered from the series of laboratory tests and the discussions regarding the findings
Chapter five is conclusion and recommendation this chapter explains about the
conclusion of this research and recommendation on this research for further
improvement
6
CHAPTER 2
LITERA TURE REVIEW
21 General
Due to its heterogeneity and species diversity timber is a complex building
material Timber does not have consistent predictable reproducible and uniform
properties as the properties vary with species age site and environmental conditions
(Ahamada Zziwa Yasin Naku Ziraba amp Mwakali 2009) The demand for quality
timber for construction will increase in Malaysia and other developing countries due to
a boom in the building construction industry With extreme exploitation and scarcity of
traditional hardwood timber species such as chengal (Neobaanocarpus heimii) and
meranti (Shorea spp) there is a diversity of previously unpopular species on the
market Zziwa etal (2009) revealed that there are 48 timber species on market and
despite the big number consumers prefer only 20 The durability integrity and safety
of structures from such species cannot be assured Reliable structural use of timber has
always been hampered by lack of appropriate design codes and well-established
standards
Timber is one of the oldest construction materials used In Malaysia timber used
to be the main materials used to build houses especially traditional Malay houses
Examples of landmark timber structures in Malaysia are Istana Lama which was built in
1902 Istana Kenangan Perak which was built in 1960 and lastly Kampung Laut Mosque
which is over 300 years old Until today timber has been the preferable material used
for the construction of residential areas in European countries and North America
(Ahmad 2011)
Why should we build with timber For one timber is a renewable resource
According to Ahmad (2011) the growth rate of commercial forests in North America is
7
ABSTRAK
Dalam dunia moden masa kini hutan konkrit merebak dengan cepat sekali di
seluruh dunia menolak hutan semula jadi keluar dari jalan Konkrit menjadi bahan binaan
yang semakin menuntut Walau bagaimanapun harga konkrit tidak murah Oleh itu kayu
bahan binaan yang boleh diperbaharui dan mesra alam diminta keluar sebagai altematif
dalam industri pembinaan Seperti mana-mana bahan pembinaan lain kayu mempunyai
rintangan sendiri dari segi degradasi biologi rintangan kimia kestabilan dimensi rintangan
haba luluhawa dan kerosakan Walau bagaimanapun jika dirawat dengan betul balak
boleh menjadi saingan sengit untuk konkrit Selain itu kayu mempunyai nilai estetika yang
sangat tinggi berbanding dengan bahan-bahan pembinaan lain Kayu keras adalah jenis
kayu sering dipilih sebagai bahan struktur kerana ia mempunyai kekuatan yang lebih tinggi
tetapi memerlukan masa yang sangat lama untuk matang kira-kira 100 tahun Oleh itu
spesis kayu berkembang pesat dengan nama Oncosperma Tigillarium atau lebih dikenali
dengan nama biasa kelapa Nibong dipilih untuk dieksperimentasikan untuk menentukan
sifat-sifat asas fizikal dan sifat mekanikal dalam mencari altematifkepada kayu keras Oleh
itu satu siri ujian telah dijalankan ke atas specimen dalam keaadaan air-dry Oncosperma
Tigillarium untuk mengkaji sifat-sifat kekuatan seperti kekuatan lenturan kekuatan
mampatan selari dengan ira kekerasan dan rintangan hentaman antara sampel dari 6 batang
pokok berbeza Ujian dijalankan mengikut Piawaian British BS 373 1957 Spesimen
diperolehi dalam kawasan kampus Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNlMAS) Ujian makmal
telah dijalankan di Perbadanan Perhutanan Sarawak (SFC) Berdasarkan analisis data
Oncosperma Tigillarium menunjukkan ciri-ciri kekuatan yang setanding dengan kayu keras
sederhana atau kayu keras yang lain walaupun ia dianggap sebagai non-worthy timber
ii
ABSTRACT
In the modem world today concrete jungles are spreading like wildfire all over the
world pushing natural forests out of the way Concrete becomes an ever demanded
construction material however the price of concrete is not cheap Therefore timber a
renewable and eco-friendly construction material is sought out as an alternative in the
construction industry Like any other materials timber has its own setbacks in terms of
biological degradation chemical resistance dimensional stability thermal resistance
weathering and decay However if treated properly timber can become a fierce adversary
to concrete Moreover timber has a very high aesthetic value compared to other
construction materials Hardwood is the type of timber often chosen as structural material
as it has higher strength but requires a very long time to mature about 100 years Thus a
species of fast-growing timber of name Oncosperma Tigillarium or better known for its
common name Nibong palm is chosen to be experimented on to determine its basic
physical properties and mechanical properties in the search for an alternative to hardwood
timber Therefore a series of tests were conducted on air dry specimens of Oncosperma
Tigillarium to study the strength properties such as bending properties compressive
strength parallel to grain hardness and impact resistance between samples from different
culms Tests are carried out in accordance to British Standard 373 1957 Method for testing
small clear specimens of timber Specimens were obtained within the vicinity of the
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) campus The laboratory tests were conducted at
the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) Based on the data analysis Oncosperma
Tigillarium shows strength properties which are comparable to other medium hardwood or
even hardwood even though is it classified to be a non-worthy timber
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Content Page
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABSTRACT ii
LIST OF ABBREVIA nONS Xlll
ABSTRAK iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS iv
LIST OF TABLES ix
LIST OF FIGURES x
Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION 1
11 General
12 Problem Statements 2
13 Aims and Objectives 4
14 Scope of Work 5
15 Chapter Outline 6
Chapter 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 7
21 General 7
22 Palm 8
23 Nibong Palm (Oncosperma Tigillarium) 9
iv
Chapter 3
24
25
26
27
28
29
210
211
212
213
214
215
Pusat Kbidmat MakJumat Akademjl UNIVERSm MALAYSIA SARAWAh
Moisture Content
Shrinkage
Grain
Basic Density
Static Bending Test
Other Non-worthy Timber (Bamboo)
Mechanical Properties
Hardness
Impact Bending Test
Modulus of Elasticity (MOE)
Modulus of Rupture (MOR)
Effect of Moisture Content in Mechanical
Properties
METHODOLOGY
31 General
32 Desk Study
33 Approval from Authorities
331 Problems Faced
34 Sample Collection
341 Tools and Equipment
342 Marking and Cutting
343 Problems Faced
v
10
11
11
12
12
15
16
16
16
16
17
17
18
18
18
21
22
22
22
23
27
]
35 Transportation of Sample 28
36 Sample Preparation 31
361 Tools and Equipment 31
362 Vertical Band Saw Mill 31
363 Single Rip Machine 32
364 Digital Double-Sided Planer 33
365 Marking and Cutting 36
37 Sample Testing 36
371 Physical Properties 37
3711 Moisture Content Determination 37
3712 Basic Density Determination 38
372 Strength Properties 39
3721 Static Bending Test 39
3722 Compression Pamllel to Gmin Test 41
3723 Janka Hardness Test 43
3724 Impact Bending Test 45
373 Problems Faced 46
38 Results and Discussion 47
39 Conclusion and Recommendations 47
Chapter 4 RESUL TS ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 48
41 General 48
42 Oncosperma Tigillarium 48
vi
43 Testing Result of Small Clear Specimens of 49
Different Tree Culms
431 Compression Parallel to Grain Test 49
432 Static Bending Test 50
433 Impact bending Test 51
434 Janka Hardness Test 52
435 Moisture Content 52
436 Basic Density 53
44 Discussion 54
441 Comparison in Moisture Content of Oncosperma 55
Tigilarium
442 Comparison in Basic Density of Oncosperma 56
Tigilarium
443 Comparison in Compression Parallel to Grain of 57
Oncosperma Tigillarium
444 Comparison in Static Bending Test of 58
Oncosperma Tigilarium
445 Comparison in Hardness Test of Oncosperma 59
Tigillarium
446 Comparison in Impact Bending Test of 62
Oncosperma Tigilarium
45 Overall Average 64
46 Mechanical Properties vs Basic Density 66
vii
Chapter 5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 70
51 General 70
52 Conclusions 70
53 Recommendations for Oncosperma Tigillarium 71
54 Recommendations for Further Research and 71
Study
REFERENCES 73
APPENDIX 77
viii
LIST OF TABLES
Table Description Page
31 Item Used In Sample Collection and Its Purpose 23
32 Items Used In Sample Preparation and Its Purpose 31
33 Moisture Content for Nibong Culm Samples 37
34 Static Bending Test Results Table 39
35 Compression Parallel-to-Grain Test Results Table 41
36 Hardness Test Results Table 44
37 Impact Bending Test Results Table 45
41 Specimen Numbering for Oncosperma Tigillarium Sample 49
42 Average Value of Compression Parallel to Grain Test Result of 50
Different Tree Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry
Condition
43 Average Value of Static Bending Test Result of Different Tree Culms 51
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
44 Average Value oflmpact Bending Test Result of Different Tree 51
Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
45 Average Value of Janka Hardness Test Result of Different Tree Culms 52
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
46 Average Value of Moisture Content of Different Tree Culms of 53
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
47 Average Value of Basic Density of Different Tree Culms of 54
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
48 Summary of Physical and Mechanical Properties of Oncosperma 64
Tigillarium in Sarawak
49 Comparison between Oncosperma Tigillarium with other Timber in 65
Borneo
ix
LIST OF FIGURES
Description ~age~
11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber Federal Center South 1
Building 1202 USACE Seattle District Headquarters
12 Deforestation 3
13 Oncosperma Tigillarium 4
21 Comparison Of C02 Emissions Related To Fabrication of One Beam 8
of Aluminum Steel Reinforced Concrete and Solid Wood
22 Nibong Posts and Joists at Bako Fishing Village Sarawak 10
23 Static Bending Test Data on Small Clear Specimens 13
24 Modified Static Bending Test Data to 12 Percent MC 14
25 Static Bending Test Force vs Displacement Graph 15
31 Research Work Flow Chart 19
32 Location of Site for Sample Collection Within UNlMAS 20
33 Roadside of Sample Collection Site 20
34 Tools and Equipment for Sample Collection 22
35 Marking and Cutting of Nibong Palm Samples 24
36 Measuring 24
37 Cutting 25
38 Removal of Thorns 26
39 Stacking of Trees 26
310 Cutting Trees Into 3 Segments 27
311 Security Guard Approaching 28
312 Ahed And Son Sdn Bhd 239 tons Lorry 28
313 Security Guard Routine Check 29
314 Forklift 30
315 Stacking at Sarawak Forestry 30
316 Vertical Band Saw Mill 32
317 Single Rip Machine 33
318 Removing Pith 34
x
II
319 Digital Double-Sided Planer 35
320 Transporting Samples to Lab 35 ~ 321 Labeling Samples for Final Cutting 36
322 Weighted Sample 38
323 Measured Sample 38 ~
324 Static Bending Test on Sample 39 ~ I 325 Sample During Static Bending Test 40 8
326 Sample after Static Bending Test 40
327 Sample during Compression Test 41
328 Sample after Compression Test (Type ofFracture) 42
329 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 42
0
~ 4
330 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 43 ~
331 Hardness Test Concept 43 ~
332 Sample during Hardness Test 44 ~
333 Sample after Hardness Test 440
334 Sample During Impact Bending Test 45 ~
335 Sample after Impact Bending Test 46 ~
41 Moisture Content of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 55 ~ 42 Basic Density of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 56 ~
43 Maximum Load of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 57 ~
44 Maximum Compressive Strength For Different Oncospenna 57 ~
Tigillarium Culms ~ 45 Maximum Load For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 58 8
46 Modulus Of Rupture (MOR) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 ~ 9
Culms
47 Modulus Of Elasticity (MOE) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 0
Culms 0
48 Comparison Of Maximum Load Modulus OfRupture (MOR) And 60 ~
Modulus OfElasticity (MOE) For Different On cos penna Tigillarium ~
Culms ~
xi
I 1
49 Maximum Tangential Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium 61
Culms
410 Maximum Radial Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms 61
411 Comparison Between Maximum Tangential And Radial Load For 62
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
412 Work Done In Joules For Different Impact Bending Specimens For 63
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
413 Maximum Load Compression V s Density 66
414 Maximum Compressive Strength Vs Density 66
415 Maximum Load Bending V s Density 67
416 MOR Vs Density 67
417 MOE Vs Density 68
418 Tangential Hardness V s Density 68
419 Radial Hardness V s Density 69
xii
ASTM
BS
FRIM
SFC
FSP
MOE
MOR
MC
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
American Society for Testing and Materials
British Standard
Forest Research Institute of Malaysia
Sarawak Forestry Corporation
Fiber Saturation Point
Modulus of elasticity
Modulus of rupture
Moisture content
xiii
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
11 General
Timber is one of the oldest materials used in construction since the birth of
construction technology It is one of the most readily available materials in recent times
Timber was the main material used in construction before concrete and steel
construction methods were discovered Timber is divided into two softwood and
hardwood Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees strictly speaking non-monocot
angiosperm trees while softwood is wood from gymnosperm trees
Figure 11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber (Architizer 2013)
1
of
~s
~e l
~d
ot
Wood is easily handled it has a long lifespan and nearly unlimited applications whether
in construction or other usages No other building material is produced and used with as
little energy and damage to the environment as wood Compared to other building
materials wood is light in weight and highly resilient Countless bridges towers and
wooden structures all over the world bear witness to this statement Wooden houses
roof trusses walls floors and stairs have been in use for generations Wood dwellings
over 700 years old yet still inhabited today are proofs of woods lifelong durability as a
building material People choose to build with wood on the grounds of economy
aesthetics and biology Wood radiates warmth and is harmless to the environment
Additionally modern construction methods do not require any chemical preservative
treatments Timber construction materials undergo strict control checks concerning
quality and performance The quality of many timber products is ensured by specific
standards Efficient prefabricating smooth processing and constant availability make
construction with wood quick and economic Building with wood is always the right
choice (GermanTimber 2007)
Timber is without a doubt one of the most environmentally friendly building
materials available in the environmentally challenged world we live in today It is
remarkably versatile able to work well with other materials such as concrete and metal
as composite structures It is also naturally renewable but requires human ethics to
preserve its renewability Timber also has high aesthetic value and not to mention light
and strong to build structures with It also has an inviting warm and welcoming sense
which makes us feel cozy and comfortable Whether it is a landmark building
government office housing school or hospital architects look to timber to express
contemporary art and beauty in the structure they design Timber is a high performance
material light in weight yet with excellent load bearing and thermal properties (Brash
2008)
12 Problem Statement
Deforestation and global warming are not a new epidemic in the modern world
today Vast development in developed and developing countries are stripping the Earth
of its forests Timber is abundant in most countries especially tropical countries like in
the Southeast Asia or South America Although there are still abundant trees in the
2
world it doesnt mean we can chop every tree we see just for our own personal gain
Mother Nature has taken care of us for generations its time for us to give back to
Mother Nature
Figure 12 Deforestation (Compost 2013)
Most hardwood stands mature in 70 to 120 years With proper management
renewing the forest takes less time The time required to mature a hardwood tree
depends on the species An oak tree requires 80-120 years to mature whereas a poplar
tree can mature and be ready to harvest in 40 years or less (Unknown) It takes tens of
years to grow a single hardwood tree but it takes merely hours to chop down entire
forests Irresponsible logging is one of the major factors which affect the sustainability
of timber as construction materials or other usages Loggers who do not cut down the
tree properly will cause the tree to not regenerate Harvesting timber also requires skills
Thus an alternative to slow growing hardwood is required to compensate for the
long time required to grow hardwood timber Fast-growing timbers such as medium
hardwood light hardwood and softwood are being tested and experimented to find the
most suitable alternative which could make timber the new concrete or steel
Oncosperma tigillarium is a very amazing-looking tall large slender palm massed with
armed trunks armed trunks and beautiful elegantly-arched drooping leathery fronds
which is sparsely distributed along the inland fringes of mangrove forest and other low
wet swampy vegetation Its trunk is slender up to 15 centimeters in diameter ringed
3
middotn
to
tire
lity
the
lis
the
urn
the
ee
ith
ow
ged
with old leaf scars with up to 50 densely anned with scattered slender black spines
that are about 5 to 10 centimeters long crown shaft are conspicuous and anned with
slender black spines Fronds are feather-shaped ascending to spreading pendulous
elegantly-arched armed and dark to bright green Inflorescences are ramified (multishy
branched) and yellow up to 80 centimeters long infrafoliar (emerging from below the
fronds) and anned Its flowers are arranged in groups of 3 (2 male flowers to 1 female
flower) Its fruits are globose 1 centimeters in diameter mildly-depressed purple to
black and single-seeded (Ridley 2012) Oncosperma tigillariums common name is
Nibong palm in English or simply Nibong in Malay Oncosperma tigillarium may
prove to be a breakthrough in the search for new fast-growing timbers for construction
purposes It is available in abundance in the forests of Sarawak and can also be
exploited for plantation of softwood timber and harvested for construction purposes
Strength properties at small clear will be tested for this tree species
Figure 13 Oncosperma Tigillarium (Ridley 1864)
13 Aims and Objectives
In this research report the timber with the scientific name Oncosperma
tigillarium or better known for its common name in Malaysia Nibong is one of the
4
Pusat Khidmlt Maddumlt Akademik UNlVERSrrl MAlAYSIA SARAW
fast-growing timber available in the forests of Malaysia and also Indonesia where it is
said to originate (Ridley 2012)
The main aim in this project is to investigate and acquire the information on the
relationship of distribution patterns of strength and physical properties with small clear
sample sizes of the Oncosperma tigillarium timber
Objective
1 To determine the strength and physical properties at air-dry conditions of
Oncosperma tigillarium
2 To understand the relationship between the variation of strength from pith to
sapwood of Oncosperma tigillarium and
3 To identify the distribution pattern of strength and physical properties with
Oncosperma tigillarium
14 Scope of Work
A series of study and laboratory tests are required to be done in order to achieve
the aim and objective In order to accomplish this certain scopes of study of work shall
be done so that the whole laboratory procedures can be run at a more systematic way
The test will be conducted by using 20 x 20mm (A) x 300mm (L) and 20 x 20mm (A) x
60mm (L) small clear size sample Laboratory tests will be carried out to determine the
strength and physical properties of Oncosperma tigillarium at air-dry conditions The
types of laboratory tests to be carried out are as in the table below
Table 11 Laboratory tests for strength and physical properties of timber
No Laboratory Test
Static bending test
2 Compression test
3 Moisture content test
4 Basic density test
5 Hardness test
5
is
of
to
th
lYe
~Il
y
u
~e
he
The sample of Oncosperma tigillarium to be used in this research study was
collected in the wetland forest areas within the UNIMAS vicinity The sample
collection and sample preparation procedure are discussed more elaborately in Chapter
3 This research implements the standards from BS 373 1957 Methods for Testing
Small Clear Specimens of Timber
15 Chapter Outline
This report consists of five chapters Chapter one will focus on the importance of
timber and the role and contribution of timber in the construction industry Chapter one
shall also cover the problem statement aim and objective scope of works and chapter
outline
Chapter two consists of the literature review regarding this project This chapter
explains about the test that is listed under scope of works for further improvement
Chapter three covers the methodology where it elaborates on the methods used
in this research mainly sample collection and preparation
Chapter four is results and discussion this chapter shall convey the results
gathered from the series of laboratory tests and the discussions regarding the findings
Chapter five is conclusion and recommendation this chapter explains about the
conclusion of this research and recommendation on this research for further
improvement
6
CHAPTER 2
LITERA TURE REVIEW
21 General
Due to its heterogeneity and species diversity timber is a complex building
material Timber does not have consistent predictable reproducible and uniform
properties as the properties vary with species age site and environmental conditions
(Ahamada Zziwa Yasin Naku Ziraba amp Mwakali 2009) The demand for quality
timber for construction will increase in Malaysia and other developing countries due to
a boom in the building construction industry With extreme exploitation and scarcity of
traditional hardwood timber species such as chengal (Neobaanocarpus heimii) and
meranti (Shorea spp) there is a diversity of previously unpopular species on the
market Zziwa etal (2009) revealed that there are 48 timber species on market and
despite the big number consumers prefer only 20 The durability integrity and safety
of structures from such species cannot be assured Reliable structural use of timber has
always been hampered by lack of appropriate design codes and well-established
standards
Timber is one of the oldest construction materials used In Malaysia timber used
to be the main materials used to build houses especially traditional Malay houses
Examples of landmark timber structures in Malaysia are Istana Lama which was built in
1902 Istana Kenangan Perak which was built in 1960 and lastly Kampung Laut Mosque
which is over 300 years old Until today timber has been the preferable material used
for the construction of residential areas in European countries and North America
(Ahmad 2011)
Why should we build with timber For one timber is a renewable resource
According to Ahmad (2011) the growth rate of commercial forests in North America is
7
ABSTRACT
In the modem world today concrete jungles are spreading like wildfire all over the
world pushing natural forests out of the way Concrete becomes an ever demanded
construction material however the price of concrete is not cheap Therefore timber a
renewable and eco-friendly construction material is sought out as an alternative in the
construction industry Like any other materials timber has its own setbacks in terms of
biological degradation chemical resistance dimensional stability thermal resistance
weathering and decay However if treated properly timber can become a fierce adversary
to concrete Moreover timber has a very high aesthetic value compared to other
construction materials Hardwood is the type of timber often chosen as structural material
as it has higher strength but requires a very long time to mature about 100 years Thus a
species of fast-growing timber of name Oncosperma Tigillarium or better known for its
common name Nibong palm is chosen to be experimented on to determine its basic
physical properties and mechanical properties in the search for an alternative to hardwood
timber Therefore a series of tests were conducted on air dry specimens of Oncosperma
Tigillarium to study the strength properties such as bending properties compressive
strength parallel to grain hardness and impact resistance between samples from different
culms Tests are carried out in accordance to British Standard 373 1957 Method for testing
small clear specimens of timber Specimens were obtained within the vicinity of the
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) campus The laboratory tests were conducted at
the Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) Based on the data analysis Oncosperma
Tigillarium shows strength properties which are comparable to other medium hardwood or
even hardwood even though is it classified to be a non-worthy timber
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Content Page
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABSTRACT ii
LIST OF ABBREVIA nONS Xlll
ABSTRAK iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS iv
LIST OF TABLES ix
LIST OF FIGURES x
Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION 1
11 General
12 Problem Statements 2
13 Aims and Objectives 4
14 Scope of Work 5
15 Chapter Outline 6
Chapter 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 7
21 General 7
22 Palm 8
23 Nibong Palm (Oncosperma Tigillarium) 9
iv
Chapter 3
24
25
26
27
28
29
210
211
212
213
214
215
Pusat Kbidmat MakJumat Akademjl UNIVERSm MALAYSIA SARAWAh
Moisture Content
Shrinkage
Grain
Basic Density
Static Bending Test
Other Non-worthy Timber (Bamboo)
Mechanical Properties
Hardness
Impact Bending Test
Modulus of Elasticity (MOE)
Modulus of Rupture (MOR)
Effect of Moisture Content in Mechanical
Properties
METHODOLOGY
31 General
32 Desk Study
33 Approval from Authorities
331 Problems Faced
34 Sample Collection
341 Tools and Equipment
342 Marking and Cutting
343 Problems Faced
v
10
11
11
12
12
15
16
16
16
16
17
17
18
18
18
21
22
22
22
23
27
]
35 Transportation of Sample 28
36 Sample Preparation 31
361 Tools and Equipment 31
362 Vertical Band Saw Mill 31
363 Single Rip Machine 32
364 Digital Double-Sided Planer 33
365 Marking and Cutting 36
37 Sample Testing 36
371 Physical Properties 37
3711 Moisture Content Determination 37
3712 Basic Density Determination 38
372 Strength Properties 39
3721 Static Bending Test 39
3722 Compression Pamllel to Gmin Test 41
3723 Janka Hardness Test 43
3724 Impact Bending Test 45
373 Problems Faced 46
38 Results and Discussion 47
39 Conclusion and Recommendations 47
Chapter 4 RESUL TS ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 48
41 General 48
42 Oncosperma Tigillarium 48
vi
43 Testing Result of Small Clear Specimens of 49
Different Tree Culms
431 Compression Parallel to Grain Test 49
432 Static Bending Test 50
433 Impact bending Test 51
434 Janka Hardness Test 52
435 Moisture Content 52
436 Basic Density 53
44 Discussion 54
441 Comparison in Moisture Content of Oncosperma 55
Tigilarium
442 Comparison in Basic Density of Oncosperma 56
Tigilarium
443 Comparison in Compression Parallel to Grain of 57
Oncosperma Tigillarium
444 Comparison in Static Bending Test of 58
Oncosperma Tigilarium
445 Comparison in Hardness Test of Oncosperma 59
Tigillarium
446 Comparison in Impact Bending Test of 62
Oncosperma Tigilarium
45 Overall Average 64
46 Mechanical Properties vs Basic Density 66
vii
Chapter 5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 70
51 General 70
52 Conclusions 70
53 Recommendations for Oncosperma Tigillarium 71
54 Recommendations for Further Research and 71
Study
REFERENCES 73
APPENDIX 77
viii
LIST OF TABLES
Table Description Page
31 Item Used In Sample Collection and Its Purpose 23
32 Items Used In Sample Preparation and Its Purpose 31
33 Moisture Content for Nibong Culm Samples 37
34 Static Bending Test Results Table 39
35 Compression Parallel-to-Grain Test Results Table 41
36 Hardness Test Results Table 44
37 Impact Bending Test Results Table 45
41 Specimen Numbering for Oncosperma Tigillarium Sample 49
42 Average Value of Compression Parallel to Grain Test Result of 50
Different Tree Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry
Condition
43 Average Value of Static Bending Test Result of Different Tree Culms 51
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
44 Average Value oflmpact Bending Test Result of Different Tree 51
Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
45 Average Value of Janka Hardness Test Result of Different Tree Culms 52
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
46 Average Value of Moisture Content of Different Tree Culms of 53
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
47 Average Value of Basic Density of Different Tree Culms of 54
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
48 Summary of Physical and Mechanical Properties of Oncosperma 64
Tigillarium in Sarawak
49 Comparison between Oncosperma Tigillarium with other Timber in 65
Borneo
ix
LIST OF FIGURES
Description ~age~
11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber Federal Center South 1
Building 1202 USACE Seattle District Headquarters
12 Deforestation 3
13 Oncosperma Tigillarium 4
21 Comparison Of C02 Emissions Related To Fabrication of One Beam 8
of Aluminum Steel Reinforced Concrete and Solid Wood
22 Nibong Posts and Joists at Bako Fishing Village Sarawak 10
23 Static Bending Test Data on Small Clear Specimens 13
24 Modified Static Bending Test Data to 12 Percent MC 14
25 Static Bending Test Force vs Displacement Graph 15
31 Research Work Flow Chart 19
32 Location of Site for Sample Collection Within UNlMAS 20
33 Roadside of Sample Collection Site 20
34 Tools and Equipment for Sample Collection 22
35 Marking and Cutting of Nibong Palm Samples 24
36 Measuring 24
37 Cutting 25
38 Removal of Thorns 26
39 Stacking of Trees 26
310 Cutting Trees Into 3 Segments 27
311 Security Guard Approaching 28
312 Ahed And Son Sdn Bhd 239 tons Lorry 28
313 Security Guard Routine Check 29
314 Forklift 30
315 Stacking at Sarawak Forestry 30
316 Vertical Band Saw Mill 32
317 Single Rip Machine 33
318 Removing Pith 34
x
II
319 Digital Double-Sided Planer 35
320 Transporting Samples to Lab 35 ~ 321 Labeling Samples for Final Cutting 36
322 Weighted Sample 38
323 Measured Sample 38 ~
324 Static Bending Test on Sample 39 ~ I 325 Sample During Static Bending Test 40 8
326 Sample after Static Bending Test 40
327 Sample during Compression Test 41
328 Sample after Compression Test (Type ofFracture) 42
329 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 42
0
~ 4
330 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 43 ~
331 Hardness Test Concept 43 ~
332 Sample during Hardness Test 44 ~
333 Sample after Hardness Test 440
334 Sample During Impact Bending Test 45 ~
335 Sample after Impact Bending Test 46 ~
41 Moisture Content of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 55 ~ 42 Basic Density of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 56 ~
43 Maximum Load of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 57 ~
44 Maximum Compressive Strength For Different Oncospenna 57 ~
Tigillarium Culms ~ 45 Maximum Load For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 58 8
46 Modulus Of Rupture (MOR) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 ~ 9
Culms
47 Modulus Of Elasticity (MOE) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 0
Culms 0
48 Comparison Of Maximum Load Modulus OfRupture (MOR) And 60 ~
Modulus OfElasticity (MOE) For Different On cos penna Tigillarium ~
Culms ~
xi
I 1
49 Maximum Tangential Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium 61
Culms
410 Maximum Radial Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms 61
411 Comparison Between Maximum Tangential And Radial Load For 62
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
412 Work Done In Joules For Different Impact Bending Specimens For 63
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
413 Maximum Load Compression V s Density 66
414 Maximum Compressive Strength Vs Density 66
415 Maximum Load Bending V s Density 67
416 MOR Vs Density 67
417 MOE Vs Density 68
418 Tangential Hardness V s Density 68
419 Radial Hardness V s Density 69
xii
ASTM
BS
FRIM
SFC
FSP
MOE
MOR
MC
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
American Society for Testing and Materials
British Standard
Forest Research Institute of Malaysia
Sarawak Forestry Corporation
Fiber Saturation Point
Modulus of elasticity
Modulus of rupture
Moisture content
xiii
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
11 General
Timber is one of the oldest materials used in construction since the birth of
construction technology It is one of the most readily available materials in recent times
Timber was the main material used in construction before concrete and steel
construction methods were discovered Timber is divided into two softwood and
hardwood Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees strictly speaking non-monocot
angiosperm trees while softwood is wood from gymnosperm trees
Figure 11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber (Architizer 2013)
1
of
~s
~e l
~d
ot
Wood is easily handled it has a long lifespan and nearly unlimited applications whether
in construction or other usages No other building material is produced and used with as
little energy and damage to the environment as wood Compared to other building
materials wood is light in weight and highly resilient Countless bridges towers and
wooden structures all over the world bear witness to this statement Wooden houses
roof trusses walls floors and stairs have been in use for generations Wood dwellings
over 700 years old yet still inhabited today are proofs of woods lifelong durability as a
building material People choose to build with wood on the grounds of economy
aesthetics and biology Wood radiates warmth and is harmless to the environment
Additionally modern construction methods do not require any chemical preservative
treatments Timber construction materials undergo strict control checks concerning
quality and performance The quality of many timber products is ensured by specific
standards Efficient prefabricating smooth processing and constant availability make
construction with wood quick and economic Building with wood is always the right
choice (GermanTimber 2007)
Timber is without a doubt one of the most environmentally friendly building
materials available in the environmentally challenged world we live in today It is
remarkably versatile able to work well with other materials such as concrete and metal
as composite structures It is also naturally renewable but requires human ethics to
preserve its renewability Timber also has high aesthetic value and not to mention light
and strong to build structures with It also has an inviting warm and welcoming sense
which makes us feel cozy and comfortable Whether it is a landmark building
government office housing school or hospital architects look to timber to express
contemporary art and beauty in the structure they design Timber is a high performance
material light in weight yet with excellent load bearing and thermal properties (Brash
2008)
12 Problem Statement
Deforestation and global warming are not a new epidemic in the modern world
today Vast development in developed and developing countries are stripping the Earth
of its forests Timber is abundant in most countries especially tropical countries like in
the Southeast Asia or South America Although there are still abundant trees in the
2
world it doesnt mean we can chop every tree we see just for our own personal gain
Mother Nature has taken care of us for generations its time for us to give back to
Mother Nature
Figure 12 Deforestation (Compost 2013)
Most hardwood stands mature in 70 to 120 years With proper management
renewing the forest takes less time The time required to mature a hardwood tree
depends on the species An oak tree requires 80-120 years to mature whereas a poplar
tree can mature and be ready to harvest in 40 years or less (Unknown) It takes tens of
years to grow a single hardwood tree but it takes merely hours to chop down entire
forests Irresponsible logging is one of the major factors which affect the sustainability
of timber as construction materials or other usages Loggers who do not cut down the
tree properly will cause the tree to not regenerate Harvesting timber also requires skills
Thus an alternative to slow growing hardwood is required to compensate for the
long time required to grow hardwood timber Fast-growing timbers such as medium
hardwood light hardwood and softwood are being tested and experimented to find the
most suitable alternative which could make timber the new concrete or steel
Oncosperma tigillarium is a very amazing-looking tall large slender palm massed with
armed trunks armed trunks and beautiful elegantly-arched drooping leathery fronds
which is sparsely distributed along the inland fringes of mangrove forest and other low
wet swampy vegetation Its trunk is slender up to 15 centimeters in diameter ringed
3
middotn
to
tire
lity
the
lis
the
urn
the
ee
ith
ow
ged
with old leaf scars with up to 50 densely anned with scattered slender black spines
that are about 5 to 10 centimeters long crown shaft are conspicuous and anned with
slender black spines Fronds are feather-shaped ascending to spreading pendulous
elegantly-arched armed and dark to bright green Inflorescences are ramified (multishy
branched) and yellow up to 80 centimeters long infrafoliar (emerging from below the
fronds) and anned Its flowers are arranged in groups of 3 (2 male flowers to 1 female
flower) Its fruits are globose 1 centimeters in diameter mildly-depressed purple to
black and single-seeded (Ridley 2012) Oncosperma tigillariums common name is
Nibong palm in English or simply Nibong in Malay Oncosperma tigillarium may
prove to be a breakthrough in the search for new fast-growing timbers for construction
purposes It is available in abundance in the forests of Sarawak and can also be
exploited for plantation of softwood timber and harvested for construction purposes
Strength properties at small clear will be tested for this tree species
Figure 13 Oncosperma Tigillarium (Ridley 1864)
13 Aims and Objectives
In this research report the timber with the scientific name Oncosperma
tigillarium or better known for its common name in Malaysia Nibong is one of the
4
Pusat Khidmlt Maddumlt Akademik UNlVERSrrl MAlAYSIA SARAW
fast-growing timber available in the forests of Malaysia and also Indonesia where it is
said to originate (Ridley 2012)
The main aim in this project is to investigate and acquire the information on the
relationship of distribution patterns of strength and physical properties with small clear
sample sizes of the Oncosperma tigillarium timber
Objective
1 To determine the strength and physical properties at air-dry conditions of
Oncosperma tigillarium
2 To understand the relationship between the variation of strength from pith to
sapwood of Oncosperma tigillarium and
3 To identify the distribution pattern of strength and physical properties with
Oncosperma tigillarium
14 Scope of Work
A series of study and laboratory tests are required to be done in order to achieve
the aim and objective In order to accomplish this certain scopes of study of work shall
be done so that the whole laboratory procedures can be run at a more systematic way
The test will be conducted by using 20 x 20mm (A) x 300mm (L) and 20 x 20mm (A) x
60mm (L) small clear size sample Laboratory tests will be carried out to determine the
strength and physical properties of Oncosperma tigillarium at air-dry conditions The
types of laboratory tests to be carried out are as in the table below
Table 11 Laboratory tests for strength and physical properties of timber
No Laboratory Test
Static bending test
2 Compression test
3 Moisture content test
4 Basic density test
5 Hardness test
5
is
of
to
th
lYe
~Il
y
u
~e
he
The sample of Oncosperma tigillarium to be used in this research study was
collected in the wetland forest areas within the UNIMAS vicinity The sample
collection and sample preparation procedure are discussed more elaborately in Chapter
3 This research implements the standards from BS 373 1957 Methods for Testing
Small Clear Specimens of Timber
15 Chapter Outline
This report consists of five chapters Chapter one will focus on the importance of
timber and the role and contribution of timber in the construction industry Chapter one
shall also cover the problem statement aim and objective scope of works and chapter
outline
Chapter two consists of the literature review regarding this project This chapter
explains about the test that is listed under scope of works for further improvement
Chapter three covers the methodology where it elaborates on the methods used
in this research mainly sample collection and preparation
Chapter four is results and discussion this chapter shall convey the results
gathered from the series of laboratory tests and the discussions regarding the findings
Chapter five is conclusion and recommendation this chapter explains about the
conclusion of this research and recommendation on this research for further
improvement
6
CHAPTER 2
LITERA TURE REVIEW
21 General
Due to its heterogeneity and species diversity timber is a complex building
material Timber does not have consistent predictable reproducible and uniform
properties as the properties vary with species age site and environmental conditions
(Ahamada Zziwa Yasin Naku Ziraba amp Mwakali 2009) The demand for quality
timber for construction will increase in Malaysia and other developing countries due to
a boom in the building construction industry With extreme exploitation and scarcity of
traditional hardwood timber species such as chengal (Neobaanocarpus heimii) and
meranti (Shorea spp) there is a diversity of previously unpopular species on the
market Zziwa etal (2009) revealed that there are 48 timber species on market and
despite the big number consumers prefer only 20 The durability integrity and safety
of structures from such species cannot be assured Reliable structural use of timber has
always been hampered by lack of appropriate design codes and well-established
standards
Timber is one of the oldest construction materials used In Malaysia timber used
to be the main materials used to build houses especially traditional Malay houses
Examples of landmark timber structures in Malaysia are Istana Lama which was built in
1902 Istana Kenangan Perak which was built in 1960 and lastly Kampung Laut Mosque
which is over 300 years old Until today timber has been the preferable material used
for the construction of residential areas in European countries and North America
(Ahmad 2011)
Why should we build with timber For one timber is a renewable resource
According to Ahmad (2011) the growth rate of commercial forests in North America is
7
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Content Page
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABSTRACT ii
LIST OF ABBREVIA nONS Xlll
ABSTRAK iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS iv
LIST OF TABLES ix
LIST OF FIGURES x
Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION 1
11 General
12 Problem Statements 2
13 Aims and Objectives 4
14 Scope of Work 5
15 Chapter Outline 6
Chapter 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 7
21 General 7
22 Palm 8
23 Nibong Palm (Oncosperma Tigillarium) 9
iv
Chapter 3
24
25
26
27
28
29
210
211
212
213
214
215
Pusat Kbidmat MakJumat Akademjl UNIVERSm MALAYSIA SARAWAh
Moisture Content
Shrinkage
Grain
Basic Density
Static Bending Test
Other Non-worthy Timber (Bamboo)
Mechanical Properties
Hardness
Impact Bending Test
Modulus of Elasticity (MOE)
Modulus of Rupture (MOR)
Effect of Moisture Content in Mechanical
Properties
METHODOLOGY
31 General
32 Desk Study
33 Approval from Authorities
331 Problems Faced
34 Sample Collection
341 Tools and Equipment
342 Marking and Cutting
343 Problems Faced
v
10
11
11
12
12
15
16
16
16
16
17
17
18
18
18
21
22
22
22
23
27
]
35 Transportation of Sample 28
36 Sample Preparation 31
361 Tools and Equipment 31
362 Vertical Band Saw Mill 31
363 Single Rip Machine 32
364 Digital Double-Sided Planer 33
365 Marking and Cutting 36
37 Sample Testing 36
371 Physical Properties 37
3711 Moisture Content Determination 37
3712 Basic Density Determination 38
372 Strength Properties 39
3721 Static Bending Test 39
3722 Compression Pamllel to Gmin Test 41
3723 Janka Hardness Test 43
3724 Impact Bending Test 45
373 Problems Faced 46
38 Results and Discussion 47
39 Conclusion and Recommendations 47
Chapter 4 RESUL TS ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 48
41 General 48
42 Oncosperma Tigillarium 48
vi
43 Testing Result of Small Clear Specimens of 49
Different Tree Culms
431 Compression Parallel to Grain Test 49
432 Static Bending Test 50
433 Impact bending Test 51
434 Janka Hardness Test 52
435 Moisture Content 52
436 Basic Density 53
44 Discussion 54
441 Comparison in Moisture Content of Oncosperma 55
Tigilarium
442 Comparison in Basic Density of Oncosperma 56
Tigilarium
443 Comparison in Compression Parallel to Grain of 57
Oncosperma Tigillarium
444 Comparison in Static Bending Test of 58
Oncosperma Tigilarium
445 Comparison in Hardness Test of Oncosperma 59
Tigillarium
446 Comparison in Impact Bending Test of 62
Oncosperma Tigilarium
45 Overall Average 64
46 Mechanical Properties vs Basic Density 66
vii
Chapter 5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 70
51 General 70
52 Conclusions 70
53 Recommendations for Oncosperma Tigillarium 71
54 Recommendations for Further Research and 71
Study
REFERENCES 73
APPENDIX 77
viii
LIST OF TABLES
Table Description Page
31 Item Used In Sample Collection and Its Purpose 23
32 Items Used In Sample Preparation and Its Purpose 31
33 Moisture Content for Nibong Culm Samples 37
34 Static Bending Test Results Table 39
35 Compression Parallel-to-Grain Test Results Table 41
36 Hardness Test Results Table 44
37 Impact Bending Test Results Table 45
41 Specimen Numbering for Oncosperma Tigillarium Sample 49
42 Average Value of Compression Parallel to Grain Test Result of 50
Different Tree Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry
Condition
43 Average Value of Static Bending Test Result of Different Tree Culms 51
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
44 Average Value oflmpact Bending Test Result of Different Tree 51
Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
45 Average Value of Janka Hardness Test Result of Different Tree Culms 52
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
46 Average Value of Moisture Content of Different Tree Culms of 53
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
47 Average Value of Basic Density of Different Tree Culms of 54
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
48 Summary of Physical and Mechanical Properties of Oncosperma 64
Tigillarium in Sarawak
49 Comparison between Oncosperma Tigillarium with other Timber in 65
Borneo
ix
LIST OF FIGURES
Description ~age~
11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber Federal Center South 1
Building 1202 USACE Seattle District Headquarters
12 Deforestation 3
13 Oncosperma Tigillarium 4
21 Comparison Of C02 Emissions Related To Fabrication of One Beam 8
of Aluminum Steel Reinforced Concrete and Solid Wood
22 Nibong Posts and Joists at Bako Fishing Village Sarawak 10
23 Static Bending Test Data on Small Clear Specimens 13
24 Modified Static Bending Test Data to 12 Percent MC 14
25 Static Bending Test Force vs Displacement Graph 15
31 Research Work Flow Chart 19
32 Location of Site for Sample Collection Within UNlMAS 20
33 Roadside of Sample Collection Site 20
34 Tools and Equipment for Sample Collection 22
35 Marking and Cutting of Nibong Palm Samples 24
36 Measuring 24
37 Cutting 25
38 Removal of Thorns 26
39 Stacking of Trees 26
310 Cutting Trees Into 3 Segments 27
311 Security Guard Approaching 28
312 Ahed And Son Sdn Bhd 239 tons Lorry 28
313 Security Guard Routine Check 29
314 Forklift 30
315 Stacking at Sarawak Forestry 30
316 Vertical Band Saw Mill 32
317 Single Rip Machine 33
318 Removing Pith 34
x
II
319 Digital Double-Sided Planer 35
320 Transporting Samples to Lab 35 ~ 321 Labeling Samples for Final Cutting 36
322 Weighted Sample 38
323 Measured Sample 38 ~
324 Static Bending Test on Sample 39 ~ I 325 Sample During Static Bending Test 40 8
326 Sample after Static Bending Test 40
327 Sample during Compression Test 41
328 Sample after Compression Test (Type ofFracture) 42
329 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 42
0
~ 4
330 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 43 ~
331 Hardness Test Concept 43 ~
332 Sample during Hardness Test 44 ~
333 Sample after Hardness Test 440
334 Sample During Impact Bending Test 45 ~
335 Sample after Impact Bending Test 46 ~
41 Moisture Content of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 55 ~ 42 Basic Density of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 56 ~
43 Maximum Load of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 57 ~
44 Maximum Compressive Strength For Different Oncospenna 57 ~
Tigillarium Culms ~ 45 Maximum Load For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 58 8
46 Modulus Of Rupture (MOR) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 ~ 9
Culms
47 Modulus Of Elasticity (MOE) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 0
Culms 0
48 Comparison Of Maximum Load Modulus OfRupture (MOR) And 60 ~
Modulus OfElasticity (MOE) For Different On cos penna Tigillarium ~
Culms ~
xi
I 1
49 Maximum Tangential Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium 61
Culms
410 Maximum Radial Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms 61
411 Comparison Between Maximum Tangential And Radial Load For 62
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
412 Work Done In Joules For Different Impact Bending Specimens For 63
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
413 Maximum Load Compression V s Density 66
414 Maximum Compressive Strength Vs Density 66
415 Maximum Load Bending V s Density 67
416 MOR Vs Density 67
417 MOE Vs Density 68
418 Tangential Hardness V s Density 68
419 Radial Hardness V s Density 69
xii
ASTM
BS
FRIM
SFC
FSP
MOE
MOR
MC
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
American Society for Testing and Materials
British Standard
Forest Research Institute of Malaysia
Sarawak Forestry Corporation
Fiber Saturation Point
Modulus of elasticity
Modulus of rupture
Moisture content
xiii
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
11 General
Timber is one of the oldest materials used in construction since the birth of
construction technology It is one of the most readily available materials in recent times
Timber was the main material used in construction before concrete and steel
construction methods were discovered Timber is divided into two softwood and
hardwood Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees strictly speaking non-monocot
angiosperm trees while softwood is wood from gymnosperm trees
Figure 11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber (Architizer 2013)
1
of
~s
~e l
~d
ot
Wood is easily handled it has a long lifespan and nearly unlimited applications whether
in construction or other usages No other building material is produced and used with as
little energy and damage to the environment as wood Compared to other building
materials wood is light in weight and highly resilient Countless bridges towers and
wooden structures all over the world bear witness to this statement Wooden houses
roof trusses walls floors and stairs have been in use for generations Wood dwellings
over 700 years old yet still inhabited today are proofs of woods lifelong durability as a
building material People choose to build with wood on the grounds of economy
aesthetics and biology Wood radiates warmth and is harmless to the environment
Additionally modern construction methods do not require any chemical preservative
treatments Timber construction materials undergo strict control checks concerning
quality and performance The quality of many timber products is ensured by specific
standards Efficient prefabricating smooth processing and constant availability make
construction with wood quick and economic Building with wood is always the right
choice (GermanTimber 2007)
Timber is without a doubt one of the most environmentally friendly building
materials available in the environmentally challenged world we live in today It is
remarkably versatile able to work well with other materials such as concrete and metal
as composite structures It is also naturally renewable but requires human ethics to
preserve its renewability Timber also has high aesthetic value and not to mention light
and strong to build structures with It also has an inviting warm and welcoming sense
which makes us feel cozy and comfortable Whether it is a landmark building
government office housing school or hospital architects look to timber to express
contemporary art and beauty in the structure they design Timber is a high performance
material light in weight yet with excellent load bearing and thermal properties (Brash
2008)
12 Problem Statement
Deforestation and global warming are not a new epidemic in the modern world
today Vast development in developed and developing countries are stripping the Earth
of its forests Timber is abundant in most countries especially tropical countries like in
the Southeast Asia or South America Although there are still abundant trees in the
2
world it doesnt mean we can chop every tree we see just for our own personal gain
Mother Nature has taken care of us for generations its time for us to give back to
Mother Nature
Figure 12 Deforestation (Compost 2013)
Most hardwood stands mature in 70 to 120 years With proper management
renewing the forest takes less time The time required to mature a hardwood tree
depends on the species An oak tree requires 80-120 years to mature whereas a poplar
tree can mature and be ready to harvest in 40 years or less (Unknown) It takes tens of
years to grow a single hardwood tree but it takes merely hours to chop down entire
forests Irresponsible logging is one of the major factors which affect the sustainability
of timber as construction materials or other usages Loggers who do not cut down the
tree properly will cause the tree to not regenerate Harvesting timber also requires skills
Thus an alternative to slow growing hardwood is required to compensate for the
long time required to grow hardwood timber Fast-growing timbers such as medium
hardwood light hardwood and softwood are being tested and experimented to find the
most suitable alternative which could make timber the new concrete or steel
Oncosperma tigillarium is a very amazing-looking tall large slender palm massed with
armed trunks armed trunks and beautiful elegantly-arched drooping leathery fronds
which is sparsely distributed along the inland fringes of mangrove forest and other low
wet swampy vegetation Its trunk is slender up to 15 centimeters in diameter ringed
3
middotn
to
tire
lity
the
lis
the
urn
the
ee
ith
ow
ged
with old leaf scars with up to 50 densely anned with scattered slender black spines
that are about 5 to 10 centimeters long crown shaft are conspicuous and anned with
slender black spines Fronds are feather-shaped ascending to spreading pendulous
elegantly-arched armed and dark to bright green Inflorescences are ramified (multishy
branched) and yellow up to 80 centimeters long infrafoliar (emerging from below the
fronds) and anned Its flowers are arranged in groups of 3 (2 male flowers to 1 female
flower) Its fruits are globose 1 centimeters in diameter mildly-depressed purple to
black and single-seeded (Ridley 2012) Oncosperma tigillariums common name is
Nibong palm in English or simply Nibong in Malay Oncosperma tigillarium may
prove to be a breakthrough in the search for new fast-growing timbers for construction
purposes It is available in abundance in the forests of Sarawak and can also be
exploited for plantation of softwood timber and harvested for construction purposes
Strength properties at small clear will be tested for this tree species
Figure 13 Oncosperma Tigillarium (Ridley 1864)
13 Aims and Objectives
In this research report the timber with the scientific name Oncosperma
tigillarium or better known for its common name in Malaysia Nibong is one of the
4
Pusat Khidmlt Maddumlt Akademik UNlVERSrrl MAlAYSIA SARAW
fast-growing timber available in the forests of Malaysia and also Indonesia where it is
said to originate (Ridley 2012)
The main aim in this project is to investigate and acquire the information on the
relationship of distribution patterns of strength and physical properties with small clear
sample sizes of the Oncosperma tigillarium timber
Objective
1 To determine the strength and physical properties at air-dry conditions of
Oncosperma tigillarium
2 To understand the relationship between the variation of strength from pith to
sapwood of Oncosperma tigillarium and
3 To identify the distribution pattern of strength and physical properties with
Oncosperma tigillarium
14 Scope of Work
A series of study and laboratory tests are required to be done in order to achieve
the aim and objective In order to accomplish this certain scopes of study of work shall
be done so that the whole laboratory procedures can be run at a more systematic way
The test will be conducted by using 20 x 20mm (A) x 300mm (L) and 20 x 20mm (A) x
60mm (L) small clear size sample Laboratory tests will be carried out to determine the
strength and physical properties of Oncosperma tigillarium at air-dry conditions The
types of laboratory tests to be carried out are as in the table below
Table 11 Laboratory tests for strength and physical properties of timber
No Laboratory Test
Static bending test
2 Compression test
3 Moisture content test
4 Basic density test
5 Hardness test
5
is
of
to
th
lYe
~Il
y
u
~e
he
The sample of Oncosperma tigillarium to be used in this research study was
collected in the wetland forest areas within the UNIMAS vicinity The sample
collection and sample preparation procedure are discussed more elaborately in Chapter
3 This research implements the standards from BS 373 1957 Methods for Testing
Small Clear Specimens of Timber
15 Chapter Outline
This report consists of five chapters Chapter one will focus on the importance of
timber and the role and contribution of timber in the construction industry Chapter one
shall also cover the problem statement aim and objective scope of works and chapter
outline
Chapter two consists of the literature review regarding this project This chapter
explains about the test that is listed under scope of works for further improvement
Chapter three covers the methodology where it elaborates on the methods used
in this research mainly sample collection and preparation
Chapter four is results and discussion this chapter shall convey the results
gathered from the series of laboratory tests and the discussions regarding the findings
Chapter five is conclusion and recommendation this chapter explains about the
conclusion of this research and recommendation on this research for further
improvement
6
CHAPTER 2
LITERA TURE REVIEW
21 General
Due to its heterogeneity and species diversity timber is a complex building
material Timber does not have consistent predictable reproducible and uniform
properties as the properties vary with species age site and environmental conditions
(Ahamada Zziwa Yasin Naku Ziraba amp Mwakali 2009) The demand for quality
timber for construction will increase in Malaysia and other developing countries due to
a boom in the building construction industry With extreme exploitation and scarcity of
traditional hardwood timber species such as chengal (Neobaanocarpus heimii) and
meranti (Shorea spp) there is a diversity of previously unpopular species on the
market Zziwa etal (2009) revealed that there are 48 timber species on market and
despite the big number consumers prefer only 20 The durability integrity and safety
of structures from such species cannot be assured Reliable structural use of timber has
always been hampered by lack of appropriate design codes and well-established
standards
Timber is one of the oldest construction materials used In Malaysia timber used
to be the main materials used to build houses especially traditional Malay houses
Examples of landmark timber structures in Malaysia are Istana Lama which was built in
1902 Istana Kenangan Perak which was built in 1960 and lastly Kampung Laut Mosque
which is over 300 years old Until today timber has been the preferable material used
for the construction of residential areas in European countries and North America
(Ahmad 2011)
Why should we build with timber For one timber is a renewable resource
According to Ahmad (2011) the growth rate of commercial forests in North America is
7
Chapter 3
24
25
26
27
28
29
210
211
212
213
214
215
Pusat Kbidmat MakJumat Akademjl UNIVERSm MALAYSIA SARAWAh
Moisture Content
Shrinkage
Grain
Basic Density
Static Bending Test
Other Non-worthy Timber (Bamboo)
Mechanical Properties
Hardness
Impact Bending Test
Modulus of Elasticity (MOE)
Modulus of Rupture (MOR)
Effect of Moisture Content in Mechanical
Properties
METHODOLOGY
31 General
32 Desk Study
33 Approval from Authorities
331 Problems Faced
34 Sample Collection
341 Tools and Equipment
342 Marking and Cutting
343 Problems Faced
v
10
11
11
12
12
15
16
16
16
16
17
17
18
18
18
21
22
22
22
23
27
]
35 Transportation of Sample 28
36 Sample Preparation 31
361 Tools and Equipment 31
362 Vertical Band Saw Mill 31
363 Single Rip Machine 32
364 Digital Double-Sided Planer 33
365 Marking and Cutting 36
37 Sample Testing 36
371 Physical Properties 37
3711 Moisture Content Determination 37
3712 Basic Density Determination 38
372 Strength Properties 39
3721 Static Bending Test 39
3722 Compression Pamllel to Gmin Test 41
3723 Janka Hardness Test 43
3724 Impact Bending Test 45
373 Problems Faced 46
38 Results and Discussion 47
39 Conclusion and Recommendations 47
Chapter 4 RESUL TS ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 48
41 General 48
42 Oncosperma Tigillarium 48
vi
43 Testing Result of Small Clear Specimens of 49
Different Tree Culms
431 Compression Parallel to Grain Test 49
432 Static Bending Test 50
433 Impact bending Test 51
434 Janka Hardness Test 52
435 Moisture Content 52
436 Basic Density 53
44 Discussion 54
441 Comparison in Moisture Content of Oncosperma 55
Tigilarium
442 Comparison in Basic Density of Oncosperma 56
Tigilarium
443 Comparison in Compression Parallel to Grain of 57
Oncosperma Tigillarium
444 Comparison in Static Bending Test of 58
Oncosperma Tigilarium
445 Comparison in Hardness Test of Oncosperma 59
Tigillarium
446 Comparison in Impact Bending Test of 62
Oncosperma Tigilarium
45 Overall Average 64
46 Mechanical Properties vs Basic Density 66
vii
Chapter 5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 70
51 General 70
52 Conclusions 70
53 Recommendations for Oncosperma Tigillarium 71
54 Recommendations for Further Research and 71
Study
REFERENCES 73
APPENDIX 77
viii
LIST OF TABLES
Table Description Page
31 Item Used In Sample Collection and Its Purpose 23
32 Items Used In Sample Preparation and Its Purpose 31
33 Moisture Content for Nibong Culm Samples 37
34 Static Bending Test Results Table 39
35 Compression Parallel-to-Grain Test Results Table 41
36 Hardness Test Results Table 44
37 Impact Bending Test Results Table 45
41 Specimen Numbering for Oncosperma Tigillarium Sample 49
42 Average Value of Compression Parallel to Grain Test Result of 50
Different Tree Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry
Condition
43 Average Value of Static Bending Test Result of Different Tree Culms 51
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
44 Average Value oflmpact Bending Test Result of Different Tree 51
Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
45 Average Value of Janka Hardness Test Result of Different Tree Culms 52
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
46 Average Value of Moisture Content of Different Tree Culms of 53
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
47 Average Value of Basic Density of Different Tree Culms of 54
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
48 Summary of Physical and Mechanical Properties of Oncosperma 64
Tigillarium in Sarawak
49 Comparison between Oncosperma Tigillarium with other Timber in 65
Borneo
ix
LIST OF FIGURES
Description ~age~
11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber Federal Center South 1
Building 1202 USACE Seattle District Headquarters
12 Deforestation 3
13 Oncosperma Tigillarium 4
21 Comparison Of C02 Emissions Related To Fabrication of One Beam 8
of Aluminum Steel Reinforced Concrete and Solid Wood
22 Nibong Posts and Joists at Bako Fishing Village Sarawak 10
23 Static Bending Test Data on Small Clear Specimens 13
24 Modified Static Bending Test Data to 12 Percent MC 14
25 Static Bending Test Force vs Displacement Graph 15
31 Research Work Flow Chart 19
32 Location of Site for Sample Collection Within UNlMAS 20
33 Roadside of Sample Collection Site 20
34 Tools and Equipment for Sample Collection 22
35 Marking and Cutting of Nibong Palm Samples 24
36 Measuring 24
37 Cutting 25
38 Removal of Thorns 26
39 Stacking of Trees 26
310 Cutting Trees Into 3 Segments 27
311 Security Guard Approaching 28
312 Ahed And Son Sdn Bhd 239 tons Lorry 28
313 Security Guard Routine Check 29
314 Forklift 30
315 Stacking at Sarawak Forestry 30
316 Vertical Band Saw Mill 32
317 Single Rip Machine 33
318 Removing Pith 34
x
II
319 Digital Double-Sided Planer 35
320 Transporting Samples to Lab 35 ~ 321 Labeling Samples for Final Cutting 36
322 Weighted Sample 38
323 Measured Sample 38 ~
324 Static Bending Test on Sample 39 ~ I 325 Sample During Static Bending Test 40 8
326 Sample after Static Bending Test 40
327 Sample during Compression Test 41
328 Sample after Compression Test (Type ofFracture) 42
329 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 42
0
~ 4
330 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 43 ~
331 Hardness Test Concept 43 ~
332 Sample during Hardness Test 44 ~
333 Sample after Hardness Test 440
334 Sample During Impact Bending Test 45 ~
335 Sample after Impact Bending Test 46 ~
41 Moisture Content of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 55 ~ 42 Basic Density of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 56 ~
43 Maximum Load of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 57 ~
44 Maximum Compressive Strength For Different Oncospenna 57 ~
Tigillarium Culms ~ 45 Maximum Load For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 58 8
46 Modulus Of Rupture (MOR) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 ~ 9
Culms
47 Modulus Of Elasticity (MOE) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 0
Culms 0
48 Comparison Of Maximum Load Modulus OfRupture (MOR) And 60 ~
Modulus OfElasticity (MOE) For Different On cos penna Tigillarium ~
Culms ~
xi
I 1
49 Maximum Tangential Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium 61
Culms
410 Maximum Radial Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms 61
411 Comparison Between Maximum Tangential And Radial Load For 62
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
412 Work Done In Joules For Different Impact Bending Specimens For 63
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
413 Maximum Load Compression V s Density 66
414 Maximum Compressive Strength Vs Density 66
415 Maximum Load Bending V s Density 67
416 MOR Vs Density 67
417 MOE Vs Density 68
418 Tangential Hardness V s Density 68
419 Radial Hardness V s Density 69
xii
ASTM
BS
FRIM
SFC
FSP
MOE
MOR
MC
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
American Society for Testing and Materials
British Standard
Forest Research Institute of Malaysia
Sarawak Forestry Corporation
Fiber Saturation Point
Modulus of elasticity
Modulus of rupture
Moisture content
xiii
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
11 General
Timber is one of the oldest materials used in construction since the birth of
construction technology It is one of the most readily available materials in recent times
Timber was the main material used in construction before concrete and steel
construction methods were discovered Timber is divided into two softwood and
hardwood Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees strictly speaking non-monocot
angiosperm trees while softwood is wood from gymnosperm trees
Figure 11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber (Architizer 2013)
1
of
~s
~e l
~d
ot
Wood is easily handled it has a long lifespan and nearly unlimited applications whether
in construction or other usages No other building material is produced and used with as
little energy and damage to the environment as wood Compared to other building
materials wood is light in weight and highly resilient Countless bridges towers and
wooden structures all over the world bear witness to this statement Wooden houses
roof trusses walls floors and stairs have been in use for generations Wood dwellings
over 700 years old yet still inhabited today are proofs of woods lifelong durability as a
building material People choose to build with wood on the grounds of economy
aesthetics and biology Wood radiates warmth and is harmless to the environment
Additionally modern construction methods do not require any chemical preservative
treatments Timber construction materials undergo strict control checks concerning
quality and performance The quality of many timber products is ensured by specific
standards Efficient prefabricating smooth processing and constant availability make
construction with wood quick and economic Building with wood is always the right
choice (GermanTimber 2007)
Timber is without a doubt one of the most environmentally friendly building
materials available in the environmentally challenged world we live in today It is
remarkably versatile able to work well with other materials such as concrete and metal
as composite structures It is also naturally renewable but requires human ethics to
preserve its renewability Timber also has high aesthetic value and not to mention light
and strong to build structures with It also has an inviting warm and welcoming sense
which makes us feel cozy and comfortable Whether it is a landmark building
government office housing school or hospital architects look to timber to express
contemporary art and beauty in the structure they design Timber is a high performance
material light in weight yet with excellent load bearing and thermal properties (Brash
2008)
12 Problem Statement
Deforestation and global warming are not a new epidemic in the modern world
today Vast development in developed and developing countries are stripping the Earth
of its forests Timber is abundant in most countries especially tropical countries like in
the Southeast Asia or South America Although there are still abundant trees in the
2
world it doesnt mean we can chop every tree we see just for our own personal gain
Mother Nature has taken care of us for generations its time for us to give back to
Mother Nature
Figure 12 Deforestation (Compost 2013)
Most hardwood stands mature in 70 to 120 years With proper management
renewing the forest takes less time The time required to mature a hardwood tree
depends on the species An oak tree requires 80-120 years to mature whereas a poplar
tree can mature and be ready to harvest in 40 years or less (Unknown) It takes tens of
years to grow a single hardwood tree but it takes merely hours to chop down entire
forests Irresponsible logging is one of the major factors which affect the sustainability
of timber as construction materials or other usages Loggers who do not cut down the
tree properly will cause the tree to not regenerate Harvesting timber also requires skills
Thus an alternative to slow growing hardwood is required to compensate for the
long time required to grow hardwood timber Fast-growing timbers such as medium
hardwood light hardwood and softwood are being tested and experimented to find the
most suitable alternative which could make timber the new concrete or steel
Oncosperma tigillarium is a very amazing-looking tall large slender palm massed with
armed trunks armed trunks and beautiful elegantly-arched drooping leathery fronds
which is sparsely distributed along the inland fringes of mangrove forest and other low
wet swampy vegetation Its trunk is slender up to 15 centimeters in diameter ringed
3
middotn
to
tire
lity
the
lis
the
urn
the
ee
ith
ow
ged
with old leaf scars with up to 50 densely anned with scattered slender black spines
that are about 5 to 10 centimeters long crown shaft are conspicuous and anned with
slender black spines Fronds are feather-shaped ascending to spreading pendulous
elegantly-arched armed and dark to bright green Inflorescences are ramified (multishy
branched) and yellow up to 80 centimeters long infrafoliar (emerging from below the
fronds) and anned Its flowers are arranged in groups of 3 (2 male flowers to 1 female
flower) Its fruits are globose 1 centimeters in diameter mildly-depressed purple to
black and single-seeded (Ridley 2012) Oncosperma tigillariums common name is
Nibong palm in English or simply Nibong in Malay Oncosperma tigillarium may
prove to be a breakthrough in the search for new fast-growing timbers for construction
purposes It is available in abundance in the forests of Sarawak and can also be
exploited for plantation of softwood timber and harvested for construction purposes
Strength properties at small clear will be tested for this tree species
Figure 13 Oncosperma Tigillarium (Ridley 1864)
13 Aims and Objectives
In this research report the timber with the scientific name Oncosperma
tigillarium or better known for its common name in Malaysia Nibong is one of the
4
Pusat Khidmlt Maddumlt Akademik UNlVERSrrl MAlAYSIA SARAW
fast-growing timber available in the forests of Malaysia and also Indonesia where it is
said to originate (Ridley 2012)
The main aim in this project is to investigate and acquire the information on the
relationship of distribution patterns of strength and physical properties with small clear
sample sizes of the Oncosperma tigillarium timber
Objective
1 To determine the strength and physical properties at air-dry conditions of
Oncosperma tigillarium
2 To understand the relationship between the variation of strength from pith to
sapwood of Oncosperma tigillarium and
3 To identify the distribution pattern of strength and physical properties with
Oncosperma tigillarium
14 Scope of Work
A series of study and laboratory tests are required to be done in order to achieve
the aim and objective In order to accomplish this certain scopes of study of work shall
be done so that the whole laboratory procedures can be run at a more systematic way
The test will be conducted by using 20 x 20mm (A) x 300mm (L) and 20 x 20mm (A) x
60mm (L) small clear size sample Laboratory tests will be carried out to determine the
strength and physical properties of Oncosperma tigillarium at air-dry conditions The
types of laboratory tests to be carried out are as in the table below
Table 11 Laboratory tests for strength and physical properties of timber
No Laboratory Test
Static bending test
2 Compression test
3 Moisture content test
4 Basic density test
5 Hardness test
5
is
of
to
th
lYe
~Il
y
u
~e
he
The sample of Oncosperma tigillarium to be used in this research study was
collected in the wetland forest areas within the UNIMAS vicinity The sample
collection and sample preparation procedure are discussed more elaborately in Chapter
3 This research implements the standards from BS 373 1957 Methods for Testing
Small Clear Specimens of Timber
15 Chapter Outline
This report consists of five chapters Chapter one will focus on the importance of
timber and the role and contribution of timber in the construction industry Chapter one
shall also cover the problem statement aim and objective scope of works and chapter
outline
Chapter two consists of the literature review regarding this project This chapter
explains about the test that is listed under scope of works for further improvement
Chapter three covers the methodology where it elaborates on the methods used
in this research mainly sample collection and preparation
Chapter four is results and discussion this chapter shall convey the results
gathered from the series of laboratory tests and the discussions regarding the findings
Chapter five is conclusion and recommendation this chapter explains about the
conclusion of this research and recommendation on this research for further
improvement
6
CHAPTER 2
LITERA TURE REVIEW
21 General
Due to its heterogeneity and species diversity timber is a complex building
material Timber does not have consistent predictable reproducible and uniform
properties as the properties vary with species age site and environmental conditions
(Ahamada Zziwa Yasin Naku Ziraba amp Mwakali 2009) The demand for quality
timber for construction will increase in Malaysia and other developing countries due to
a boom in the building construction industry With extreme exploitation and scarcity of
traditional hardwood timber species such as chengal (Neobaanocarpus heimii) and
meranti (Shorea spp) there is a diversity of previously unpopular species on the
market Zziwa etal (2009) revealed that there are 48 timber species on market and
despite the big number consumers prefer only 20 The durability integrity and safety
of structures from such species cannot be assured Reliable structural use of timber has
always been hampered by lack of appropriate design codes and well-established
standards
Timber is one of the oldest construction materials used In Malaysia timber used
to be the main materials used to build houses especially traditional Malay houses
Examples of landmark timber structures in Malaysia are Istana Lama which was built in
1902 Istana Kenangan Perak which was built in 1960 and lastly Kampung Laut Mosque
which is over 300 years old Until today timber has been the preferable material used
for the construction of residential areas in European countries and North America
(Ahmad 2011)
Why should we build with timber For one timber is a renewable resource
According to Ahmad (2011) the growth rate of commercial forests in North America is
7
35 Transportation of Sample 28
36 Sample Preparation 31
361 Tools and Equipment 31
362 Vertical Band Saw Mill 31
363 Single Rip Machine 32
364 Digital Double-Sided Planer 33
365 Marking and Cutting 36
37 Sample Testing 36
371 Physical Properties 37
3711 Moisture Content Determination 37
3712 Basic Density Determination 38
372 Strength Properties 39
3721 Static Bending Test 39
3722 Compression Pamllel to Gmin Test 41
3723 Janka Hardness Test 43
3724 Impact Bending Test 45
373 Problems Faced 46
38 Results and Discussion 47
39 Conclusion and Recommendations 47
Chapter 4 RESUL TS ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 48
41 General 48
42 Oncosperma Tigillarium 48
vi
43 Testing Result of Small Clear Specimens of 49
Different Tree Culms
431 Compression Parallel to Grain Test 49
432 Static Bending Test 50
433 Impact bending Test 51
434 Janka Hardness Test 52
435 Moisture Content 52
436 Basic Density 53
44 Discussion 54
441 Comparison in Moisture Content of Oncosperma 55
Tigilarium
442 Comparison in Basic Density of Oncosperma 56
Tigilarium
443 Comparison in Compression Parallel to Grain of 57
Oncosperma Tigillarium
444 Comparison in Static Bending Test of 58
Oncosperma Tigilarium
445 Comparison in Hardness Test of Oncosperma 59
Tigillarium
446 Comparison in Impact Bending Test of 62
Oncosperma Tigilarium
45 Overall Average 64
46 Mechanical Properties vs Basic Density 66
vii
Chapter 5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 70
51 General 70
52 Conclusions 70
53 Recommendations for Oncosperma Tigillarium 71
54 Recommendations for Further Research and 71
Study
REFERENCES 73
APPENDIX 77
viii
LIST OF TABLES
Table Description Page
31 Item Used In Sample Collection and Its Purpose 23
32 Items Used In Sample Preparation and Its Purpose 31
33 Moisture Content for Nibong Culm Samples 37
34 Static Bending Test Results Table 39
35 Compression Parallel-to-Grain Test Results Table 41
36 Hardness Test Results Table 44
37 Impact Bending Test Results Table 45
41 Specimen Numbering for Oncosperma Tigillarium Sample 49
42 Average Value of Compression Parallel to Grain Test Result of 50
Different Tree Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry
Condition
43 Average Value of Static Bending Test Result of Different Tree Culms 51
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
44 Average Value oflmpact Bending Test Result of Different Tree 51
Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
45 Average Value of Janka Hardness Test Result of Different Tree Culms 52
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
46 Average Value of Moisture Content of Different Tree Culms of 53
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
47 Average Value of Basic Density of Different Tree Culms of 54
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
48 Summary of Physical and Mechanical Properties of Oncosperma 64
Tigillarium in Sarawak
49 Comparison between Oncosperma Tigillarium with other Timber in 65
Borneo
ix
LIST OF FIGURES
Description ~age~
11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber Federal Center South 1
Building 1202 USACE Seattle District Headquarters
12 Deforestation 3
13 Oncosperma Tigillarium 4
21 Comparison Of C02 Emissions Related To Fabrication of One Beam 8
of Aluminum Steel Reinforced Concrete and Solid Wood
22 Nibong Posts and Joists at Bako Fishing Village Sarawak 10
23 Static Bending Test Data on Small Clear Specimens 13
24 Modified Static Bending Test Data to 12 Percent MC 14
25 Static Bending Test Force vs Displacement Graph 15
31 Research Work Flow Chart 19
32 Location of Site for Sample Collection Within UNlMAS 20
33 Roadside of Sample Collection Site 20
34 Tools and Equipment for Sample Collection 22
35 Marking and Cutting of Nibong Palm Samples 24
36 Measuring 24
37 Cutting 25
38 Removal of Thorns 26
39 Stacking of Trees 26
310 Cutting Trees Into 3 Segments 27
311 Security Guard Approaching 28
312 Ahed And Son Sdn Bhd 239 tons Lorry 28
313 Security Guard Routine Check 29
314 Forklift 30
315 Stacking at Sarawak Forestry 30
316 Vertical Band Saw Mill 32
317 Single Rip Machine 33
318 Removing Pith 34
x
II
319 Digital Double-Sided Planer 35
320 Transporting Samples to Lab 35 ~ 321 Labeling Samples for Final Cutting 36
322 Weighted Sample 38
323 Measured Sample 38 ~
324 Static Bending Test on Sample 39 ~ I 325 Sample During Static Bending Test 40 8
326 Sample after Static Bending Test 40
327 Sample during Compression Test 41
328 Sample after Compression Test (Type ofFracture) 42
329 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 42
0
~ 4
330 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 43 ~
331 Hardness Test Concept 43 ~
332 Sample during Hardness Test 44 ~
333 Sample after Hardness Test 440
334 Sample During Impact Bending Test 45 ~
335 Sample after Impact Bending Test 46 ~
41 Moisture Content of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 55 ~ 42 Basic Density of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 56 ~
43 Maximum Load of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 57 ~
44 Maximum Compressive Strength For Different Oncospenna 57 ~
Tigillarium Culms ~ 45 Maximum Load For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 58 8
46 Modulus Of Rupture (MOR) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 ~ 9
Culms
47 Modulus Of Elasticity (MOE) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 0
Culms 0
48 Comparison Of Maximum Load Modulus OfRupture (MOR) And 60 ~
Modulus OfElasticity (MOE) For Different On cos penna Tigillarium ~
Culms ~
xi
I 1
49 Maximum Tangential Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium 61
Culms
410 Maximum Radial Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms 61
411 Comparison Between Maximum Tangential And Radial Load For 62
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
412 Work Done In Joules For Different Impact Bending Specimens For 63
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
413 Maximum Load Compression V s Density 66
414 Maximum Compressive Strength Vs Density 66
415 Maximum Load Bending V s Density 67
416 MOR Vs Density 67
417 MOE Vs Density 68
418 Tangential Hardness V s Density 68
419 Radial Hardness V s Density 69
xii
ASTM
BS
FRIM
SFC
FSP
MOE
MOR
MC
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
American Society for Testing and Materials
British Standard
Forest Research Institute of Malaysia
Sarawak Forestry Corporation
Fiber Saturation Point
Modulus of elasticity
Modulus of rupture
Moisture content
xiii
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
11 General
Timber is one of the oldest materials used in construction since the birth of
construction technology It is one of the most readily available materials in recent times
Timber was the main material used in construction before concrete and steel
construction methods were discovered Timber is divided into two softwood and
hardwood Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees strictly speaking non-monocot
angiosperm trees while softwood is wood from gymnosperm trees
Figure 11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber (Architizer 2013)
1
of
~s
~e l
~d
ot
Wood is easily handled it has a long lifespan and nearly unlimited applications whether
in construction or other usages No other building material is produced and used with as
little energy and damage to the environment as wood Compared to other building
materials wood is light in weight and highly resilient Countless bridges towers and
wooden structures all over the world bear witness to this statement Wooden houses
roof trusses walls floors and stairs have been in use for generations Wood dwellings
over 700 years old yet still inhabited today are proofs of woods lifelong durability as a
building material People choose to build with wood on the grounds of economy
aesthetics and biology Wood radiates warmth and is harmless to the environment
Additionally modern construction methods do not require any chemical preservative
treatments Timber construction materials undergo strict control checks concerning
quality and performance The quality of many timber products is ensured by specific
standards Efficient prefabricating smooth processing and constant availability make
construction with wood quick and economic Building with wood is always the right
choice (GermanTimber 2007)
Timber is without a doubt one of the most environmentally friendly building
materials available in the environmentally challenged world we live in today It is
remarkably versatile able to work well with other materials such as concrete and metal
as composite structures It is also naturally renewable but requires human ethics to
preserve its renewability Timber also has high aesthetic value and not to mention light
and strong to build structures with It also has an inviting warm and welcoming sense
which makes us feel cozy and comfortable Whether it is a landmark building
government office housing school or hospital architects look to timber to express
contemporary art and beauty in the structure they design Timber is a high performance
material light in weight yet with excellent load bearing and thermal properties (Brash
2008)
12 Problem Statement
Deforestation and global warming are not a new epidemic in the modern world
today Vast development in developed and developing countries are stripping the Earth
of its forests Timber is abundant in most countries especially tropical countries like in
the Southeast Asia or South America Although there are still abundant trees in the
2
world it doesnt mean we can chop every tree we see just for our own personal gain
Mother Nature has taken care of us for generations its time for us to give back to
Mother Nature
Figure 12 Deforestation (Compost 2013)
Most hardwood stands mature in 70 to 120 years With proper management
renewing the forest takes less time The time required to mature a hardwood tree
depends on the species An oak tree requires 80-120 years to mature whereas a poplar
tree can mature and be ready to harvest in 40 years or less (Unknown) It takes tens of
years to grow a single hardwood tree but it takes merely hours to chop down entire
forests Irresponsible logging is one of the major factors which affect the sustainability
of timber as construction materials or other usages Loggers who do not cut down the
tree properly will cause the tree to not regenerate Harvesting timber also requires skills
Thus an alternative to slow growing hardwood is required to compensate for the
long time required to grow hardwood timber Fast-growing timbers such as medium
hardwood light hardwood and softwood are being tested and experimented to find the
most suitable alternative which could make timber the new concrete or steel
Oncosperma tigillarium is a very amazing-looking tall large slender palm massed with
armed trunks armed trunks and beautiful elegantly-arched drooping leathery fronds
which is sparsely distributed along the inland fringes of mangrove forest and other low
wet swampy vegetation Its trunk is slender up to 15 centimeters in diameter ringed
3
middotn
to
tire
lity
the
lis
the
urn
the
ee
ith
ow
ged
with old leaf scars with up to 50 densely anned with scattered slender black spines
that are about 5 to 10 centimeters long crown shaft are conspicuous and anned with
slender black spines Fronds are feather-shaped ascending to spreading pendulous
elegantly-arched armed and dark to bright green Inflorescences are ramified (multishy
branched) and yellow up to 80 centimeters long infrafoliar (emerging from below the
fronds) and anned Its flowers are arranged in groups of 3 (2 male flowers to 1 female
flower) Its fruits are globose 1 centimeters in diameter mildly-depressed purple to
black and single-seeded (Ridley 2012) Oncosperma tigillariums common name is
Nibong palm in English or simply Nibong in Malay Oncosperma tigillarium may
prove to be a breakthrough in the search for new fast-growing timbers for construction
purposes It is available in abundance in the forests of Sarawak and can also be
exploited for plantation of softwood timber and harvested for construction purposes
Strength properties at small clear will be tested for this tree species
Figure 13 Oncosperma Tigillarium (Ridley 1864)
13 Aims and Objectives
In this research report the timber with the scientific name Oncosperma
tigillarium or better known for its common name in Malaysia Nibong is one of the
4
Pusat Khidmlt Maddumlt Akademik UNlVERSrrl MAlAYSIA SARAW
fast-growing timber available in the forests of Malaysia and also Indonesia where it is
said to originate (Ridley 2012)
The main aim in this project is to investigate and acquire the information on the
relationship of distribution patterns of strength and physical properties with small clear
sample sizes of the Oncosperma tigillarium timber
Objective
1 To determine the strength and physical properties at air-dry conditions of
Oncosperma tigillarium
2 To understand the relationship between the variation of strength from pith to
sapwood of Oncosperma tigillarium and
3 To identify the distribution pattern of strength and physical properties with
Oncosperma tigillarium
14 Scope of Work
A series of study and laboratory tests are required to be done in order to achieve
the aim and objective In order to accomplish this certain scopes of study of work shall
be done so that the whole laboratory procedures can be run at a more systematic way
The test will be conducted by using 20 x 20mm (A) x 300mm (L) and 20 x 20mm (A) x
60mm (L) small clear size sample Laboratory tests will be carried out to determine the
strength and physical properties of Oncosperma tigillarium at air-dry conditions The
types of laboratory tests to be carried out are as in the table below
Table 11 Laboratory tests for strength and physical properties of timber
No Laboratory Test
Static bending test
2 Compression test
3 Moisture content test
4 Basic density test
5 Hardness test
5
is
of
to
th
lYe
~Il
y
u
~e
he
The sample of Oncosperma tigillarium to be used in this research study was
collected in the wetland forest areas within the UNIMAS vicinity The sample
collection and sample preparation procedure are discussed more elaborately in Chapter
3 This research implements the standards from BS 373 1957 Methods for Testing
Small Clear Specimens of Timber
15 Chapter Outline
This report consists of five chapters Chapter one will focus on the importance of
timber and the role and contribution of timber in the construction industry Chapter one
shall also cover the problem statement aim and objective scope of works and chapter
outline
Chapter two consists of the literature review regarding this project This chapter
explains about the test that is listed under scope of works for further improvement
Chapter three covers the methodology where it elaborates on the methods used
in this research mainly sample collection and preparation
Chapter four is results and discussion this chapter shall convey the results
gathered from the series of laboratory tests and the discussions regarding the findings
Chapter five is conclusion and recommendation this chapter explains about the
conclusion of this research and recommendation on this research for further
improvement
6
CHAPTER 2
LITERA TURE REVIEW
21 General
Due to its heterogeneity and species diversity timber is a complex building
material Timber does not have consistent predictable reproducible and uniform
properties as the properties vary with species age site and environmental conditions
(Ahamada Zziwa Yasin Naku Ziraba amp Mwakali 2009) The demand for quality
timber for construction will increase in Malaysia and other developing countries due to
a boom in the building construction industry With extreme exploitation and scarcity of
traditional hardwood timber species such as chengal (Neobaanocarpus heimii) and
meranti (Shorea spp) there is a diversity of previously unpopular species on the
market Zziwa etal (2009) revealed that there are 48 timber species on market and
despite the big number consumers prefer only 20 The durability integrity and safety
of structures from such species cannot be assured Reliable structural use of timber has
always been hampered by lack of appropriate design codes and well-established
standards
Timber is one of the oldest construction materials used In Malaysia timber used
to be the main materials used to build houses especially traditional Malay houses
Examples of landmark timber structures in Malaysia are Istana Lama which was built in
1902 Istana Kenangan Perak which was built in 1960 and lastly Kampung Laut Mosque
which is over 300 years old Until today timber has been the preferable material used
for the construction of residential areas in European countries and North America
(Ahmad 2011)
Why should we build with timber For one timber is a renewable resource
According to Ahmad (2011) the growth rate of commercial forests in North America is
7
43 Testing Result of Small Clear Specimens of 49
Different Tree Culms
431 Compression Parallel to Grain Test 49
432 Static Bending Test 50
433 Impact bending Test 51
434 Janka Hardness Test 52
435 Moisture Content 52
436 Basic Density 53
44 Discussion 54
441 Comparison in Moisture Content of Oncosperma 55
Tigilarium
442 Comparison in Basic Density of Oncosperma 56
Tigilarium
443 Comparison in Compression Parallel to Grain of 57
Oncosperma Tigillarium
444 Comparison in Static Bending Test of 58
Oncosperma Tigilarium
445 Comparison in Hardness Test of Oncosperma 59
Tigillarium
446 Comparison in Impact Bending Test of 62
Oncosperma Tigilarium
45 Overall Average 64
46 Mechanical Properties vs Basic Density 66
vii
Chapter 5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 70
51 General 70
52 Conclusions 70
53 Recommendations for Oncosperma Tigillarium 71
54 Recommendations for Further Research and 71
Study
REFERENCES 73
APPENDIX 77
viii
LIST OF TABLES
Table Description Page
31 Item Used In Sample Collection and Its Purpose 23
32 Items Used In Sample Preparation and Its Purpose 31
33 Moisture Content for Nibong Culm Samples 37
34 Static Bending Test Results Table 39
35 Compression Parallel-to-Grain Test Results Table 41
36 Hardness Test Results Table 44
37 Impact Bending Test Results Table 45
41 Specimen Numbering for Oncosperma Tigillarium Sample 49
42 Average Value of Compression Parallel to Grain Test Result of 50
Different Tree Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry
Condition
43 Average Value of Static Bending Test Result of Different Tree Culms 51
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
44 Average Value oflmpact Bending Test Result of Different Tree 51
Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
45 Average Value of Janka Hardness Test Result of Different Tree Culms 52
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
46 Average Value of Moisture Content of Different Tree Culms of 53
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
47 Average Value of Basic Density of Different Tree Culms of 54
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
48 Summary of Physical and Mechanical Properties of Oncosperma 64
Tigillarium in Sarawak
49 Comparison between Oncosperma Tigillarium with other Timber in 65
Borneo
ix
LIST OF FIGURES
Description ~age~
11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber Federal Center South 1
Building 1202 USACE Seattle District Headquarters
12 Deforestation 3
13 Oncosperma Tigillarium 4
21 Comparison Of C02 Emissions Related To Fabrication of One Beam 8
of Aluminum Steel Reinforced Concrete and Solid Wood
22 Nibong Posts and Joists at Bako Fishing Village Sarawak 10
23 Static Bending Test Data on Small Clear Specimens 13
24 Modified Static Bending Test Data to 12 Percent MC 14
25 Static Bending Test Force vs Displacement Graph 15
31 Research Work Flow Chart 19
32 Location of Site for Sample Collection Within UNlMAS 20
33 Roadside of Sample Collection Site 20
34 Tools and Equipment for Sample Collection 22
35 Marking and Cutting of Nibong Palm Samples 24
36 Measuring 24
37 Cutting 25
38 Removal of Thorns 26
39 Stacking of Trees 26
310 Cutting Trees Into 3 Segments 27
311 Security Guard Approaching 28
312 Ahed And Son Sdn Bhd 239 tons Lorry 28
313 Security Guard Routine Check 29
314 Forklift 30
315 Stacking at Sarawak Forestry 30
316 Vertical Band Saw Mill 32
317 Single Rip Machine 33
318 Removing Pith 34
x
II
319 Digital Double-Sided Planer 35
320 Transporting Samples to Lab 35 ~ 321 Labeling Samples for Final Cutting 36
322 Weighted Sample 38
323 Measured Sample 38 ~
324 Static Bending Test on Sample 39 ~ I 325 Sample During Static Bending Test 40 8
326 Sample after Static Bending Test 40
327 Sample during Compression Test 41
328 Sample after Compression Test (Type ofFracture) 42
329 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 42
0
~ 4
330 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 43 ~
331 Hardness Test Concept 43 ~
332 Sample during Hardness Test 44 ~
333 Sample after Hardness Test 440
334 Sample During Impact Bending Test 45 ~
335 Sample after Impact Bending Test 46 ~
41 Moisture Content of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 55 ~ 42 Basic Density of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 56 ~
43 Maximum Load of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 57 ~
44 Maximum Compressive Strength For Different Oncospenna 57 ~
Tigillarium Culms ~ 45 Maximum Load For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 58 8
46 Modulus Of Rupture (MOR) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 ~ 9
Culms
47 Modulus Of Elasticity (MOE) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 0
Culms 0
48 Comparison Of Maximum Load Modulus OfRupture (MOR) And 60 ~
Modulus OfElasticity (MOE) For Different On cos penna Tigillarium ~
Culms ~
xi
I 1
49 Maximum Tangential Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium 61
Culms
410 Maximum Radial Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms 61
411 Comparison Between Maximum Tangential And Radial Load For 62
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
412 Work Done In Joules For Different Impact Bending Specimens For 63
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
413 Maximum Load Compression V s Density 66
414 Maximum Compressive Strength Vs Density 66
415 Maximum Load Bending V s Density 67
416 MOR Vs Density 67
417 MOE Vs Density 68
418 Tangential Hardness V s Density 68
419 Radial Hardness V s Density 69
xii
ASTM
BS
FRIM
SFC
FSP
MOE
MOR
MC
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
American Society for Testing and Materials
British Standard
Forest Research Institute of Malaysia
Sarawak Forestry Corporation
Fiber Saturation Point
Modulus of elasticity
Modulus of rupture
Moisture content
xiii
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
11 General
Timber is one of the oldest materials used in construction since the birth of
construction technology It is one of the most readily available materials in recent times
Timber was the main material used in construction before concrete and steel
construction methods were discovered Timber is divided into two softwood and
hardwood Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees strictly speaking non-monocot
angiosperm trees while softwood is wood from gymnosperm trees
Figure 11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber (Architizer 2013)
1
of
~s
~e l
~d
ot
Wood is easily handled it has a long lifespan and nearly unlimited applications whether
in construction or other usages No other building material is produced and used with as
little energy and damage to the environment as wood Compared to other building
materials wood is light in weight and highly resilient Countless bridges towers and
wooden structures all over the world bear witness to this statement Wooden houses
roof trusses walls floors and stairs have been in use for generations Wood dwellings
over 700 years old yet still inhabited today are proofs of woods lifelong durability as a
building material People choose to build with wood on the grounds of economy
aesthetics and biology Wood radiates warmth and is harmless to the environment
Additionally modern construction methods do not require any chemical preservative
treatments Timber construction materials undergo strict control checks concerning
quality and performance The quality of many timber products is ensured by specific
standards Efficient prefabricating smooth processing and constant availability make
construction with wood quick and economic Building with wood is always the right
choice (GermanTimber 2007)
Timber is without a doubt one of the most environmentally friendly building
materials available in the environmentally challenged world we live in today It is
remarkably versatile able to work well with other materials such as concrete and metal
as composite structures It is also naturally renewable but requires human ethics to
preserve its renewability Timber also has high aesthetic value and not to mention light
and strong to build structures with It also has an inviting warm and welcoming sense
which makes us feel cozy and comfortable Whether it is a landmark building
government office housing school or hospital architects look to timber to express
contemporary art and beauty in the structure they design Timber is a high performance
material light in weight yet with excellent load bearing and thermal properties (Brash
2008)
12 Problem Statement
Deforestation and global warming are not a new epidemic in the modern world
today Vast development in developed and developing countries are stripping the Earth
of its forests Timber is abundant in most countries especially tropical countries like in
the Southeast Asia or South America Although there are still abundant trees in the
2
world it doesnt mean we can chop every tree we see just for our own personal gain
Mother Nature has taken care of us for generations its time for us to give back to
Mother Nature
Figure 12 Deforestation (Compost 2013)
Most hardwood stands mature in 70 to 120 years With proper management
renewing the forest takes less time The time required to mature a hardwood tree
depends on the species An oak tree requires 80-120 years to mature whereas a poplar
tree can mature and be ready to harvest in 40 years or less (Unknown) It takes tens of
years to grow a single hardwood tree but it takes merely hours to chop down entire
forests Irresponsible logging is one of the major factors which affect the sustainability
of timber as construction materials or other usages Loggers who do not cut down the
tree properly will cause the tree to not regenerate Harvesting timber also requires skills
Thus an alternative to slow growing hardwood is required to compensate for the
long time required to grow hardwood timber Fast-growing timbers such as medium
hardwood light hardwood and softwood are being tested and experimented to find the
most suitable alternative which could make timber the new concrete or steel
Oncosperma tigillarium is a very amazing-looking tall large slender palm massed with
armed trunks armed trunks and beautiful elegantly-arched drooping leathery fronds
which is sparsely distributed along the inland fringes of mangrove forest and other low
wet swampy vegetation Its trunk is slender up to 15 centimeters in diameter ringed
3
middotn
to
tire
lity
the
lis
the
urn
the
ee
ith
ow
ged
with old leaf scars with up to 50 densely anned with scattered slender black spines
that are about 5 to 10 centimeters long crown shaft are conspicuous and anned with
slender black spines Fronds are feather-shaped ascending to spreading pendulous
elegantly-arched armed and dark to bright green Inflorescences are ramified (multishy
branched) and yellow up to 80 centimeters long infrafoliar (emerging from below the
fronds) and anned Its flowers are arranged in groups of 3 (2 male flowers to 1 female
flower) Its fruits are globose 1 centimeters in diameter mildly-depressed purple to
black and single-seeded (Ridley 2012) Oncosperma tigillariums common name is
Nibong palm in English or simply Nibong in Malay Oncosperma tigillarium may
prove to be a breakthrough in the search for new fast-growing timbers for construction
purposes It is available in abundance in the forests of Sarawak and can also be
exploited for plantation of softwood timber and harvested for construction purposes
Strength properties at small clear will be tested for this tree species
Figure 13 Oncosperma Tigillarium (Ridley 1864)
13 Aims and Objectives
In this research report the timber with the scientific name Oncosperma
tigillarium or better known for its common name in Malaysia Nibong is one of the
4
Pusat Khidmlt Maddumlt Akademik UNlVERSrrl MAlAYSIA SARAW
fast-growing timber available in the forests of Malaysia and also Indonesia where it is
said to originate (Ridley 2012)
The main aim in this project is to investigate and acquire the information on the
relationship of distribution patterns of strength and physical properties with small clear
sample sizes of the Oncosperma tigillarium timber
Objective
1 To determine the strength and physical properties at air-dry conditions of
Oncosperma tigillarium
2 To understand the relationship between the variation of strength from pith to
sapwood of Oncosperma tigillarium and
3 To identify the distribution pattern of strength and physical properties with
Oncosperma tigillarium
14 Scope of Work
A series of study and laboratory tests are required to be done in order to achieve
the aim and objective In order to accomplish this certain scopes of study of work shall
be done so that the whole laboratory procedures can be run at a more systematic way
The test will be conducted by using 20 x 20mm (A) x 300mm (L) and 20 x 20mm (A) x
60mm (L) small clear size sample Laboratory tests will be carried out to determine the
strength and physical properties of Oncosperma tigillarium at air-dry conditions The
types of laboratory tests to be carried out are as in the table below
Table 11 Laboratory tests for strength and physical properties of timber
No Laboratory Test
Static bending test
2 Compression test
3 Moisture content test
4 Basic density test
5 Hardness test
5
is
of
to
th
lYe
~Il
y
u
~e
he
The sample of Oncosperma tigillarium to be used in this research study was
collected in the wetland forest areas within the UNIMAS vicinity The sample
collection and sample preparation procedure are discussed more elaborately in Chapter
3 This research implements the standards from BS 373 1957 Methods for Testing
Small Clear Specimens of Timber
15 Chapter Outline
This report consists of five chapters Chapter one will focus on the importance of
timber and the role and contribution of timber in the construction industry Chapter one
shall also cover the problem statement aim and objective scope of works and chapter
outline
Chapter two consists of the literature review regarding this project This chapter
explains about the test that is listed under scope of works for further improvement
Chapter three covers the methodology where it elaborates on the methods used
in this research mainly sample collection and preparation
Chapter four is results and discussion this chapter shall convey the results
gathered from the series of laboratory tests and the discussions regarding the findings
Chapter five is conclusion and recommendation this chapter explains about the
conclusion of this research and recommendation on this research for further
improvement
6
CHAPTER 2
LITERA TURE REVIEW
21 General
Due to its heterogeneity and species diversity timber is a complex building
material Timber does not have consistent predictable reproducible and uniform
properties as the properties vary with species age site and environmental conditions
(Ahamada Zziwa Yasin Naku Ziraba amp Mwakali 2009) The demand for quality
timber for construction will increase in Malaysia and other developing countries due to
a boom in the building construction industry With extreme exploitation and scarcity of
traditional hardwood timber species such as chengal (Neobaanocarpus heimii) and
meranti (Shorea spp) there is a diversity of previously unpopular species on the
market Zziwa etal (2009) revealed that there are 48 timber species on market and
despite the big number consumers prefer only 20 The durability integrity and safety
of structures from such species cannot be assured Reliable structural use of timber has
always been hampered by lack of appropriate design codes and well-established
standards
Timber is one of the oldest construction materials used In Malaysia timber used
to be the main materials used to build houses especially traditional Malay houses
Examples of landmark timber structures in Malaysia are Istana Lama which was built in
1902 Istana Kenangan Perak which was built in 1960 and lastly Kampung Laut Mosque
which is over 300 years old Until today timber has been the preferable material used
for the construction of residential areas in European countries and North America
(Ahmad 2011)
Why should we build with timber For one timber is a renewable resource
According to Ahmad (2011) the growth rate of commercial forests in North America is
7
Chapter 5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 70
51 General 70
52 Conclusions 70
53 Recommendations for Oncosperma Tigillarium 71
54 Recommendations for Further Research and 71
Study
REFERENCES 73
APPENDIX 77
viii
LIST OF TABLES
Table Description Page
31 Item Used In Sample Collection and Its Purpose 23
32 Items Used In Sample Preparation and Its Purpose 31
33 Moisture Content for Nibong Culm Samples 37
34 Static Bending Test Results Table 39
35 Compression Parallel-to-Grain Test Results Table 41
36 Hardness Test Results Table 44
37 Impact Bending Test Results Table 45
41 Specimen Numbering for Oncosperma Tigillarium Sample 49
42 Average Value of Compression Parallel to Grain Test Result of 50
Different Tree Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry
Condition
43 Average Value of Static Bending Test Result of Different Tree Culms 51
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
44 Average Value oflmpact Bending Test Result of Different Tree 51
Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
45 Average Value of Janka Hardness Test Result of Different Tree Culms 52
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
46 Average Value of Moisture Content of Different Tree Culms of 53
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
47 Average Value of Basic Density of Different Tree Culms of 54
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
48 Summary of Physical and Mechanical Properties of Oncosperma 64
Tigillarium in Sarawak
49 Comparison between Oncosperma Tigillarium with other Timber in 65
Borneo
ix
LIST OF FIGURES
Description ~age~
11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber Federal Center South 1
Building 1202 USACE Seattle District Headquarters
12 Deforestation 3
13 Oncosperma Tigillarium 4
21 Comparison Of C02 Emissions Related To Fabrication of One Beam 8
of Aluminum Steel Reinforced Concrete and Solid Wood
22 Nibong Posts and Joists at Bako Fishing Village Sarawak 10
23 Static Bending Test Data on Small Clear Specimens 13
24 Modified Static Bending Test Data to 12 Percent MC 14
25 Static Bending Test Force vs Displacement Graph 15
31 Research Work Flow Chart 19
32 Location of Site for Sample Collection Within UNlMAS 20
33 Roadside of Sample Collection Site 20
34 Tools and Equipment for Sample Collection 22
35 Marking and Cutting of Nibong Palm Samples 24
36 Measuring 24
37 Cutting 25
38 Removal of Thorns 26
39 Stacking of Trees 26
310 Cutting Trees Into 3 Segments 27
311 Security Guard Approaching 28
312 Ahed And Son Sdn Bhd 239 tons Lorry 28
313 Security Guard Routine Check 29
314 Forklift 30
315 Stacking at Sarawak Forestry 30
316 Vertical Band Saw Mill 32
317 Single Rip Machine 33
318 Removing Pith 34
x
II
319 Digital Double-Sided Planer 35
320 Transporting Samples to Lab 35 ~ 321 Labeling Samples for Final Cutting 36
322 Weighted Sample 38
323 Measured Sample 38 ~
324 Static Bending Test on Sample 39 ~ I 325 Sample During Static Bending Test 40 8
326 Sample after Static Bending Test 40
327 Sample during Compression Test 41
328 Sample after Compression Test (Type ofFracture) 42
329 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 42
0
~ 4
330 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 43 ~
331 Hardness Test Concept 43 ~
332 Sample during Hardness Test 44 ~
333 Sample after Hardness Test 440
334 Sample During Impact Bending Test 45 ~
335 Sample after Impact Bending Test 46 ~
41 Moisture Content of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 55 ~ 42 Basic Density of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 56 ~
43 Maximum Load of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 57 ~
44 Maximum Compressive Strength For Different Oncospenna 57 ~
Tigillarium Culms ~ 45 Maximum Load For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 58 8
46 Modulus Of Rupture (MOR) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 ~ 9
Culms
47 Modulus Of Elasticity (MOE) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 0
Culms 0
48 Comparison Of Maximum Load Modulus OfRupture (MOR) And 60 ~
Modulus OfElasticity (MOE) For Different On cos penna Tigillarium ~
Culms ~
xi
I 1
49 Maximum Tangential Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium 61
Culms
410 Maximum Radial Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms 61
411 Comparison Between Maximum Tangential And Radial Load For 62
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
412 Work Done In Joules For Different Impact Bending Specimens For 63
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
413 Maximum Load Compression V s Density 66
414 Maximum Compressive Strength Vs Density 66
415 Maximum Load Bending V s Density 67
416 MOR Vs Density 67
417 MOE Vs Density 68
418 Tangential Hardness V s Density 68
419 Radial Hardness V s Density 69
xii
ASTM
BS
FRIM
SFC
FSP
MOE
MOR
MC
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
American Society for Testing and Materials
British Standard
Forest Research Institute of Malaysia
Sarawak Forestry Corporation
Fiber Saturation Point
Modulus of elasticity
Modulus of rupture
Moisture content
xiii
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
11 General
Timber is one of the oldest materials used in construction since the birth of
construction technology It is one of the most readily available materials in recent times
Timber was the main material used in construction before concrete and steel
construction methods were discovered Timber is divided into two softwood and
hardwood Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees strictly speaking non-monocot
angiosperm trees while softwood is wood from gymnosperm trees
Figure 11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber (Architizer 2013)
1
of
~s
~e l
~d
ot
Wood is easily handled it has a long lifespan and nearly unlimited applications whether
in construction or other usages No other building material is produced and used with as
little energy and damage to the environment as wood Compared to other building
materials wood is light in weight and highly resilient Countless bridges towers and
wooden structures all over the world bear witness to this statement Wooden houses
roof trusses walls floors and stairs have been in use for generations Wood dwellings
over 700 years old yet still inhabited today are proofs of woods lifelong durability as a
building material People choose to build with wood on the grounds of economy
aesthetics and biology Wood radiates warmth and is harmless to the environment
Additionally modern construction methods do not require any chemical preservative
treatments Timber construction materials undergo strict control checks concerning
quality and performance The quality of many timber products is ensured by specific
standards Efficient prefabricating smooth processing and constant availability make
construction with wood quick and economic Building with wood is always the right
choice (GermanTimber 2007)
Timber is without a doubt one of the most environmentally friendly building
materials available in the environmentally challenged world we live in today It is
remarkably versatile able to work well with other materials such as concrete and metal
as composite structures It is also naturally renewable but requires human ethics to
preserve its renewability Timber also has high aesthetic value and not to mention light
and strong to build structures with It also has an inviting warm and welcoming sense
which makes us feel cozy and comfortable Whether it is a landmark building
government office housing school or hospital architects look to timber to express
contemporary art and beauty in the structure they design Timber is a high performance
material light in weight yet with excellent load bearing and thermal properties (Brash
2008)
12 Problem Statement
Deforestation and global warming are not a new epidemic in the modern world
today Vast development in developed and developing countries are stripping the Earth
of its forests Timber is abundant in most countries especially tropical countries like in
the Southeast Asia or South America Although there are still abundant trees in the
2
world it doesnt mean we can chop every tree we see just for our own personal gain
Mother Nature has taken care of us for generations its time for us to give back to
Mother Nature
Figure 12 Deforestation (Compost 2013)
Most hardwood stands mature in 70 to 120 years With proper management
renewing the forest takes less time The time required to mature a hardwood tree
depends on the species An oak tree requires 80-120 years to mature whereas a poplar
tree can mature and be ready to harvest in 40 years or less (Unknown) It takes tens of
years to grow a single hardwood tree but it takes merely hours to chop down entire
forests Irresponsible logging is one of the major factors which affect the sustainability
of timber as construction materials or other usages Loggers who do not cut down the
tree properly will cause the tree to not regenerate Harvesting timber also requires skills
Thus an alternative to slow growing hardwood is required to compensate for the
long time required to grow hardwood timber Fast-growing timbers such as medium
hardwood light hardwood and softwood are being tested and experimented to find the
most suitable alternative which could make timber the new concrete or steel
Oncosperma tigillarium is a very amazing-looking tall large slender palm massed with
armed trunks armed trunks and beautiful elegantly-arched drooping leathery fronds
which is sparsely distributed along the inland fringes of mangrove forest and other low
wet swampy vegetation Its trunk is slender up to 15 centimeters in diameter ringed
3
middotn
to
tire
lity
the
lis
the
urn
the
ee
ith
ow
ged
with old leaf scars with up to 50 densely anned with scattered slender black spines
that are about 5 to 10 centimeters long crown shaft are conspicuous and anned with
slender black spines Fronds are feather-shaped ascending to spreading pendulous
elegantly-arched armed and dark to bright green Inflorescences are ramified (multishy
branched) and yellow up to 80 centimeters long infrafoliar (emerging from below the
fronds) and anned Its flowers are arranged in groups of 3 (2 male flowers to 1 female
flower) Its fruits are globose 1 centimeters in diameter mildly-depressed purple to
black and single-seeded (Ridley 2012) Oncosperma tigillariums common name is
Nibong palm in English or simply Nibong in Malay Oncosperma tigillarium may
prove to be a breakthrough in the search for new fast-growing timbers for construction
purposes It is available in abundance in the forests of Sarawak and can also be
exploited for plantation of softwood timber and harvested for construction purposes
Strength properties at small clear will be tested for this tree species
Figure 13 Oncosperma Tigillarium (Ridley 1864)
13 Aims and Objectives
In this research report the timber with the scientific name Oncosperma
tigillarium or better known for its common name in Malaysia Nibong is one of the
4
Pusat Khidmlt Maddumlt Akademik UNlVERSrrl MAlAYSIA SARAW
fast-growing timber available in the forests of Malaysia and also Indonesia where it is
said to originate (Ridley 2012)
The main aim in this project is to investigate and acquire the information on the
relationship of distribution patterns of strength and physical properties with small clear
sample sizes of the Oncosperma tigillarium timber
Objective
1 To determine the strength and physical properties at air-dry conditions of
Oncosperma tigillarium
2 To understand the relationship between the variation of strength from pith to
sapwood of Oncosperma tigillarium and
3 To identify the distribution pattern of strength and physical properties with
Oncosperma tigillarium
14 Scope of Work
A series of study and laboratory tests are required to be done in order to achieve
the aim and objective In order to accomplish this certain scopes of study of work shall
be done so that the whole laboratory procedures can be run at a more systematic way
The test will be conducted by using 20 x 20mm (A) x 300mm (L) and 20 x 20mm (A) x
60mm (L) small clear size sample Laboratory tests will be carried out to determine the
strength and physical properties of Oncosperma tigillarium at air-dry conditions The
types of laboratory tests to be carried out are as in the table below
Table 11 Laboratory tests for strength and physical properties of timber
No Laboratory Test
Static bending test
2 Compression test
3 Moisture content test
4 Basic density test
5 Hardness test
5
is
of
to
th
lYe
~Il
y
u
~e
he
The sample of Oncosperma tigillarium to be used in this research study was
collected in the wetland forest areas within the UNIMAS vicinity The sample
collection and sample preparation procedure are discussed more elaborately in Chapter
3 This research implements the standards from BS 373 1957 Methods for Testing
Small Clear Specimens of Timber
15 Chapter Outline
This report consists of five chapters Chapter one will focus on the importance of
timber and the role and contribution of timber in the construction industry Chapter one
shall also cover the problem statement aim and objective scope of works and chapter
outline
Chapter two consists of the literature review regarding this project This chapter
explains about the test that is listed under scope of works for further improvement
Chapter three covers the methodology where it elaborates on the methods used
in this research mainly sample collection and preparation
Chapter four is results and discussion this chapter shall convey the results
gathered from the series of laboratory tests and the discussions regarding the findings
Chapter five is conclusion and recommendation this chapter explains about the
conclusion of this research and recommendation on this research for further
improvement
6
CHAPTER 2
LITERA TURE REVIEW
21 General
Due to its heterogeneity and species diversity timber is a complex building
material Timber does not have consistent predictable reproducible and uniform
properties as the properties vary with species age site and environmental conditions
(Ahamada Zziwa Yasin Naku Ziraba amp Mwakali 2009) The demand for quality
timber for construction will increase in Malaysia and other developing countries due to
a boom in the building construction industry With extreme exploitation and scarcity of
traditional hardwood timber species such as chengal (Neobaanocarpus heimii) and
meranti (Shorea spp) there is a diversity of previously unpopular species on the
market Zziwa etal (2009) revealed that there are 48 timber species on market and
despite the big number consumers prefer only 20 The durability integrity and safety
of structures from such species cannot be assured Reliable structural use of timber has
always been hampered by lack of appropriate design codes and well-established
standards
Timber is one of the oldest construction materials used In Malaysia timber used
to be the main materials used to build houses especially traditional Malay houses
Examples of landmark timber structures in Malaysia are Istana Lama which was built in
1902 Istana Kenangan Perak which was built in 1960 and lastly Kampung Laut Mosque
which is over 300 years old Until today timber has been the preferable material used
for the construction of residential areas in European countries and North America
(Ahmad 2011)
Why should we build with timber For one timber is a renewable resource
According to Ahmad (2011) the growth rate of commercial forests in North America is
7
LIST OF TABLES
Table Description Page
31 Item Used In Sample Collection and Its Purpose 23
32 Items Used In Sample Preparation and Its Purpose 31
33 Moisture Content for Nibong Culm Samples 37
34 Static Bending Test Results Table 39
35 Compression Parallel-to-Grain Test Results Table 41
36 Hardness Test Results Table 44
37 Impact Bending Test Results Table 45
41 Specimen Numbering for Oncosperma Tigillarium Sample 49
42 Average Value of Compression Parallel to Grain Test Result of 50
Different Tree Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry
Condition
43 Average Value of Static Bending Test Result of Different Tree Culms 51
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
44 Average Value oflmpact Bending Test Result of Different Tree 51
Culms of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
45 Average Value of Janka Hardness Test Result of Different Tree Culms 52
of Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
46 Average Value of Moisture Content of Different Tree Culms of 53
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
47 Average Value of Basic Density of Different Tree Culms of 54
Oncosperma Tigillarium in Air-dry Condition
48 Summary of Physical and Mechanical Properties of Oncosperma 64
Tigillarium in Sarawak
49 Comparison between Oncosperma Tigillarium with other Timber in 65
Borneo
ix
LIST OF FIGURES
Description ~age~
11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber Federal Center South 1
Building 1202 USACE Seattle District Headquarters
12 Deforestation 3
13 Oncosperma Tigillarium 4
21 Comparison Of C02 Emissions Related To Fabrication of One Beam 8
of Aluminum Steel Reinforced Concrete and Solid Wood
22 Nibong Posts and Joists at Bako Fishing Village Sarawak 10
23 Static Bending Test Data on Small Clear Specimens 13
24 Modified Static Bending Test Data to 12 Percent MC 14
25 Static Bending Test Force vs Displacement Graph 15
31 Research Work Flow Chart 19
32 Location of Site for Sample Collection Within UNlMAS 20
33 Roadside of Sample Collection Site 20
34 Tools and Equipment for Sample Collection 22
35 Marking and Cutting of Nibong Palm Samples 24
36 Measuring 24
37 Cutting 25
38 Removal of Thorns 26
39 Stacking of Trees 26
310 Cutting Trees Into 3 Segments 27
311 Security Guard Approaching 28
312 Ahed And Son Sdn Bhd 239 tons Lorry 28
313 Security Guard Routine Check 29
314 Forklift 30
315 Stacking at Sarawak Forestry 30
316 Vertical Band Saw Mill 32
317 Single Rip Machine 33
318 Removing Pith 34
x
II
319 Digital Double-Sided Planer 35
320 Transporting Samples to Lab 35 ~ 321 Labeling Samples for Final Cutting 36
322 Weighted Sample 38
323 Measured Sample 38 ~
324 Static Bending Test on Sample 39 ~ I 325 Sample During Static Bending Test 40 8
326 Sample after Static Bending Test 40
327 Sample during Compression Test 41
328 Sample after Compression Test (Type ofFracture) 42
329 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 42
0
~ 4
330 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 43 ~
331 Hardness Test Concept 43 ~
332 Sample during Hardness Test 44 ~
333 Sample after Hardness Test 440
334 Sample During Impact Bending Test 45 ~
335 Sample after Impact Bending Test 46 ~
41 Moisture Content of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 55 ~ 42 Basic Density of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 56 ~
43 Maximum Load of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 57 ~
44 Maximum Compressive Strength For Different Oncospenna 57 ~
Tigillarium Culms ~ 45 Maximum Load For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 58 8
46 Modulus Of Rupture (MOR) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 ~ 9
Culms
47 Modulus Of Elasticity (MOE) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 0
Culms 0
48 Comparison Of Maximum Load Modulus OfRupture (MOR) And 60 ~
Modulus OfElasticity (MOE) For Different On cos penna Tigillarium ~
Culms ~
xi
I 1
49 Maximum Tangential Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium 61
Culms
410 Maximum Radial Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms 61
411 Comparison Between Maximum Tangential And Radial Load For 62
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
412 Work Done In Joules For Different Impact Bending Specimens For 63
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
413 Maximum Load Compression V s Density 66
414 Maximum Compressive Strength Vs Density 66
415 Maximum Load Bending V s Density 67
416 MOR Vs Density 67
417 MOE Vs Density 68
418 Tangential Hardness V s Density 68
419 Radial Hardness V s Density 69
xii
ASTM
BS
FRIM
SFC
FSP
MOE
MOR
MC
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
American Society for Testing and Materials
British Standard
Forest Research Institute of Malaysia
Sarawak Forestry Corporation
Fiber Saturation Point
Modulus of elasticity
Modulus of rupture
Moisture content
xiii
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
11 General
Timber is one of the oldest materials used in construction since the birth of
construction technology It is one of the most readily available materials in recent times
Timber was the main material used in construction before concrete and steel
construction methods were discovered Timber is divided into two softwood and
hardwood Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees strictly speaking non-monocot
angiosperm trees while softwood is wood from gymnosperm trees
Figure 11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber (Architizer 2013)
1
of
~s
~e l
~d
ot
Wood is easily handled it has a long lifespan and nearly unlimited applications whether
in construction or other usages No other building material is produced and used with as
little energy and damage to the environment as wood Compared to other building
materials wood is light in weight and highly resilient Countless bridges towers and
wooden structures all over the world bear witness to this statement Wooden houses
roof trusses walls floors and stairs have been in use for generations Wood dwellings
over 700 years old yet still inhabited today are proofs of woods lifelong durability as a
building material People choose to build with wood on the grounds of economy
aesthetics and biology Wood radiates warmth and is harmless to the environment
Additionally modern construction methods do not require any chemical preservative
treatments Timber construction materials undergo strict control checks concerning
quality and performance The quality of many timber products is ensured by specific
standards Efficient prefabricating smooth processing and constant availability make
construction with wood quick and economic Building with wood is always the right
choice (GermanTimber 2007)
Timber is without a doubt one of the most environmentally friendly building
materials available in the environmentally challenged world we live in today It is
remarkably versatile able to work well with other materials such as concrete and metal
as composite structures It is also naturally renewable but requires human ethics to
preserve its renewability Timber also has high aesthetic value and not to mention light
and strong to build structures with It also has an inviting warm and welcoming sense
which makes us feel cozy and comfortable Whether it is a landmark building
government office housing school or hospital architects look to timber to express
contemporary art and beauty in the structure they design Timber is a high performance
material light in weight yet with excellent load bearing and thermal properties (Brash
2008)
12 Problem Statement
Deforestation and global warming are not a new epidemic in the modern world
today Vast development in developed and developing countries are stripping the Earth
of its forests Timber is abundant in most countries especially tropical countries like in
the Southeast Asia or South America Although there are still abundant trees in the
2
world it doesnt mean we can chop every tree we see just for our own personal gain
Mother Nature has taken care of us for generations its time for us to give back to
Mother Nature
Figure 12 Deforestation (Compost 2013)
Most hardwood stands mature in 70 to 120 years With proper management
renewing the forest takes less time The time required to mature a hardwood tree
depends on the species An oak tree requires 80-120 years to mature whereas a poplar
tree can mature and be ready to harvest in 40 years or less (Unknown) It takes tens of
years to grow a single hardwood tree but it takes merely hours to chop down entire
forests Irresponsible logging is one of the major factors which affect the sustainability
of timber as construction materials or other usages Loggers who do not cut down the
tree properly will cause the tree to not regenerate Harvesting timber also requires skills
Thus an alternative to slow growing hardwood is required to compensate for the
long time required to grow hardwood timber Fast-growing timbers such as medium
hardwood light hardwood and softwood are being tested and experimented to find the
most suitable alternative which could make timber the new concrete or steel
Oncosperma tigillarium is a very amazing-looking tall large slender palm massed with
armed trunks armed trunks and beautiful elegantly-arched drooping leathery fronds
which is sparsely distributed along the inland fringes of mangrove forest and other low
wet swampy vegetation Its trunk is slender up to 15 centimeters in diameter ringed
3
middotn
to
tire
lity
the
lis
the
urn
the
ee
ith
ow
ged
with old leaf scars with up to 50 densely anned with scattered slender black spines
that are about 5 to 10 centimeters long crown shaft are conspicuous and anned with
slender black spines Fronds are feather-shaped ascending to spreading pendulous
elegantly-arched armed and dark to bright green Inflorescences are ramified (multishy
branched) and yellow up to 80 centimeters long infrafoliar (emerging from below the
fronds) and anned Its flowers are arranged in groups of 3 (2 male flowers to 1 female
flower) Its fruits are globose 1 centimeters in diameter mildly-depressed purple to
black and single-seeded (Ridley 2012) Oncosperma tigillariums common name is
Nibong palm in English or simply Nibong in Malay Oncosperma tigillarium may
prove to be a breakthrough in the search for new fast-growing timbers for construction
purposes It is available in abundance in the forests of Sarawak and can also be
exploited for plantation of softwood timber and harvested for construction purposes
Strength properties at small clear will be tested for this tree species
Figure 13 Oncosperma Tigillarium (Ridley 1864)
13 Aims and Objectives
In this research report the timber with the scientific name Oncosperma
tigillarium or better known for its common name in Malaysia Nibong is one of the
4
Pusat Khidmlt Maddumlt Akademik UNlVERSrrl MAlAYSIA SARAW
fast-growing timber available in the forests of Malaysia and also Indonesia where it is
said to originate (Ridley 2012)
The main aim in this project is to investigate and acquire the information on the
relationship of distribution patterns of strength and physical properties with small clear
sample sizes of the Oncosperma tigillarium timber
Objective
1 To determine the strength and physical properties at air-dry conditions of
Oncosperma tigillarium
2 To understand the relationship between the variation of strength from pith to
sapwood of Oncosperma tigillarium and
3 To identify the distribution pattern of strength and physical properties with
Oncosperma tigillarium
14 Scope of Work
A series of study and laboratory tests are required to be done in order to achieve
the aim and objective In order to accomplish this certain scopes of study of work shall
be done so that the whole laboratory procedures can be run at a more systematic way
The test will be conducted by using 20 x 20mm (A) x 300mm (L) and 20 x 20mm (A) x
60mm (L) small clear size sample Laboratory tests will be carried out to determine the
strength and physical properties of Oncosperma tigillarium at air-dry conditions The
types of laboratory tests to be carried out are as in the table below
Table 11 Laboratory tests for strength and physical properties of timber
No Laboratory Test
Static bending test
2 Compression test
3 Moisture content test
4 Basic density test
5 Hardness test
5
is
of
to
th
lYe
~Il
y
u
~e
he
The sample of Oncosperma tigillarium to be used in this research study was
collected in the wetland forest areas within the UNIMAS vicinity The sample
collection and sample preparation procedure are discussed more elaborately in Chapter
3 This research implements the standards from BS 373 1957 Methods for Testing
Small Clear Specimens of Timber
15 Chapter Outline
This report consists of five chapters Chapter one will focus on the importance of
timber and the role and contribution of timber in the construction industry Chapter one
shall also cover the problem statement aim and objective scope of works and chapter
outline
Chapter two consists of the literature review regarding this project This chapter
explains about the test that is listed under scope of works for further improvement
Chapter three covers the methodology where it elaborates on the methods used
in this research mainly sample collection and preparation
Chapter four is results and discussion this chapter shall convey the results
gathered from the series of laboratory tests and the discussions regarding the findings
Chapter five is conclusion and recommendation this chapter explains about the
conclusion of this research and recommendation on this research for further
improvement
6
CHAPTER 2
LITERA TURE REVIEW
21 General
Due to its heterogeneity and species diversity timber is a complex building
material Timber does not have consistent predictable reproducible and uniform
properties as the properties vary with species age site and environmental conditions
(Ahamada Zziwa Yasin Naku Ziraba amp Mwakali 2009) The demand for quality
timber for construction will increase in Malaysia and other developing countries due to
a boom in the building construction industry With extreme exploitation and scarcity of
traditional hardwood timber species such as chengal (Neobaanocarpus heimii) and
meranti (Shorea spp) there is a diversity of previously unpopular species on the
market Zziwa etal (2009) revealed that there are 48 timber species on market and
despite the big number consumers prefer only 20 The durability integrity and safety
of structures from such species cannot be assured Reliable structural use of timber has
always been hampered by lack of appropriate design codes and well-established
standards
Timber is one of the oldest construction materials used In Malaysia timber used
to be the main materials used to build houses especially traditional Malay houses
Examples of landmark timber structures in Malaysia are Istana Lama which was built in
1902 Istana Kenangan Perak which was built in 1960 and lastly Kampung Laut Mosque
which is over 300 years old Until today timber has been the preferable material used
for the construction of residential areas in European countries and North America
(Ahmad 2011)
Why should we build with timber For one timber is a renewable resource
According to Ahmad (2011) the growth rate of commercial forests in North America is
7
LIST OF FIGURES
Description ~age~
11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber Federal Center South 1
Building 1202 USACE Seattle District Headquarters
12 Deforestation 3
13 Oncosperma Tigillarium 4
21 Comparison Of C02 Emissions Related To Fabrication of One Beam 8
of Aluminum Steel Reinforced Concrete and Solid Wood
22 Nibong Posts and Joists at Bako Fishing Village Sarawak 10
23 Static Bending Test Data on Small Clear Specimens 13
24 Modified Static Bending Test Data to 12 Percent MC 14
25 Static Bending Test Force vs Displacement Graph 15
31 Research Work Flow Chart 19
32 Location of Site for Sample Collection Within UNlMAS 20
33 Roadside of Sample Collection Site 20
34 Tools and Equipment for Sample Collection 22
35 Marking and Cutting of Nibong Palm Samples 24
36 Measuring 24
37 Cutting 25
38 Removal of Thorns 26
39 Stacking of Trees 26
310 Cutting Trees Into 3 Segments 27
311 Security Guard Approaching 28
312 Ahed And Son Sdn Bhd 239 tons Lorry 28
313 Security Guard Routine Check 29
314 Forklift 30
315 Stacking at Sarawak Forestry 30
316 Vertical Band Saw Mill 32
317 Single Rip Machine 33
318 Removing Pith 34
x
II
319 Digital Double-Sided Planer 35
320 Transporting Samples to Lab 35 ~ 321 Labeling Samples for Final Cutting 36
322 Weighted Sample 38
323 Measured Sample 38 ~
324 Static Bending Test on Sample 39 ~ I 325 Sample During Static Bending Test 40 8
326 Sample after Static Bending Test 40
327 Sample during Compression Test 41
328 Sample after Compression Test (Type ofFracture) 42
329 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 42
0
~ 4
330 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 43 ~
331 Hardness Test Concept 43 ~
332 Sample during Hardness Test 44 ~
333 Sample after Hardness Test 440
334 Sample During Impact Bending Test 45 ~
335 Sample after Impact Bending Test 46 ~
41 Moisture Content of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 55 ~ 42 Basic Density of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 56 ~
43 Maximum Load of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 57 ~
44 Maximum Compressive Strength For Different Oncospenna 57 ~
Tigillarium Culms ~ 45 Maximum Load For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 58 8
46 Modulus Of Rupture (MOR) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 ~ 9
Culms
47 Modulus Of Elasticity (MOE) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 0
Culms 0
48 Comparison Of Maximum Load Modulus OfRupture (MOR) And 60 ~
Modulus OfElasticity (MOE) For Different On cos penna Tigillarium ~
Culms ~
xi
I 1
49 Maximum Tangential Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium 61
Culms
410 Maximum Radial Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms 61
411 Comparison Between Maximum Tangential And Radial Load For 62
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
412 Work Done In Joules For Different Impact Bending Specimens For 63
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
413 Maximum Load Compression V s Density 66
414 Maximum Compressive Strength Vs Density 66
415 Maximum Load Bending V s Density 67
416 MOR Vs Density 67
417 MOE Vs Density 68
418 Tangential Hardness V s Density 68
419 Radial Hardness V s Density 69
xii
ASTM
BS
FRIM
SFC
FSP
MOE
MOR
MC
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
American Society for Testing and Materials
British Standard
Forest Research Institute of Malaysia
Sarawak Forestry Corporation
Fiber Saturation Point
Modulus of elasticity
Modulus of rupture
Moisture content
xiii
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
11 General
Timber is one of the oldest materials used in construction since the birth of
construction technology It is one of the most readily available materials in recent times
Timber was the main material used in construction before concrete and steel
construction methods were discovered Timber is divided into two softwood and
hardwood Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees strictly speaking non-monocot
angiosperm trees while softwood is wood from gymnosperm trees
Figure 11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber (Architizer 2013)
1
of
~s
~e l
~d
ot
Wood is easily handled it has a long lifespan and nearly unlimited applications whether
in construction or other usages No other building material is produced and used with as
little energy and damage to the environment as wood Compared to other building
materials wood is light in weight and highly resilient Countless bridges towers and
wooden structures all over the world bear witness to this statement Wooden houses
roof trusses walls floors and stairs have been in use for generations Wood dwellings
over 700 years old yet still inhabited today are proofs of woods lifelong durability as a
building material People choose to build with wood on the grounds of economy
aesthetics and biology Wood radiates warmth and is harmless to the environment
Additionally modern construction methods do not require any chemical preservative
treatments Timber construction materials undergo strict control checks concerning
quality and performance The quality of many timber products is ensured by specific
standards Efficient prefabricating smooth processing and constant availability make
construction with wood quick and economic Building with wood is always the right
choice (GermanTimber 2007)
Timber is without a doubt one of the most environmentally friendly building
materials available in the environmentally challenged world we live in today It is
remarkably versatile able to work well with other materials such as concrete and metal
as composite structures It is also naturally renewable but requires human ethics to
preserve its renewability Timber also has high aesthetic value and not to mention light
and strong to build structures with It also has an inviting warm and welcoming sense
which makes us feel cozy and comfortable Whether it is a landmark building
government office housing school or hospital architects look to timber to express
contemporary art and beauty in the structure they design Timber is a high performance
material light in weight yet with excellent load bearing and thermal properties (Brash
2008)
12 Problem Statement
Deforestation and global warming are not a new epidemic in the modern world
today Vast development in developed and developing countries are stripping the Earth
of its forests Timber is abundant in most countries especially tropical countries like in
the Southeast Asia or South America Although there are still abundant trees in the
2
world it doesnt mean we can chop every tree we see just for our own personal gain
Mother Nature has taken care of us for generations its time for us to give back to
Mother Nature
Figure 12 Deforestation (Compost 2013)
Most hardwood stands mature in 70 to 120 years With proper management
renewing the forest takes less time The time required to mature a hardwood tree
depends on the species An oak tree requires 80-120 years to mature whereas a poplar
tree can mature and be ready to harvest in 40 years or less (Unknown) It takes tens of
years to grow a single hardwood tree but it takes merely hours to chop down entire
forests Irresponsible logging is one of the major factors which affect the sustainability
of timber as construction materials or other usages Loggers who do not cut down the
tree properly will cause the tree to not regenerate Harvesting timber also requires skills
Thus an alternative to slow growing hardwood is required to compensate for the
long time required to grow hardwood timber Fast-growing timbers such as medium
hardwood light hardwood and softwood are being tested and experimented to find the
most suitable alternative which could make timber the new concrete or steel
Oncosperma tigillarium is a very amazing-looking tall large slender palm massed with
armed trunks armed trunks and beautiful elegantly-arched drooping leathery fronds
which is sparsely distributed along the inland fringes of mangrove forest and other low
wet swampy vegetation Its trunk is slender up to 15 centimeters in diameter ringed
3
middotn
to
tire
lity
the
lis
the
urn
the
ee
ith
ow
ged
with old leaf scars with up to 50 densely anned with scattered slender black spines
that are about 5 to 10 centimeters long crown shaft are conspicuous and anned with
slender black spines Fronds are feather-shaped ascending to spreading pendulous
elegantly-arched armed and dark to bright green Inflorescences are ramified (multishy
branched) and yellow up to 80 centimeters long infrafoliar (emerging from below the
fronds) and anned Its flowers are arranged in groups of 3 (2 male flowers to 1 female
flower) Its fruits are globose 1 centimeters in diameter mildly-depressed purple to
black and single-seeded (Ridley 2012) Oncosperma tigillariums common name is
Nibong palm in English or simply Nibong in Malay Oncosperma tigillarium may
prove to be a breakthrough in the search for new fast-growing timbers for construction
purposes It is available in abundance in the forests of Sarawak and can also be
exploited for plantation of softwood timber and harvested for construction purposes
Strength properties at small clear will be tested for this tree species
Figure 13 Oncosperma Tigillarium (Ridley 1864)
13 Aims and Objectives
In this research report the timber with the scientific name Oncosperma
tigillarium or better known for its common name in Malaysia Nibong is one of the
4
Pusat Khidmlt Maddumlt Akademik UNlVERSrrl MAlAYSIA SARAW
fast-growing timber available in the forests of Malaysia and also Indonesia where it is
said to originate (Ridley 2012)
The main aim in this project is to investigate and acquire the information on the
relationship of distribution patterns of strength and physical properties with small clear
sample sizes of the Oncosperma tigillarium timber
Objective
1 To determine the strength and physical properties at air-dry conditions of
Oncosperma tigillarium
2 To understand the relationship between the variation of strength from pith to
sapwood of Oncosperma tigillarium and
3 To identify the distribution pattern of strength and physical properties with
Oncosperma tigillarium
14 Scope of Work
A series of study and laboratory tests are required to be done in order to achieve
the aim and objective In order to accomplish this certain scopes of study of work shall
be done so that the whole laboratory procedures can be run at a more systematic way
The test will be conducted by using 20 x 20mm (A) x 300mm (L) and 20 x 20mm (A) x
60mm (L) small clear size sample Laboratory tests will be carried out to determine the
strength and physical properties of Oncosperma tigillarium at air-dry conditions The
types of laboratory tests to be carried out are as in the table below
Table 11 Laboratory tests for strength and physical properties of timber
No Laboratory Test
Static bending test
2 Compression test
3 Moisture content test
4 Basic density test
5 Hardness test
5
is
of
to
th
lYe
~Il
y
u
~e
he
The sample of Oncosperma tigillarium to be used in this research study was
collected in the wetland forest areas within the UNIMAS vicinity The sample
collection and sample preparation procedure are discussed more elaborately in Chapter
3 This research implements the standards from BS 373 1957 Methods for Testing
Small Clear Specimens of Timber
15 Chapter Outline
This report consists of five chapters Chapter one will focus on the importance of
timber and the role and contribution of timber in the construction industry Chapter one
shall also cover the problem statement aim and objective scope of works and chapter
outline
Chapter two consists of the literature review regarding this project This chapter
explains about the test that is listed under scope of works for further improvement
Chapter three covers the methodology where it elaborates on the methods used
in this research mainly sample collection and preparation
Chapter four is results and discussion this chapter shall convey the results
gathered from the series of laboratory tests and the discussions regarding the findings
Chapter five is conclusion and recommendation this chapter explains about the
conclusion of this research and recommendation on this research for further
improvement
6
CHAPTER 2
LITERA TURE REVIEW
21 General
Due to its heterogeneity and species diversity timber is a complex building
material Timber does not have consistent predictable reproducible and uniform
properties as the properties vary with species age site and environmental conditions
(Ahamada Zziwa Yasin Naku Ziraba amp Mwakali 2009) The demand for quality
timber for construction will increase in Malaysia and other developing countries due to
a boom in the building construction industry With extreme exploitation and scarcity of
traditional hardwood timber species such as chengal (Neobaanocarpus heimii) and
meranti (Shorea spp) there is a diversity of previously unpopular species on the
market Zziwa etal (2009) revealed that there are 48 timber species on market and
despite the big number consumers prefer only 20 The durability integrity and safety
of structures from such species cannot be assured Reliable structural use of timber has
always been hampered by lack of appropriate design codes and well-established
standards
Timber is one of the oldest construction materials used In Malaysia timber used
to be the main materials used to build houses especially traditional Malay houses
Examples of landmark timber structures in Malaysia are Istana Lama which was built in
1902 Istana Kenangan Perak which was built in 1960 and lastly Kampung Laut Mosque
which is over 300 years old Until today timber has been the preferable material used
for the construction of residential areas in European countries and North America
(Ahmad 2011)
Why should we build with timber For one timber is a renewable resource
According to Ahmad (2011) the growth rate of commercial forests in North America is
7
II
319 Digital Double-Sided Planer 35
320 Transporting Samples to Lab 35 ~ 321 Labeling Samples for Final Cutting 36
322 Weighted Sample 38
323 Measured Sample 38 ~
324 Static Bending Test on Sample 39 ~ I 325 Sample During Static Bending Test 40 8
326 Sample after Static Bending Test 40
327 Sample during Compression Test 41
328 Sample after Compression Test (Type ofFracture) 42
329 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 42
0
~ 4
330 Sample after Compression Test (Type of Fracture) 43 ~
331 Hardness Test Concept 43 ~
332 Sample during Hardness Test 44 ~
333 Sample after Hardness Test 440
334 Sample During Impact Bending Test 45 ~
335 Sample after Impact Bending Test 46 ~
41 Moisture Content of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 55 ~ 42 Basic Density of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 56 ~
43 Maximum Load of Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 57 ~
44 Maximum Compressive Strength For Different Oncospenna 57 ~
Tigillarium Culms ~ 45 Maximum Load For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium Culms 58 8
46 Modulus Of Rupture (MOR) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 ~ 9
Culms
47 Modulus Of Elasticity (MOE) For Different Oncospenna Tigillarium 59 0
Culms 0
48 Comparison Of Maximum Load Modulus OfRupture (MOR) And 60 ~
Modulus OfElasticity (MOE) For Different On cos penna Tigillarium ~
Culms ~
xi
I 1
49 Maximum Tangential Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium 61
Culms
410 Maximum Radial Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms 61
411 Comparison Between Maximum Tangential And Radial Load For 62
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
412 Work Done In Joules For Different Impact Bending Specimens For 63
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
413 Maximum Load Compression V s Density 66
414 Maximum Compressive Strength Vs Density 66
415 Maximum Load Bending V s Density 67
416 MOR Vs Density 67
417 MOE Vs Density 68
418 Tangential Hardness V s Density 68
419 Radial Hardness V s Density 69
xii
ASTM
BS
FRIM
SFC
FSP
MOE
MOR
MC
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
American Society for Testing and Materials
British Standard
Forest Research Institute of Malaysia
Sarawak Forestry Corporation
Fiber Saturation Point
Modulus of elasticity
Modulus of rupture
Moisture content
xiii
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
11 General
Timber is one of the oldest materials used in construction since the birth of
construction technology It is one of the most readily available materials in recent times
Timber was the main material used in construction before concrete and steel
construction methods were discovered Timber is divided into two softwood and
hardwood Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees strictly speaking non-monocot
angiosperm trees while softwood is wood from gymnosperm trees
Figure 11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber (Architizer 2013)
1
of
~s
~e l
~d
ot
Wood is easily handled it has a long lifespan and nearly unlimited applications whether
in construction or other usages No other building material is produced and used with as
little energy and damage to the environment as wood Compared to other building
materials wood is light in weight and highly resilient Countless bridges towers and
wooden structures all over the world bear witness to this statement Wooden houses
roof trusses walls floors and stairs have been in use for generations Wood dwellings
over 700 years old yet still inhabited today are proofs of woods lifelong durability as a
building material People choose to build with wood on the grounds of economy
aesthetics and biology Wood radiates warmth and is harmless to the environment
Additionally modern construction methods do not require any chemical preservative
treatments Timber construction materials undergo strict control checks concerning
quality and performance The quality of many timber products is ensured by specific
standards Efficient prefabricating smooth processing and constant availability make
construction with wood quick and economic Building with wood is always the right
choice (GermanTimber 2007)
Timber is without a doubt one of the most environmentally friendly building
materials available in the environmentally challenged world we live in today It is
remarkably versatile able to work well with other materials such as concrete and metal
as composite structures It is also naturally renewable but requires human ethics to
preserve its renewability Timber also has high aesthetic value and not to mention light
and strong to build structures with It also has an inviting warm and welcoming sense
which makes us feel cozy and comfortable Whether it is a landmark building
government office housing school or hospital architects look to timber to express
contemporary art and beauty in the structure they design Timber is a high performance
material light in weight yet with excellent load bearing and thermal properties (Brash
2008)
12 Problem Statement
Deforestation and global warming are not a new epidemic in the modern world
today Vast development in developed and developing countries are stripping the Earth
of its forests Timber is abundant in most countries especially tropical countries like in
the Southeast Asia or South America Although there are still abundant trees in the
2
world it doesnt mean we can chop every tree we see just for our own personal gain
Mother Nature has taken care of us for generations its time for us to give back to
Mother Nature
Figure 12 Deforestation (Compost 2013)
Most hardwood stands mature in 70 to 120 years With proper management
renewing the forest takes less time The time required to mature a hardwood tree
depends on the species An oak tree requires 80-120 years to mature whereas a poplar
tree can mature and be ready to harvest in 40 years or less (Unknown) It takes tens of
years to grow a single hardwood tree but it takes merely hours to chop down entire
forests Irresponsible logging is one of the major factors which affect the sustainability
of timber as construction materials or other usages Loggers who do not cut down the
tree properly will cause the tree to not regenerate Harvesting timber also requires skills
Thus an alternative to slow growing hardwood is required to compensate for the
long time required to grow hardwood timber Fast-growing timbers such as medium
hardwood light hardwood and softwood are being tested and experimented to find the
most suitable alternative which could make timber the new concrete or steel
Oncosperma tigillarium is a very amazing-looking tall large slender palm massed with
armed trunks armed trunks and beautiful elegantly-arched drooping leathery fronds
which is sparsely distributed along the inland fringes of mangrove forest and other low
wet swampy vegetation Its trunk is slender up to 15 centimeters in diameter ringed
3
middotn
to
tire
lity
the
lis
the
urn
the
ee
ith
ow
ged
with old leaf scars with up to 50 densely anned with scattered slender black spines
that are about 5 to 10 centimeters long crown shaft are conspicuous and anned with
slender black spines Fronds are feather-shaped ascending to spreading pendulous
elegantly-arched armed and dark to bright green Inflorescences are ramified (multishy
branched) and yellow up to 80 centimeters long infrafoliar (emerging from below the
fronds) and anned Its flowers are arranged in groups of 3 (2 male flowers to 1 female
flower) Its fruits are globose 1 centimeters in diameter mildly-depressed purple to
black and single-seeded (Ridley 2012) Oncosperma tigillariums common name is
Nibong palm in English or simply Nibong in Malay Oncosperma tigillarium may
prove to be a breakthrough in the search for new fast-growing timbers for construction
purposes It is available in abundance in the forests of Sarawak and can also be
exploited for plantation of softwood timber and harvested for construction purposes
Strength properties at small clear will be tested for this tree species
Figure 13 Oncosperma Tigillarium (Ridley 1864)
13 Aims and Objectives
In this research report the timber with the scientific name Oncosperma
tigillarium or better known for its common name in Malaysia Nibong is one of the
4
Pusat Khidmlt Maddumlt Akademik UNlVERSrrl MAlAYSIA SARAW
fast-growing timber available in the forests of Malaysia and also Indonesia where it is
said to originate (Ridley 2012)
The main aim in this project is to investigate and acquire the information on the
relationship of distribution patterns of strength and physical properties with small clear
sample sizes of the Oncosperma tigillarium timber
Objective
1 To determine the strength and physical properties at air-dry conditions of
Oncosperma tigillarium
2 To understand the relationship between the variation of strength from pith to
sapwood of Oncosperma tigillarium and
3 To identify the distribution pattern of strength and physical properties with
Oncosperma tigillarium
14 Scope of Work
A series of study and laboratory tests are required to be done in order to achieve
the aim and objective In order to accomplish this certain scopes of study of work shall
be done so that the whole laboratory procedures can be run at a more systematic way
The test will be conducted by using 20 x 20mm (A) x 300mm (L) and 20 x 20mm (A) x
60mm (L) small clear size sample Laboratory tests will be carried out to determine the
strength and physical properties of Oncosperma tigillarium at air-dry conditions The
types of laboratory tests to be carried out are as in the table below
Table 11 Laboratory tests for strength and physical properties of timber
No Laboratory Test
Static bending test
2 Compression test
3 Moisture content test
4 Basic density test
5 Hardness test
5
is
of
to
th
lYe
~Il
y
u
~e
he
The sample of Oncosperma tigillarium to be used in this research study was
collected in the wetland forest areas within the UNIMAS vicinity The sample
collection and sample preparation procedure are discussed more elaborately in Chapter
3 This research implements the standards from BS 373 1957 Methods for Testing
Small Clear Specimens of Timber
15 Chapter Outline
This report consists of five chapters Chapter one will focus on the importance of
timber and the role and contribution of timber in the construction industry Chapter one
shall also cover the problem statement aim and objective scope of works and chapter
outline
Chapter two consists of the literature review regarding this project This chapter
explains about the test that is listed under scope of works for further improvement
Chapter three covers the methodology where it elaborates on the methods used
in this research mainly sample collection and preparation
Chapter four is results and discussion this chapter shall convey the results
gathered from the series of laboratory tests and the discussions regarding the findings
Chapter five is conclusion and recommendation this chapter explains about the
conclusion of this research and recommendation on this research for further
improvement
6
CHAPTER 2
LITERA TURE REVIEW
21 General
Due to its heterogeneity and species diversity timber is a complex building
material Timber does not have consistent predictable reproducible and uniform
properties as the properties vary with species age site and environmental conditions
(Ahamada Zziwa Yasin Naku Ziraba amp Mwakali 2009) The demand for quality
timber for construction will increase in Malaysia and other developing countries due to
a boom in the building construction industry With extreme exploitation and scarcity of
traditional hardwood timber species such as chengal (Neobaanocarpus heimii) and
meranti (Shorea spp) there is a diversity of previously unpopular species on the
market Zziwa etal (2009) revealed that there are 48 timber species on market and
despite the big number consumers prefer only 20 The durability integrity and safety
of structures from such species cannot be assured Reliable structural use of timber has
always been hampered by lack of appropriate design codes and well-established
standards
Timber is one of the oldest construction materials used In Malaysia timber used
to be the main materials used to build houses especially traditional Malay houses
Examples of landmark timber structures in Malaysia are Istana Lama which was built in
1902 Istana Kenangan Perak which was built in 1960 and lastly Kampung Laut Mosque
which is over 300 years old Until today timber has been the preferable material used
for the construction of residential areas in European countries and North America
(Ahmad 2011)
Why should we build with timber For one timber is a renewable resource
According to Ahmad (2011) the growth rate of commercial forests in North America is
7
49 Maximum Tangential Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium 61
Culms
410 Maximum Radial Load For Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms 61
411 Comparison Between Maximum Tangential And Radial Load For 62
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
412 Work Done In Joules For Different Impact Bending Specimens For 63
Different Oncosperma Tigillarium Culms
413 Maximum Load Compression V s Density 66
414 Maximum Compressive Strength Vs Density 66
415 Maximum Load Bending V s Density 67
416 MOR Vs Density 67
417 MOE Vs Density 68
418 Tangential Hardness V s Density 68
419 Radial Hardness V s Density 69
xii
ASTM
BS
FRIM
SFC
FSP
MOE
MOR
MC
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
American Society for Testing and Materials
British Standard
Forest Research Institute of Malaysia
Sarawak Forestry Corporation
Fiber Saturation Point
Modulus of elasticity
Modulus of rupture
Moisture content
xiii
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
11 General
Timber is one of the oldest materials used in construction since the birth of
construction technology It is one of the most readily available materials in recent times
Timber was the main material used in construction before concrete and steel
construction methods were discovered Timber is divided into two softwood and
hardwood Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees strictly speaking non-monocot
angiosperm trees while softwood is wood from gymnosperm trees
Figure 11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber (Architizer 2013)
1
of
~s
~e l
~d
ot
Wood is easily handled it has a long lifespan and nearly unlimited applications whether
in construction or other usages No other building material is produced and used with as
little energy and damage to the environment as wood Compared to other building
materials wood is light in weight and highly resilient Countless bridges towers and
wooden structures all over the world bear witness to this statement Wooden houses
roof trusses walls floors and stairs have been in use for generations Wood dwellings
over 700 years old yet still inhabited today are proofs of woods lifelong durability as a
building material People choose to build with wood on the grounds of economy
aesthetics and biology Wood radiates warmth and is harmless to the environment
Additionally modern construction methods do not require any chemical preservative
treatments Timber construction materials undergo strict control checks concerning
quality and performance The quality of many timber products is ensured by specific
standards Efficient prefabricating smooth processing and constant availability make
construction with wood quick and economic Building with wood is always the right
choice (GermanTimber 2007)
Timber is without a doubt one of the most environmentally friendly building
materials available in the environmentally challenged world we live in today It is
remarkably versatile able to work well with other materials such as concrete and metal
as composite structures It is also naturally renewable but requires human ethics to
preserve its renewability Timber also has high aesthetic value and not to mention light
and strong to build structures with It also has an inviting warm and welcoming sense
which makes us feel cozy and comfortable Whether it is a landmark building
government office housing school or hospital architects look to timber to express
contemporary art and beauty in the structure they design Timber is a high performance
material light in weight yet with excellent load bearing and thermal properties (Brash
2008)
12 Problem Statement
Deforestation and global warming are not a new epidemic in the modern world
today Vast development in developed and developing countries are stripping the Earth
of its forests Timber is abundant in most countries especially tropical countries like in
the Southeast Asia or South America Although there are still abundant trees in the
2
world it doesnt mean we can chop every tree we see just for our own personal gain
Mother Nature has taken care of us for generations its time for us to give back to
Mother Nature
Figure 12 Deforestation (Compost 2013)
Most hardwood stands mature in 70 to 120 years With proper management
renewing the forest takes less time The time required to mature a hardwood tree
depends on the species An oak tree requires 80-120 years to mature whereas a poplar
tree can mature and be ready to harvest in 40 years or less (Unknown) It takes tens of
years to grow a single hardwood tree but it takes merely hours to chop down entire
forests Irresponsible logging is one of the major factors which affect the sustainability
of timber as construction materials or other usages Loggers who do not cut down the
tree properly will cause the tree to not regenerate Harvesting timber also requires skills
Thus an alternative to slow growing hardwood is required to compensate for the
long time required to grow hardwood timber Fast-growing timbers such as medium
hardwood light hardwood and softwood are being tested and experimented to find the
most suitable alternative which could make timber the new concrete or steel
Oncosperma tigillarium is a very amazing-looking tall large slender palm massed with
armed trunks armed trunks and beautiful elegantly-arched drooping leathery fronds
which is sparsely distributed along the inland fringes of mangrove forest and other low
wet swampy vegetation Its trunk is slender up to 15 centimeters in diameter ringed
3
middotn
to
tire
lity
the
lis
the
urn
the
ee
ith
ow
ged
with old leaf scars with up to 50 densely anned with scattered slender black spines
that are about 5 to 10 centimeters long crown shaft are conspicuous and anned with
slender black spines Fronds are feather-shaped ascending to spreading pendulous
elegantly-arched armed and dark to bright green Inflorescences are ramified (multishy
branched) and yellow up to 80 centimeters long infrafoliar (emerging from below the
fronds) and anned Its flowers are arranged in groups of 3 (2 male flowers to 1 female
flower) Its fruits are globose 1 centimeters in diameter mildly-depressed purple to
black and single-seeded (Ridley 2012) Oncosperma tigillariums common name is
Nibong palm in English or simply Nibong in Malay Oncosperma tigillarium may
prove to be a breakthrough in the search for new fast-growing timbers for construction
purposes It is available in abundance in the forests of Sarawak and can also be
exploited for plantation of softwood timber and harvested for construction purposes
Strength properties at small clear will be tested for this tree species
Figure 13 Oncosperma Tigillarium (Ridley 1864)
13 Aims and Objectives
In this research report the timber with the scientific name Oncosperma
tigillarium or better known for its common name in Malaysia Nibong is one of the
4
Pusat Khidmlt Maddumlt Akademik UNlVERSrrl MAlAYSIA SARAW
fast-growing timber available in the forests of Malaysia and also Indonesia where it is
said to originate (Ridley 2012)
The main aim in this project is to investigate and acquire the information on the
relationship of distribution patterns of strength and physical properties with small clear
sample sizes of the Oncosperma tigillarium timber
Objective
1 To determine the strength and physical properties at air-dry conditions of
Oncosperma tigillarium
2 To understand the relationship between the variation of strength from pith to
sapwood of Oncosperma tigillarium and
3 To identify the distribution pattern of strength and physical properties with
Oncosperma tigillarium
14 Scope of Work
A series of study and laboratory tests are required to be done in order to achieve
the aim and objective In order to accomplish this certain scopes of study of work shall
be done so that the whole laboratory procedures can be run at a more systematic way
The test will be conducted by using 20 x 20mm (A) x 300mm (L) and 20 x 20mm (A) x
60mm (L) small clear size sample Laboratory tests will be carried out to determine the
strength and physical properties of Oncosperma tigillarium at air-dry conditions The
types of laboratory tests to be carried out are as in the table below
Table 11 Laboratory tests for strength and physical properties of timber
No Laboratory Test
Static bending test
2 Compression test
3 Moisture content test
4 Basic density test
5 Hardness test
5
is
of
to
th
lYe
~Il
y
u
~e
he
The sample of Oncosperma tigillarium to be used in this research study was
collected in the wetland forest areas within the UNIMAS vicinity The sample
collection and sample preparation procedure are discussed more elaborately in Chapter
3 This research implements the standards from BS 373 1957 Methods for Testing
Small Clear Specimens of Timber
15 Chapter Outline
This report consists of five chapters Chapter one will focus on the importance of
timber and the role and contribution of timber in the construction industry Chapter one
shall also cover the problem statement aim and objective scope of works and chapter
outline
Chapter two consists of the literature review regarding this project This chapter
explains about the test that is listed under scope of works for further improvement
Chapter three covers the methodology where it elaborates on the methods used
in this research mainly sample collection and preparation
Chapter four is results and discussion this chapter shall convey the results
gathered from the series of laboratory tests and the discussions regarding the findings
Chapter five is conclusion and recommendation this chapter explains about the
conclusion of this research and recommendation on this research for further
improvement
6
CHAPTER 2
LITERA TURE REVIEW
21 General
Due to its heterogeneity and species diversity timber is a complex building
material Timber does not have consistent predictable reproducible and uniform
properties as the properties vary with species age site and environmental conditions
(Ahamada Zziwa Yasin Naku Ziraba amp Mwakali 2009) The demand for quality
timber for construction will increase in Malaysia and other developing countries due to
a boom in the building construction industry With extreme exploitation and scarcity of
traditional hardwood timber species such as chengal (Neobaanocarpus heimii) and
meranti (Shorea spp) there is a diversity of previously unpopular species on the
market Zziwa etal (2009) revealed that there are 48 timber species on market and
despite the big number consumers prefer only 20 The durability integrity and safety
of structures from such species cannot be assured Reliable structural use of timber has
always been hampered by lack of appropriate design codes and well-established
standards
Timber is one of the oldest construction materials used In Malaysia timber used
to be the main materials used to build houses especially traditional Malay houses
Examples of landmark timber structures in Malaysia are Istana Lama which was built in
1902 Istana Kenangan Perak which was built in 1960 and lastly Kampung Laut Mosque
which is over 300 years old Until today timber has been the preferable material used
for the construction of residential areas in European countries and North America
(Ahmad 2011)
Why should we build with timber For one timber is a renewable resource
According to Ahmad (2011) the growth rate of commercial forests in North America is
7
ASTM
BS
FRIM
SFC
FSP
MOE
MOR
MC
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
American Society for Testing and Materials
British Standard
Forest Research Institute of Malaysia
Sarawak Forestry Corporation
Fiber Saturation Point
Modulus of elasticity
Modulus of rupture
Moisture content
xiii
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
11 General
Timber is one of the oldest materials used in construction since the birth of
construction technology It is one of the most readily available materials in recent times
Timber was the main material used in construction before concrete and steel
construction methods were discovered Timber is divided into two softwood and
hardwood Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees strictly speaking non-monocot
angiosperm trees while softwood is wood from gymnosperm trees
Figure 11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber (Architizer 2013)
1
of
~s
~e l
~d
ot
Wood is easily handled it has a long lifespan and nearly unlimited applications whether
in construction or other usages No other building material is produced and used with as
little energy and damage to the environment as wood Compared to other building
materials wood is light in weight and highly resilient Countless bridges towers and
wooden structures all over the world bear witness to this statement Wooden houses
roof trusses walls floors and stairs have been in use for generations Wood dwellings
over 700 years old yet still inhabited today are proofs of woods lifelong durability as a
building material People choose to build with wood on the grounds of economy
aesthetics and biology Wood radiates warmth and is harmless to the environment
Additionally modern construction methods do not require any chemical preservative
treatments Timber construction materials undergo strict control checks concerning
quality and performance The quality of many timber products is ensured by specific
standards Efficient prefabricating smooth processing and constant availability make
construction with wood quick and economic Building with wood is always the right
choice (GermanTimber 2007)
Timber is without a doubt one of the most environmentally friendly building
materials available in the environmentally challenged world we live in today It is
remarkably versatile able to work well with other materials such as concrete and metal
as composite structures It is also naturally renewable but requires human ethics to
preserve its renewability Timber also has high aesthetic value and not to mention light
and strong to build structures with It also has an inviting warm and welcoming sense
which makes us feel cozy and comfortable Whether it is a landmark building
government office housing school or hospital architects look to timber to express
contemporary art and beauty in the structure they design Timber is a high performance
material light in weight yet with excellent load bearing and thermal properties (Brash
2008)
12 Problem Statement
Deforestation and global warming are not a new epidemic in the modern world
today Vast development in developed and developing countries are stripping the Earth
of its forests Timber is abundant in most countries especially tropical countries like in
the Southeast Asia or South America Although there are still abundant trees in the
2
world it doesnt mean we can chop every tree we see just for our own personal gain
Mother Nature has taken care of us for generations its time for us to give back to
Mother Nature
Figure 12 Deforestation (Compost 2013)
Most hardwood stands mature in 70 to 120 years With proper management
renewing the forest takes less time The time required to mature a hardwood tree
depends on the species An oak tree requires 80-120 years to mature whereas a poplar
tree can mature and be ready to harvest in 40 years or less (Unknown) It takes tens of
years to grow a single hardwood tree but it takes merely hours to chop down entire
forests Irresponsible logging is one of the major factors which affect the sustainability
of timber as construction materials or other usages Loggers who do not cut down the
tree properly will cause the tree to not regenerate Harvesting timber also requires skills
Thus an alternative to slow growing hardwood is required to compensate for the
long time required to grow hardwood timber Fast-growing timbers such as medium
hardwood light hardwood and softwood are being tested and experimented to find the
most suitable alternative which could make timber the new concrete or steel
Oncosperma tigillarium is a very amazing-looking tall large slender palm massed with
armed trunks armed trunks and beautiful elegantly-arched drooping leathery fronds
which is sparsely distributed along the inland fringes of mangrove forest and other low
wet swampy vegetation Its trunk is slender up to 15 centimeters in diameter ringed
3
middotn
to
tire
lity
the
lis
the
urn
the
ee
ith
ow
ged
with old leaf scars with up to 50 densely anned with scattered slender black spines
that are about 5 to 10 centimeters long crown shaft are conspicuous and anned with
slender black spines Fronds are feather-shaped ascending to spreading pendulous
elegantly-arched armed and dark to bright green Inflorescences are ramified (multishy
branched) and yellow up to 80 centimeters long infrafoliar (emerging from below the
fronds) and anned Its flowers are arranged in groups of 3 (2 male flowers to 1 female
flower) Its fruits are globose 1 centimeters in diameter mildly-depressed purple to
black and single-seeded (Ridley 2012) Oncosperma tigillariums common name is
Nibong palm in English or simply Nibong in Malay Oncosperma tigillarium may
prove to be a breakthrough in the search for new fast-growing timbers for construction
purposes It is available in abundance in the forests of Sarawak and can also be
exploited for plantation of softwood timber and harvested for construction purposes
Strength properties at small clear will be tested for this tree species
Figure 13 Oncosperma Tigillarium (Ridley 1864)
13 Aims and Objectives
In this research report the timber with the scientific name Oncosperma
tigillarium or better known for its common name in Malaysia Nibong is one of the
4
Pusat Khidmlt Maddumlt Akademik UNlVERSrrl MAlAYSIA SARAW
fast-growing timber available in the forests of Malaysia and also Indonesia where it is
said to originate (Ridley 2012)
The main aim in this project is to investigate and acquire the information on the
relationship of distribution patterns of strength and physical properties with small clear
sample sizes of the Oncosperma tigillarium timber
Objective
1 To determine the strength and physical properties at air-dry conditions of
Oncosperma tigillarium
2 To understand the relationship between the variation of strength from pith to
sapwood of Oncosperma tigillarium and
3 To identify the distribution pattern of strength and physical properties with
Oncosperma tigillarium
14 Scope of Work
A series of study and laboratory tests are required to be done in order to achieve
the aim and objective In order to accomplish this certain scopes of study of work shall
be done so that the whole laboratory procedures can be run at a more systematic way
The test will be conducted by using 20 x 20mm (A) x 300mm (L) and 20 x 20mm (A) x
60mm (L) small clear size sample Laboratory tests will be carried out to determine the
strength and physical properties of Oncosperma tigillarium at air-dry conditions The
types of laboratory tests to be carried out are as in the table below
Table 11 Laboratory tests for strength and physical properties of timber
No Laboratory Test
Static bending test
2 Compression test
3 Moisture content test
4 Basic density test
5 Hardness test
5
is
of
to
th
lYe
~Il
y
u
~e
he
The sample of Oncosperma tigillarium to be used in this research study was
collected in the wetland forest areas within the UNIMAS vicinity The sample
collection and sample preparation procedure are discussed more elaborately in Chapter
3 This research implements the standards from BS 373 1957 Methods for Testing
Small Clear Specimens of Timber
15 Chapter Outline
This report consists of five chapters Chapter one will focus on the importance of
timber and the role and contribution of timber in the construction industry Chapter one
shall also cover the problem statement aim and objective scope of works and chapter
outline
Chapter two consists of the literature review regarding this project This chapter
explains about the test that is listed under scope of works for further improvement
Chapter three covers the methodology where it elaborates on the methods used
in this research mainly sample collection and preparation
Chapter four is results and discussion this chapter shall convey the results
gathered from the series of laboratory tests and the discussions regarding the findings
Chapter five is conclusion and recommendation this chapter explains about the
conclusion of this research and recommendation on this research for further
improvement
6
CHAPTER 2
LITERA TURE REVIEW
21 General
Due to its heterogeneity and species diversity timber is a complex building
material Timber does not have consistent predictable reproducible and uniform
properties as the properties vary with species age site and environmental conditions
(Ahamada Zziwa Yasin Naku Ziraba amp Mwakali 2009) The demand for quality
timber for construction will increase in Malaysia and other developing countries due to
a boom in the building construction industry With extreme exploitation and scarcity of
traditional hardwood timber species such as chengal (Neobaanocarpus heimii) and
meranti (Shorea spp) there is a diversity of previously unpopular species on the
market Zziwa etal (2009) revealed that there are 48 timber species on market and
despite the big number consumers prefer only 20 The durability integrity and safety
of structures from such species cannot be assured Reliable structural use of timber has
always been hampered by lack of appropriate design codes and well-established
standards
Timber is one of the oldest construction materials used In Malaysia timber used
to be the main materials used to build houses especially traditional Malay houses
Examples of landmark timber structures in Malaysia are Istana Lama which was built in
1902 Istana Kenangan Perak which was built in 1960 and lastly Kampung Laut Mosque
which is over 300 years old Until today timber has been the preferable material used
for the construction of residential areas in European countries and North America
(Ahmad 2011)
Why should we build with timber For one timber is a renewable resource
According to Ahmad (2011) the growth rate of commercial forests in North America is
7
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
11 General
Timber is one of the oldest materials used in construction since the birth of
construction technology It is one of the most readily available materials in recent times
Timber was the main material used in construction before concrete and steel
construction methods were discovered Timber is divided into two softwood and
hardwood Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees strictly speaking non-monocot
angiosperm trees while softwood is wood from gymnosperm trees
Figure 11 A Structure Constructed Mostly of Timber (Architizer 2013)
1
of
~s
~e l
~d
ot
Wood is easily handled it has a long lifespan and nearly unlimited applications whether
in construction or other usages No other building material is produced and used with as
little energy and damage to the environment as wood Compared to other building
materials wood is light in weight and highly resilient Countless bridges towers and
wooden structures all over the world bear witness to this statement Wooden houses
roof trusses walls floors and stairs have been in use for generations Wood dwellings
over 700 years old yet still inhabited today are proofs of woods lifelong durability as a
building material People choose to build with wood on the grounds of economy
aesthetics and biology Wood radiates warmth and is harmless to the environment
Additionally modern construction methods do not require any chemical preservative
treatments Timber construction materials undergo strict control checks concerning
quality and performance The quality of many timber products is ensured by specific
standards Efficient prefabricating smooth processing and constant availability make
construction with wood quick and economic Building with wood is always the right
choice (GermanTimber 2007)
Timber is without a doubt one of the most environmentally friendly building
materials available in the environmentally challenged world we live in today It is
remarkably versatile able to work well with other materials such as concrete and metal
as composite structures It is also naturally renewable but requires human ethics to
preserve its renewability Timber also has high aesthetic value and not to mention light
and strong to build structures with It also has an inviting warm and welcoming sense
which makes us feel cozy and comfortable Whether it is a landmark building
government office housing school or hospital architects look to timber to express
contemporary art and beauty in the structure they design Timber is a high performance
material light in weight yet with excellent load bearing and thermal properties (Brash
2008)
12 Problem Statement
Deforestation and global warming are not a new epidemic in the modern world
today Vast development in developed and developing countries are stripping the Earth
of its forests Timber is abundant in most countries especially tropical countries like in
the Southeast Asia or South America Although there are still abundant trees in the
2
world it doesnt mean we can chop every tree we see just for our own personal gain
Mother Nature has taken care of us for generations its time for us to give back to
Mother Nature
Figure 12 Deforestation (Compost 2013)
Most hardwood stands mature in 70 to 120 years With proper management
renewing the forest takes less time The time required to mature a hardwood tree
depends on the species An oak tree requires 80-120 years to mature whereas a poplar
tree can mature and be ready to harvest in 40 years or less (Unknown) It takes tens of
years to grow a single hardwood tree but it takes merely hours to chop down entire
forests Irresponsible logging is one of the major factors which affect the sustainability
of timber as construction materials or other usages Loggers who do not cut down the
tree properly will cause the tree to not regenerate Harvesting timber also requires skills
Thus an alternative to slow growing hardwood is required to compensate for the
long time required to grow hardwood timber Fast-growing timbers such as medium
hardwood light hardwood and softwood are being tested and experimented to find the
most suitable alternative which could make timber the new concrete or steel
Oncosperma tigillarium is a very amazing-looking tall large slender palm massed with
armed trunks armed trunks and beautiful elegantly-arched drooping leathery fronds
which is sparsely distributed along the inland fringes of mangrove forest and other low
wet swampy vegetation Its trunk is slender up to 15 centimeters in diameter ringed
3
middotn
to
tire
lity
the
lis
the
urn
the
ee
ith
ow
ged
with old leaf scars with up to 50 densely anned with scattered slender black spines
that are about 5 to 10 centimeters long crown shaft are conspicuous and anned with
slender black spines Fronds are feather-shaped ascending to spreading pendulous
elegantly-arched armed and dark to bright green Inflorescences are ramified (multishy
branched) and yellow up to 80 centimeters long infrafoliar (emerging from below the
fronds) and anned Its flowers are arranged in groups of 3 (2 male flowers to 1 female
flower) Its fruits are globose 1 centimeters in diameter mildly-depressed purple to
black and single-seeded (Ridley 2012) Oncosperma tigillariums common name is
Nibong palm in English or simply Nibong in Malay Oncosperma tigillarium may
prove to be a breakthrough in the search for new fast-growing timbers for construction
purposes It is available in abundance in the forests of Sarawak and can also be
exploited for plantation of softwood timber and harvested for construction purposes
Strength properties at small clear will be tested for this tree species
Figure 13 Oncosperma Tigillarium (Ridley 1864)
13 Aims and Objectives
In this research report the timber with the scientific name Oncosperma
tigillarium or better known for its common name in Malaysia Nibong is one of the
4
Pusat Khidmlt Maddumlt Akademik UNlVERSrrl MAlAYSIA SARAW
fast-growing timber available in the forests of Malaysia and also Indonesia where it is
said to originate (Ridley 2012)
The main aim in this project is to investigate and acquire the information on the
relationship of distribution patterns of strength and physical properties with small clear
sample sizes of the Oncosperma tigillarium timber
Objective
1 To determine the strength and physical properties at air-dry conditions of
Oncosperma tigillarium
2 To understand the relationship between the variation of strength from pith to
sapwood of Oncosperma tigillarium and
3 To identify the distribution pattern of strength and physical properties with
Oncosperma tigillarium
14 Scope of Work
A series of study and laboratory tests are required to be done in order to achieve
the aim and objective In order to accomplish this certain scopes of study of work shall
be done so that the whole laboratory procedures can be run at a more systematic way
The test will be conducted by using 20 x 20mm (A) x 300mm (L) and 20 x 20mm (A) x
60mm (L) small clear size sample Laboratory tests will be carried out to determine the
strength and physical properties of Oncosperma tigillarium at air-dry conditions The
types of laboratory tests to be carried out are as in the table below
Table 11 Laboratory tests for strength and physical properties of timber
No Laboratory Test
Static bending test
2 Compression test
3 Moisture content test
4 Basic density test
5 Hardness test
5
is
of
to
th
lYe
~Il
y
u
~e
he
The sample of Oncosperma tigillarium to be used in this research study was
collected in the wetland forest areas within the UNIMAS vicinity The sample
collection and sample preparation procedure are discussed more elaborately in Chapter
3 This research implements the standards from BS 373 1957 Methods for Testing
Small Clear Specimens of Timber
15 Chapter Outline
This report consists of five chapters Chapter one will focus on the importance of
timber and the role and contribution of timber in the construction industry Chapter one
shall also cover the problem statement aim and objective scope of works and chapter
outline
Chapter two consists of the literature review regarding this project This chapter
explains about the test that is listed under scope of works for further improvement
Chapter three covers the methodology where it elaborates on the methods used
in this research mainly sample collection and preparation
Chapter four is results and discussion this chapter shall convey the results
gathered from the series of laboratory tests and the discussions regarding the findings
Chapter five is conclusion and recommendation this chapter explains about the
conclusion of this research and recommendation on this research for further
improvement
6
CHAPTER 2
LITERA TURE REVIEW
21 General
Due to its heterogeneity and species diversity timber is a complex building
material Timber does not have consistent predictable reproducible and uniform
properties as the properties vary with species age site and environmental conditions
(Ahamada Zziwa Yasin Naku Ziraba amp Mwakali 2009) The demand for quality
timber for construction will increase in Malaysia and other developing countries due to
a boom in the building construction industry With extreme exploitation and scarcity of
traditional hardwood timber species such as chengal (Neobaanocarpus heimii) and
meranti (Shorea spp) there is a diversity of previously unpopular species on the
market Zziwa etal (2009) revealed that there are 48 timber species on market and
despite the big number consumers prefer only 20 The durability integrity and safety
of structures from such species cannot be assured Reliable structural use of timber has
always been hampered by lack of appropriate design codes and well-established
standards
Timber is one of the oldest construction materials used In Malaysia timber used
to be the main materials used to build houses especially traditional Malay houses
Examples of landmark timber structures in Malaysia are Istana Lama which was built in
1902 Istana Kenangan Perak which was built in 1960 and lastly Kampung Laut Mosque
which is over 300 years old Until today timber has been the preferable material used
for the construction of residential areas in European countries and North America
(Ahmad 2011)
Why should we build with timber For one timber is a renewable resource
According to Ahmad (2011) the growth rate of commercial forests in North America is
7
of
~s
~e l
~d
ot
Wood is easily handled it has a long lifespan and nearly unlimited applications whether
in construction or other usages No other building material is produced and used with as
little energy and damage to the environment as wood Compared to other building
materials wood is light in weight and highly resilient Countless bridges towers and
wooden structures all over the world bear witness to this statement Wooden houses
roof trusses walls floors and stairs have been in use for generations Wood dwellings
over 700 years old yet still inhabited today are proofs of woods lifelong durability as a
building material People choose to build with wood on the grounds of economy
aesthetics and biology Wood radiates warmth and is harmless to the environment
Additionally modern construction methods do not require any chemical preservative
treatments Timber construction materials undergo strict control checks concerning
quality and performance The quality of many timber products is ensured by specific
standards Efficient prefabricating smooth processing and constant availability make
construction with wood quick and economic Building with wood is always the right
choice (GermanTimber 2007)
Timber is without a doubt one of the most environmentally friendly building
materials available in the environmentally challenged world we live in today It is
remarkably versatile able to work well with other materials such as concrete and metal
as composite structures It is also naturally renewable but requires human ethics to
preserve its renewability Timber also has high aesthetic value and not to mention light
and strong to build structures with It also has an inviting warm and welcoming sense
which makes us feel cozy and comfortable Whether it is a landmark building
government office housing school or hospital architects look to timber to express
contemporary art and beauty in the structure they design Timber is a high performance
material light in weight yet with excellent load bearing and thermal properties (Brash
2008)
12 Problem Statement
Deforestation and global warming are not a new epidemic in the modern world
today Vast development in developed and developing countries are stripping the Earth
of its forests Timber is abundant in most countries especially tropical countries like in
the Southeast Asia or South America Although there are still abundant trees in the
2
world it doesnt mean we can chop every tree we see just for our own personal gain
Mother Nature has taken care of us for generations its time for us to give back to
Mother Nature
Figure 12 Deforestation (Compost 2013)
Most hardwood stands mature in 70 to 120 years With proper management
renewing the forest takes less time The time required to mature a hardwood tree
depends on the species An oak tree requires 80-120 years to mature whereas a poplar
tree can mature and be ready to harvest in 40 years or less (Unknown) It takes tens of
years to grow a single hardwood tree but it takes merely hours to chop down entire
forests Irresponsible logging is one of the major factors which affect the sustainability
of timber as construction materials or other usages Loggers who do not cut down the
tree properly will cause the tree to not regenerate Harvesting timber also requires skills
Thus an alternative to slow growing hardwood is required to compensate for the
long time required to grow hardwood timber Fast-growing timbers such as medium
hardwood light hardwood and softwood are being tested and experimented to find the
most suitable alternative which could make timber the new concrete or steel
Oncosperma tigillarium is a very amazing-looking tall large slender palm massed with
armed trunks armed trunks and beautiful elegantly-arched drooping leathery fronds
which is sparsely distributed along the inland fringes of mangrove forest and other low
wet swampy vegetation Its trunk is slender up to 15 centimeters in diameter ringed
3
middotn
to
tire
lity
the
lis
the
urn
the
ee
ith
ow
ged
with old leaf scars with up to 50 densely anned with scattered slender black spines
that are about 5 to 10 centimeters long crown shaft are conspicuous and anned with
slender black spines Fronds are feather-shaped ascending to spreading pendulous
elegantly-arched armed and dark to bright green Inflorescences are ramified (multishy
branched) and yellow up to 80 centimeters long infrafoliar (emerging from below the
fronds) and anned Its flowers are arranged in groups of 3 (2 male flowers to 1 female
flower) Its fruits are globose 1 centimeters in diameter mildly-depressed purple to
black and single-seeded (Ridley 2012) Oncosperma tigillariums common name is
Nibong palm in English or simply Nibong in Malay Oncosperma tigillarium may
prove to be a breakthrough in the search for new fast-growing timbers for construction
purposes It is available in abundance in the forests of Sarawak and can also be
exploited for plantation of softwood timber and harvested for construction purposes
Strength properties at small clear will be tested for this tree species
Figure 13 Oncosperma Tigillarium (Ridley 1864)
13 Aims and Objectives
In this research report the timber with the scientific name Oncosperma
tigillarium or better known for its common name in Malaysia Nibong is one of the
4
Pusat Khidmlt Maddumlt Akademik UNlVERSrrl MAlAYSIA SARAW
fast-growing timber available in the forests of Malaysia and also Indonesia where it is
said to originate (Ridley 2012)
The main aim in this project is to investigate and acquire the information on the
relationship of distribution patterns of strength and physical properties with small clear
sample sizes of the Oncosperma tigillarium timber
Objective
1 To determine the strength and physical properties at air-dry conditions of
Oncosperma tigillarium
2 To understand the relationship between the variation of strength from pith to
sapwood of Oncosperma tigillarium and
3 To identify the distribution pattern of strength and physical properties with
Oncosperma tigillarium
14 Scope of Work
A series of study and laboratory tests are required to be done in order to achieve
the aim and objective In order to accomplish this certain scopes of study of work shall
be done so that the whole laboratory procedures can be run at a more systematic way
The test will be conducted by using 20 x 20mm (A) x 300mm (L) and 20 x 20mm (A) x
60mm (L) small clear size sample Laboratory tests will be carried out to determine the
strength and physical properties of Oncosperma tigillarium at air-dry conditions The
types of laboratory tests to be carried out are as in the table below
Table 11 Laboratory tests for strength and physical properties of timber
No Laboratory Test
Static bending test
2 Compression test
3 Moisture content test
4 Basic density test
5 Hardness test
5
is
of
to
th
lYe
~Il
y
u
~e
he
The sample of Oncosperma tigillarium to be used in this research study was
collected in the wetland forest areas within the UNIMAS vicinity The sample
collection and sample preparation procedure are discussed more elaborately in Chapter
3 This research implements the standards from BS 373 1957 Methods for Testing
Small Clear Specimens of Timber
15 Chapter Outline
This report consists of five chapters Chapter one will focus on the importance of
timber and the role and contribution of timber in the construction industry Chapter one
shall also cover the problem statement aim and objective scope of works and chapter
outline
Chapter two consists of the literature review regarding this project This chapter
explains about the test that is listed under scope of works for further improvement
Chapter three covers the methodology where it elaborates on the methods used
in this research mainly sample collection and preparation
Chapter four is results and discussion this chapter shall convey the results
gathered from the series of laboratory tests and the discussions regarding the findings
Chapter five is conclusion and recommendation this chapter explains about the
conclusion of this research and recommendation on this research for further
improvement
6
CHAPTER 2
LITERA TURE REVIEW
21 General
Due to its heterogeneity and species diversity timber is a complex building
material Timber does not have consistent predictable reproducible and uniform
properties as the properties vary with species age site and environmental conditions
(Ahamada Zziwa Yasin Naku Ziraba amp Mwakali 2009) The demand for quality
timber for construction will increase in Malaysia and other developing countries due to
a boom in the building construction industry With extreme exploitation and scarcity of
traditional hardwood timber species such as chengal (Neobaanocarpus heimii) and
meranti (Shorea spp) there is a diversity of previously unpopular species on the
market Zziwa etal (2009) revealed that there are 48 timber species on market and
despite the big number consumers prefer only 20 The durability integrity and safety
of structures from such species cannot be assured Reliable structural use of timber has
always been hampered by lack of appropriate design codes and well-established
standards
Timber is one of the oldest construction materials used In Malaysia timber used
to be the main materials used to build houses especially traditional Malay houses
Examples of landmark timber structures in Malaysia are Istana Lama which was built in
1902 Istana Kenangan Perak which was built in 1960 and lastly Kampung Laut Mosque
which is over 300 years old Until today timber has been the preferable material used
for the construction of residential areas in European countries and North America
(Ahmad 2011)
Why should we build with timber For one timber is a renewable resource
According to Ahmad (2011) the growth rate of commercial forests in North America is
7
world it doesnt mean we can chop every tree we see just for our own personal gain
Mother Nature has taken care of us for generations its time for us to give back to
Mother Nature
Figure 12 Deforestation (Compost 2013)
Most hardwood stands mature in 70 to 120 years With proper management
renewing the forest takes less time The time required to mature a hardwood tree
depends on the species An oak tree requires 80-120 years to mature whereas a poplar
tree can mature and be ready to harvest in 40 years or less (Unknown) It takes tens of
years to grow a single hardwood tree but it takes merely hours to chop down entire
forests Irresponsible logging is one of the major factors which affect the sustainability
of timber as construction materials or other usages Loggers who do not cut down the
tree properly will cause the tree to not regenerate Harvesting timber also requires skills
Thus an alternative to slow growing hardwood is required to compensate for the
long time required to grow hardwood timber Fast-growing timbers such as medium
hardwood light hardwood and softwood are being tested and experimented to find the
most suitable alternative which could make timber the new concrete or steel
Oncosperma tigillarium is a very amazing-looking tall large slender palm massed with
armed trunks armed trunks and beautiful elegantly-arched drooping leathery fronds
which is sparsely distributed along the inland fringes of mangrove forest and other low
wet swampy vegetation Its trunk is slender up to 15 centimeters in diameter ringed
3
middotn
to
tire
lity
the
lis
the
urn
the
ee
ith
ow
ged
with old leaf scars with up to 50 densely anned with scattered slender black spines
that are about 5 to 10 centimeters long crown shaft are conspicuous and anned with
slender black spines Fronds are feather-shaped ascending to spreading pendulous
elegantly-arched armed and dark to bright green Inflorescences are ramified (multishy
branched) and yellow up to 80 centimeters long infrafoliar (emerging from below the
fronds) and anned Its flowers are arranged in groups of 3 (2 male flowers to 1 female
flower) Its fruits are globose 1 centimeters in diameter mildly-depressed purple to
black and single-seeded (Ridley 2012) Oncosperma tigillariums common name is
Nibong palm in English or simply Nibong in Malay Oncosperma tigillarium may
prove to be a breakthrough in the search for new fast-growing timbers for construction
purposes It is available in abundance in the forests of Sarawak and can also be
exploited for plantation of softwood timber and harvested for construction purposes
Strength properties at small clear will be tested for this tree species
Figure 13 Oncosperma Tigillarium (Ridley 1864)
13 Aims and Objectives
In this research report the timber with the scientific name Oncosperma
tigillarium or better known for its common name in Malaysia Nibong is one of the
4
Pusat Khidmlt Maddumlt Akademik UNlVERSrrl MAlAYSIA SARAW
fast-growing timber available in the forests of Malaysia and also Indonesia where it is
said to originate (Ridley 2012)
The main aim in this project is to investigate and acquire the information on the
relationship of distribution patterns of strength and physical properties with small clear
sample sizes of the Oncosperma tigillarium timber
Objective
1 To determine the strength and physical properties at air-dry conditions of
Oncosperma tigillarium
2 To understand the relationship between the variation of strength from pith to
sapwood of Oncosperma tigillarium and
3 To identify the distribution pattern of strength and physical properties with
Oncosperma tigillarium
14 Scope of Work
A series of study and laboratory tests are required to be done in order to achieve
the aim and objective In order to accomplish this certain scopes of study of work shall
be done so that the whole laboratory procedures can be run at a more systematic way
The test will be conducted by using 20 x 20mm (A) x 300mm (L) and 20 x 20mm (A) x
60mm (L) small clear size sample Laboratory tests will be carried out to determine the
strength and physical properties of Oncosperma tigillarium at air-dry conditions The
types of laboratory tests to be carried out are as in the table below
Table 11 Laboratory tests for strength and physical properties of timber
No Laboratory Test
Static bending test
2 Compression test
3 Moisture content test
4 Basic density test
5 Hardness test
5
is
of
to
th
lYe
~Il
y
u
~e
he
The sample of Oncosperma tigillarium to be used in this research study was
collected in the wetland forest areas within the UNIMAS vicinity The sample
collection and sample preparation procedure are discussed more elaborately in Chapter
3 This research implements the standards from BS 373 1957 Methods for Testing
Small Clear Specimens of Timber
15 Chapter Outline
This report consists of five chapters Chapter one will focus on the importance of
timber and the role and contribution of timber in the construction industry Chapter one
shall also cover the problem statement aim and objective scope of works and chapter
outline
Chapter two consists of the literature review regarding this project This chapter
explains about the test that is listed under scope of works for further improvement
Chapter three covers the methodology where it elaborates on the methods used
in this research mainly sample collection and preparation
Chapter four is results and discussion this chapter shall convey the results
gathered from the series of laboratory tests and the discussions regarding the findings
Chapter five is conclusion and recommendation this chapter explains about the
conclusion of this research and recommendation on this research for further
improvement
6
CHAPTER 2
LITERA TURE REVIEW
21 General
Due to its heterogeneity and species diversity timber is a complex building
material Timber does not have consistent predictable reproducible and uniform
properties as the properties vary with species age site and environmental conditions
(Ahamada Zziwa Yasin Naku Ziraba amp Mwakali 2009) The demand for quality
timber for construction will increase in Malaysia and other developing countries due to
a boom in the building construction industry With extreme exploitation and scarcity of
traditional hardwood timber species such as chengal (Neobaanocarpus heimii) and
meranti (Shorea spp) there is a diversity of previously unpopular species on the
market Zziwa etal (2009) revealed that there are 48 timber species on market and
despite the big number consumers prefer only 20 The durability integrity and safety
of structures from such species cannot be assured Reliable structural use of timber has
always been hampered by lack of appropriate design codes and well-established
standards
Timber is one of the oldest construction materials used In Malaysia timber used
to be the main materials used to build houses especially traditional Malay houses
Examples of landmark timber structures in Malaysia are Istana Lama which was built in
1902 Istana Kenangan Perak which was built in 1960 and lastly Kampung Laut Mosque
which is over 300 years old Until today timber has been the preferable material used
for the construction of residential areas in European countries and North America
(Ahmad 2011)
Why should we build with timber For one timber is a renewable resource
According to Ahmad (2011) the growth rate of commercial forests in North America is
7
middotn
to
tire
lity
the
lis
the
urn
the
ee
ith
ow
ged
with old leaf scars with up to 50 densely anned with scattered slender black spines
that are about 5 to 10 centimeters long crown shaft are conspicuous and anned with
slender black spines Fronds are feather-shaped ascending to spreading pendulous
elegantly-arched armed and dark to bright green Inflorescences are ramified (multishy
branched) and yellow up to 80 centimeters long infrafoliar (emerging from below the
fronds) and anned Its flowers are arranged in groups of 3 (2 male flowers to 1 female
flower) Its fruits are globose 1 centimeters in diameter mildly-depressed purple to
black and single-seeded (Ridley 2012) Oncosperma tigillariums common name is
Nibong palm in English or simply Nibong in Malay Oncosperma tigillarium may
prove to be a breakthrough in the search for new fast-growing timbers for construction
purposes It is available in abundance in the forests of Sarawak and can also be
exploited for plantation of softwood timber and harvested for construction purposes
Strength properties at small clear will be tested for this tree species
Figure 13 Oncosperma Tigillarium (Ridley 1864)
13 Aims and Objectives
In this research report the timber with the scientific name Oncosperma
tigillarium or better known for its common name in Malaysia Nibong is one of the
4
Pusat Khidmlt Maddumlt Akademik UNlVERSrrl MAlAYSIA SARAW
fast-growing timber available in the forests of Malaysia and also Indonesia where it is
said to originate (Ridley 2012)
The main aim in this project is to investigate and acquire the information on the
relationship of distribution patterns of strength and physical properties with small clear
sample sizes of the Oncosperma tigillarium timber
Objective
1 To determine the strength and physical properties at air-dry conditions of
Oncosperma tigillarium
2 To understand the relationship between the variation of strength from pith to
sapwood of Oncosperma tigillarium and
3 To identify the distribution pattern of strength and physical properties with
Oncosperma tigillarium
14 Scope of Work
A series of study and laboratory tests are required to be done in order to achieve
the aim and objective In order to accomplish this certain scopes of study of work shall
be done so that the whole laboratory procedures can be run at a more systematic way
The test will be conducted by using 20 x 20mm (A) x 300mm (L) and 20 x 20mm (A) x
60mm (L) small clear size sample Laboratory tests will be carried out to determine the
strength and physical properties of Oncosperma tigillarium at air-dry conditions The
types of laboratory tests to be carried out are as in the table below
Table 11 Laboratory tests for strength and physical properties of timber
No Laboratory Test
Static bending test
2 Compression test
3 Moisture content test
4 Basic density test
5 Hardness test
5
is
of
to
th
lYe
~Il
y
u
~e
he
The sample of Oncosperma tigillarium to be used in this research study was
collected in the wetland forest areas within the UNIMAS vicinity The sample
collection and sample preparation procedure are discussed more elaborately in Chapter
3 This research implements the standards from BS 373 1957 Methods for Testing
Small Clear Specimens of Timber
15 Chapter Outline
This report consists of five chapters Chapter one will focus on the importance of
timber and the role and contribution of timber in the construction industry Chapter one
shall also cover the problem statement aim and objective scope of works and chapter
outline
Chapter two consists of the literature review regarding this project This chapter
explains about the test that is listed under scope of works for further improvement
Chapter three covers the methodology where it elaborates on the methods used
in this research mainly sample collection and preparation
Chapter four is results and discussion this chapter shall convey the results
gathered from the series of laboratory tests and the discussions regarding the findings
Chapter five is conclusion and recommendation this chapter explains about the
conclusion of this research and recommendation on this research for further
improvement
6
CHAPTER 2
LITERA TURE REVIEW
21 General
Due to its heterogeneity and species diversity timber is a complex building
material Timber does not have consistent predictable reproducible and uniform
properties as the properties vary with species age site and environmental conditions
(Ahamada Zziwa Yasin Naku Ziraba amp Mwakali 2009) The demand for quality
timber for construction will increase in Malaysia and other developing countries due to
a boom in the building construction industry With extreme exploitation and scarcity of
traditional hardwood timber species such as chengal (Neobaanocarpus heimii) and
meranti (Shorea spp) there is a diversity of previously unpopular species on the
market Zziwa etal (2009) revealed that there are 48 timber species on market and
despite the big number consumers prefer only 20 The durability integrity and safety
of structures from such species cannot be assured Reliable structural use of timber has
always been hampered by lack of appropriate design codes and well-established
standards
Timber is one of the oldest construction materials used In Malaysia timber used
to be the main materials used to build houses especially traditional Malay houses
Examples of landmark timber structures in Malaysia are Istana Lama which was built in
1902 Istana Kenangan Perak which was built in 1960 and lastly Kampung Laut Mosque
which is over 300 years old Until today timber has been the preferable material used
for the construction of residential areas in European countries and North America
(Ahmad 2011)
Why should we build with timber For one timber is a renewable resource
According to Ahmad (2011) the growth rate of commercial forests in North America is
7
Pusat Khidmlt Maddumlt Akademik UNlVERSrrl MAlAYSIA SARAW
fast-growing timber available in the forests of Malaysia and also Indonesia where it is
said to originate (Ridley 2012)
The main aim in this project is to investigate and acquire the information on the
relationship of distribution patterns of strength and physical properties with small clear
sample sizes of the Oncosperma tigillarium timber
Objective
1 To determine the strength and physical properties at air-dry conditions of
Oncosperma tigillarium
2 To understand the relationship between the variation of strength from pith to
sapwood of Oncosperma tigillarium and
3 To identify the distribution pattern of strength and physical properties with
Oncosperma tigillarium
14 Scope of Work
A series of study and laboratory tests are required to be done in order to achieve
the aim and objective In order to accomplish this certain scopes of study of work shall
be done so that the whole laboratory procedures can be run at a more systematic way
The test will be conducted by using 20 x 20mm (A) x 300mm (L) and 20 x 20mm (A) x
60mm (L) small clear size sample Laboratory tests will be carried out to determine the
strength and physical properties of Oncosperma tigillarium at air-dry conditions The
types of laboratory tests to be carried out are as in the table below
Table 11 Laboratory tests for strength and physical properties of timber
No Laboratory Test
Static bending test
2 Compression test
3 Moisture content test
4 Basic density test
5 Hardness test
5
is
of
to
th
lYe
~Il
y
u
~e
he
The sample of Oncosperma tigillarium to be used in this research study was
collected in the wetland forest areas within the UNIMAS vicinity The sample
collection and sample preparation procedure are discussed more elaborately in Chapter
3 This research implements the standards from BS 373 1957 Methods for Testing
Small Clear Specimens of Timber
15 Chapter Outline
This report consists of five chapters Chapter one will focus on the importance of
timber and the role and contribution of timber in the construction industry Chapter one
shall also cover the problem statement aim and objective scope of works and chapter
outline
Chapter two consists of the literature review regarding this project This chapter
explains about the test that is listed under scope of works for further improvement
Chapter three covers the methodology where it elaborates on the methods used
in this research mainly sample collection and preparation
Chapter four is results and discussion this chapter shall convey the results
gathered from the series of laboratory tests and the discussions regarding the findings
Chapter five is conclusion and recommendation this chapter explains about the
conclusion of this research and recommendation on this research for further
improvement
6
CHAPTER 2
LITERA TURE REVIEW
21 General
Due to its heterogeneity and species diversity timber is a complex building
material Timber does not have consistent predictable reproducible and uniform
properties as the properties vary with species age site and environmental conditions
(Ahamada Zziwa Yasin Naku Ziraba amp Mwakali 2009) The demand for quality
timber for construction will increase in Malaysia and other developing countries due to
a boom in the building construction industry With extreme exploitation and scarcity of
traditional hardwood timber species such as chengal (Neobaanocarpus heimii) and
meranti (Shorea spp) there is a diversity of previously unpopular species on the
market Zziwa etal (2009) revealed that there are 48 timber species on market and
despite the big number consumers prefer only 20 The durability integrity and safety
of structures from such species cannot be assured Reliable structural use of timber has
always been hampered by lack of appropriate design codes and well-established
standards
Timber is one of the oldest construction materials used In Malaysia timber used
to be the main materials used to build houses especially traditional Malay houses
Examples of landmark timber structures in Malaysia are Istana Lama which was built in
1902 Istana Kenangan Perak which was built in 1960 and lastly Kampung Laut Mosque
which is over 300 years old Until today timber has been the preferable material used
for the construction of residential areas in European countries and North America
(Ahmad 2011)
Why should we build with timber For one timber is a renewable resource
According to Ahmad (2011) the growth rate of commercial forests in North America is
7
is
of
to
th
lYe
~Il
y
u
~e
he
The sample of Oncosperma tigillarium to be used in this research study was
collected in the wetland forest areas within the UNIMAS vicinity The sample
collection and sample preparation procedure are discussed more elaborately in Chapter
3 This research implements the standards from BS 373 1957 Methods for Testing
Small Clear Specimens of Timber
15 Chapter Outline
This report consists of five chapters Chapter one will focus on the importance of
timber and the role and contribution of timber in the construction industry Chapter one
shall also cover the problem statement aim and objective scope of works and chapter
outline
Chapter two consists of the literature review regarding this project This chapter
explains about the test that is listed under scope of works for further improvement
Chapter three covers the methodology where it elaborates on the methods used
in this research mainly sample collection and preparation
Chapter four is results and discussion this chapter shall convey the results
gathered from the series of laboratory tests and the discussions regarding the findings
Chapter five is conclusion and recommendation this chapter explains about the
conclusion of this research and recommendation on this research for further
improvement
6
CHAPTER 2
LITERA TURE REVIEW
21 General
Due to its heterogeneity and species diversity timber is a complex building
material Timber does not have consistent predictable reproducible and uniform
properties as the properties vary with species age site and environmental conditions
(Ahamada Zziwa Yasin Naku Ziraba amp Mwakali 2009) The demand for quality
timber for construction will increase in Malaysia and other developing countries due to
a boom in the building construction industry With extreme exploitation and scarcity of
traditional hardwood timber species such as chengal (Neobaanocarpus heimii) and
meranti (Shorea spp) there is a diversity of previously unpopular species on the
market Zziwa etal (2009) revealed that there are 48 timber species on market and
despite the big number consumers prefer only 20 The durability integrity and safety
of structures from such species cannot be assured Reliable structural use of timber has
always been hampered by lack of appropriate design codes and well-established
standards
Timber is one of the oldest construction materials used In Malaysia timber used
to be the main materials used to build houses especially traditional Malay houses
Examples of landmark timber structures in Malaysia are Istana Lama which was built in
1902 Istana Kenangan Perak which was built in 1960 and lastly Kampung Laut Mosque
which is over 300 years old Until today timber has been the preferable material used
for the construction of residential areas in European countries and North America
(Ahmad 2011)
Why should we build with timber For one timber is a renewable resource
According to Ahmad (2011) the growth rate of commercial forests in North America is
7
CHAPTER 2
LITERA TURE REVIEW
21 General
Due to its heterogeneity and species diversity timber is a complex building
material Timber does not have consistent predictable reproducible and uniform
properties as the properties vary with species age site and environmental conditions
(Ahamada Zziwa Yasin Naku Ziraba amp Mwakali 2009) The demand for quality
timber for construction will increase in Malaysia and other developing countries due to
a boom in the building construction industry With extreme exploitation and scarcity of
traditional hardwood timber species such as chengal (Neobaanocarpus heimii) and
meranti (Shorea spp) there is a diversity of previously unpopular species on the
market Zziwa etal (2009) revealed that there are 48 timber species on market and
despite the big number consumers prefer only 20 The durability integrity and safety
of structures from such species cannot be assured Reliable structural use of timber has
always been hampered by lack of appropriate design codes and well-established
standards
Timber is one of the oldest construction materials used In Malaysia timber used
to be the main materials used to build houses especially traditional Malay houses
Examples of landmark timber structures in Malaysia are Istana Lama which was built in
1902 Istana Kenangan Perak which was built in 1960 and lastly Kampung Laut Mosque
which is over 300 years old Until today timber has been the preferable material used
for the construction of residential areas in European countries and North America
(Ahmad 2011)
Why should we build with timber For one timber is a renewable resource
According to Ahmad (2011) the growth rate of commercial forests in North America is
7