EXPERIMENTAL TESTS OF RED MERANTI (SHOREA SPP.) DOWEL BEARING STRENGTH AT AN ANGLE TO THE GRAIN

The angle to the grain has a significant influence on timber bearing strength. As the grain angle increases the bearing strength decreases. The aim of this research was to obtain the dowel bearing strength of the red meranti (Shorea spp.) timber at an angle to the grain. The scope of this research was as follows the specimens were made according to ASTM D143, the grain angle ranged from 0° to 12°, and the dowel bearing tests were displacement controlled in accordance with ASTM D5764. Results of this research was an empirical equation of dowel bearing strength (in MPa) in terms of an angle to grain θ (in degrees) namely Fe = 32.74 - 4.701θ + 0.2064θ2. The importance of studying the influence of the grain angle to the dowel bearing strength for timber connection design is because the direction of the timber grain is not perfectly 0°.