Strength and stiffness of 8-inch deep mixed hardwood composite timber mats

There is a current and pressing need to develop engineering standards for timber- and other wood-based mats. In 2018 a group of mat producers and users began discussing a potential grading specification standard specific to mats. There are large gaps in the literature regarding the performance of the available raw materials as well as bolt-laminated mat systems. This work represents a novel attempt to begin to assess the mechanical properties of timber mats. Eight-inch deep mixed hardwood timbers were graded according to an experimental specification standard. Then, they were drilled and bolt laminated into 28 three-timber composite mats that were 24 inches (60.96 cm) in width. The bending stiffness (modulus of elasticity [MOE]) and strength (modulus of rupture [MOR]) performance were evaluated with a static bending test. The 5th percentile nonparametric tolerance limit (5% NTL) and design value for fiber stress in bending (Fb) were calculated. The nonparametric design value compared favorably with that of graded timbers, as described in the 2018 National Design Specification (NDS) for wood.