Construction and performance of a 1:2 scale timber structure under standardized load tests

Abstract

Timber’s growing prominence in both new construction and heritage rehabilitation demands reliable methods to evaluate structural safety. However, most current load-testing protocols target concrete and overlook key timber-specific characteristics such as creep, delayed deflection, and service classes. This study addresses these gaps by investigating a 1:2 scale two-story timber prototype subjected to monotonic (UNE-EN 380) and cyclic (DAfStb) load tests. A comprehensive array of sensors captured time-dependent deflections and post-unloading recovery, revealing pronounced creep effects and highlighting the limits of existing standards to account for timber’s long-term deformation. Although cyclic tests can be completed more quickly, they do not adequately track delayed deflection behaviour crucial to timber structures; by contrast, the sustained-load protocols demanded by monotonic tests provide meaningful insights into creep and sostenibility considerations (such as water usage). These findings underscore the need to develop updated, consensus-based load-testing guidelines that better reflect timber’s unique mechanical response. Such standards would enable more accurate assessments of timber floors, roofs, and frames in both historic and contemporary contexts.