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CSA O86-14 Wood Beam Calculator
Wood or timber is a popular material used by engineers for beams, columns, and other structural engineering members due to its lightweight nature, cost-effective and eco-friendly, renewable resource advantages. The SkyCiv Canadian Wood Design Software is designed to aid structural engineers in their wood or timber design calculations. This tool is based on the CSA O86-14: Engineering Design in Wood standard.
The Canadian timber beam design calculator includes the following structural engineering checks:
- Strong-axis beam flexural resistance.
- Weak-axis beam flexural resistance.
- Beam shear resistance.
- Strong-axis column compressive resistance.
- Weak-axis column compressive resistance.
- Compressive and flexural interaction resistance.
- Beam tensile resistance.
- Tensile and flexural interaction resistance.
The software supports timber types including sawn and light framing, machine stress rated and machine evaluated lumber. Timber species avalible in the software include Northern spices, Spruce Pine fir, Hem fir and Douglus fir.
Contents
About this CSA O86-14 Wood Beam Calculator
Canadian wood categories
The CSA O86-14 standard divides all structural wood sections into categories according to dimensions and usage. The following table shows the categories and which table should be referred to for material properties.
| Grade Category | Reference |
|---|---|
| Structural Light Framing | Table 6.3.1A |
| Structural Joists and Planks | Table 6.3.1A |
| Stud | Table 6.3.1A |
| Light Framing | Table 6.3.1B |
| Beam and Stringer | Table 6.3.1C |
| Post and Timber | Table 6.3.1D |
| Machine Stress Rated (MSR) | Table 6.3.2 |
| Machine Evaluated Lumber (MEL) | Table 6.3.3 |
Canadian wood species groups
All four Canadian wood species from the CSA-O86-14 standard are included. Note that the NLGA Standard Grading Rules for Canadian Lumber contains many species designations that are not shown in this list. If the species can be identified, however, it can be possible to group it in one of the species combinations for the purpose of assigning specific strengths. Please consult a local engineer if you are not unfamiliar with a specific species and how to group it.
- Douglas Fir and Western Larch (D-Fir-L)
- Pacific Coast Hemlock and Amabilis Fir (H-Fir)
- Spruce, Jack Pine, Lodgepole Pine, Balsam Fir, Alpine Fir (S-P-F)
- Any other Canadian species graded in accordance with the NLGA rules (North Species)
Canadian timber material properties
In CSA-O86-14, multiple grades are included that are given either by visually inspecting according to NLGA rules (see NLGA – Standard Grading Rules for Canadian Lumber for more information) or by machine rating. These grades include:
Visually Graded Lumber in Accordance with NLGA Rules
Machine Stress Rated Grades (MSR)
Machine Evaluated Timber Grades (MEL)
Canadian wood species groups
Material properties are taken from CSA O86-14 tables (Table 6.3.1A, Table 6.3.1B, Table 6.3.1C, Table 6.3.2, Table 6.3.3) and include:
Bending at extreme fiber strength
Longitudinal shear strength
Parallel to grain compressive strength
Tension parallel to grain
Modulus of Elasticity (E)
Reduced modulus of elasticity
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About SkyCiv
SkyCiv offers a wide range of Cloud Structural Analysis and Design Software for engineers. As a constantly evolving tech company, we’re committed to innovating and challenging existing workflows to save engineers time in their work processes and designs.
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