Modelling of bending creep of low- and high-temperature-dried spruce timber

In the current project, a finite element model is developed to analyse the long-term behaviour of timber beams. The time-dependent response of wood subjected to bending and moisture changes is investigated in terms of strains and stresses. A rheological model is implemented to capture the effects of creep, mechano-sorption and hygroexpansion. The model is validated against test results from Bengtsson and Kliger (Holzforschung 57:95–100, 2003). The results of the analysis showed that the mechano-sorptive creep of low- (LT) and high-temperature-dried (HT) timber beams can be sufficiently modelled with a spring and a single Kelvin body. The different mechano-sorptive behaviour of LT- and HT-dried specimens is considered with different mechano-sorptive and shrinkage–swelling parameters. The presented model could be used to derive general mechano-sorptive parameters: (1) for better prediction of creep over the service life and (2) to provide a basis of time-dependent probabilistic calculations for structural-sized timber in serviceability limit state.