Load Testing on Timber Structures

Video of destructive test on 90 x 45 timber.

Collins Corp Ltd had tests carried out by MTL on 90mm x 45mm timber members with roof anchors attached to find out the type of loading that can be achieved on timber with only minimal strengthening.
We used a standard truss member 90mm x 45mm x 2 meters long with a secondary member nailed to the side. All nailing was to the NZ building code: NZS 3604 which covers Timber Framed Buildings.
The timber failed at 7.8kN which is 780kgs as seen in the video below.
The requirements for single point anchorages as set out in the AS/NZS 1891.4:2000 Table 3.1 is 15kN which is 1.5ton.
As shown in our video 15kN can not be achieved by attaching an anchor device to a single or double timber member only.

Tested by: Jim Saunders / Senior Mechanical Technician of MTL



To comply with the AS/NZS 1891 .4 : 2000 Standards covering Anchor Points in buildings, a system has been designed by us to enable a standard 90 x 45 framed roof truss to withstand the 15kN loading required. The 90 x 45 timber commonly used for the manufacture of roof trusses was randomly selected prior to the manufacture of the truss.

Safetor Roof Anchor / "Exposed Anchor with Web Truss, Serial No. 01684
Required force Kilonewtons - 15 kN. Applied force 15 kN, load held 5 minutes, no deflection of truss observed and no failure observed.