Damage assessment and residual service life estimation of cracked timber beams

Service life modelling of cracked timber beams can be performed using modified damage accumulation models that describe the combined effect of long term loads (mechanical) and biological or physical wood degradation. The combined model allows for the estimation of residual service life and an analysis of crack development. The model can also be used to analyse safety factors that may need to be applied. Also, a sensitivity analysis can be performed for future risks. It is shown that the failure risk is very sensitive to the level of the applied loads, similar to time to failure analysis of non-degraded timber. Failure in timber structures occurs within a very short time frame. A practical case of cracked glulam beams is included in the paper.