A general bearing deformation model for timber : compression perpendicular to grain

This study focuses on a new and unique model to determine the elastic bearing deformation of structural timber. Available models that aim to predict the deformation are usually limited in their application. The performance of a simple model is compared to three other models, all being evaluated using experimental test data for the wood species Norway Spruce, Poplar, Beech, Cumaru and Akki and covering eight different load cases. The results show a simple model to have the best performance in deformation prediction and so is a potential candidate for introduction in updated structural timber design codes.