Table of Contents

RUSSIA

Timber log building

1. General Information

Timber log buildingReport #: 56

Report Date:

Country: RUSSIA

Housing Type:

Housing Sub-Type:

Author(s): Mark Klyachko, Andrey Benin, Janna Bagdanova

Last Updated:

Regions Where Found: Buildings of this construction type can be found in seismically prone areas of Russia (Far East, Siberia, Baikal Lake Region, North Caucasus) where this construction type covers 5 to100% of the housing stock. This type of housing construction is commonly found in rural areas.

Summary: This is a rural housing construction practice widespread in the Russian forests. Buildings of this type are common for seismically prone areas of Russia (Far East, Siberia, Baikal Lake Region, North Caucasus). The load-bearing structure is made of wood. Walls are made of horizontal sawn timber logs of square or circular cross section with special end joints (similar to dovetail joints). Buildings have timber roof and fieldstone or concrete strip foundation. Typical seria 146-115-77 cm of #Giprolesprom# for seismic regions is an example of this building type. Seismic performance of these buildings is good, provided the quality of construction is adequate.

Length of time practiced: More than 200 years

Still Practiced: Yes

In practice as of:

Building Occupancy: Residential, 2 units

Typical number of stories: 1-2

Terrain-Flat: Typically

Terrain-Sloped: 3

Comments:

This is a traditional construction practice in the region followed for many centuries. The main function of this building typol

Timber log building

Timber log building

Timber log building

Timber log building

Timber log building


2. Features

Plan Shape: Rectangular, solid

Additional comments on plan shape:

Typical plan length (meters): 14.4

Typical plan width (meters): 6.6-9.9

Typical story height (meters): 2.7

Type of Structural System: Wooden Structure: Load-bearing Timber Frame: Wooden panel walls

Additional comments on structural system: The load-bearing structure is made of wood. Walls are made of horizontal square sawn timber logs with special end joints (similar to dovetail joints), as illustrated in Figure 9. Vertical wall elevation is shown on Figure 8. Buildings have timber roof and fieldstone or concrete strip foundation.

Gravity load-bearing & lateral load-resisting systems:

Typical wall densities in direction 1: 10-15%

Typical wall densities in direction 2: 10-15%

Additional comments on typical wall densities: The typical structural wall density is up to 10 %. 8-12%.

Wall Openings: Windows: 10-15%; Doors: 5-8%.

Is it typical for buildings of this type to have common walls with adjacent buildings?: No

Modifications of buildings: Building modifications are not common.

Type of Foundation: Shallow Foundation: Rubble stone, fieldstone strip footingShallow Foundation: Reinforced concrete strip footing

Additional comments on foundation: Isolated footings are common in some cases.

Type of Floor System: Other floor system

Additional comments on floor system: Wood planks or beams with ballast and concrete or plaster finishing; Wood planks or beams that support slate, metal, asbestos-cement or plastic corrugated sheets or tiles; Wood planks or beams that support slate, metal asbestos-cement or plastic corrugated sheets or tiles.

Type of Roof System: Roof system, other

Additional comments on roof system: Wood planks or beams supporting natural stones slates; Wood planks or beams that support slate, metal, asbestos-cement or plastic corrugated sheets or tiles; Wood planks or beams that support slate, metal, asbestos-cement or plastic corrugated sheets or tiles.

Additional comments section 2: When separated from adjacent buildings, the typical distance from a neighboring building is 10 meters.

Timber log building


3. Buildings Process

Description of Building Materials

Structural Element Building Material (s) Comment (s)
Wall/Frame wooden (larch) spars wooden (larch) logs 800 Kg/sq cm (ultimate strength) Typical log diameter is 150-200 mm
Foundations Concrete 10 MPa (cube compressive strength)
Floors wooden beams (larch) 800 Kg/sq cm (ultimate strength
Roof wooden beams (larch) 800 Kg/sq cm (ultimate strength
Other

Design Process

Who is involved with the design process?: EngineerArchitect

Roles of those involved in the design process: Special design by Professional Engineers and architects (for typical projects and design applications);

Expertise of those involved in the design process: Design expertise related to this construction type buildings is available, including the construction quality procedure developed by the author of this contribution.


Construction Process

Who typically builds this construction type?: Contractor

Roles of those involved in the building process: This construction type is typically built by contractors.

Expertise of those involved in building process:

Construction process and phasing: Simple carpentry tools are used in the construction. The construction of this type of housing takes place in a single phase. Typically, the building is originally designed for its final constructed size.

Construction issues


Building Codes and Standards

Is this construction type address by codes/standards?: Yes

Applicable codes or standards: Wood construction. Building code., Building Catalog of Typical Project for Housing, Vol.1, Part 2, div.1, #14, Seria 115, 1957y;

SNiP II-7-81. Building in Seismic Regions. Design code (1981)

Process for building code enforcement: The process consists of issuing permits for the design & construction, including the architectural permits and urban planning/municipal permits. Designers need to have licence to practice and are responsible to follow the building codes. Building inspection is performed and the permit is issued.


Building Permits and Development Control Rules

Are building permits required?: Yes

Is this typically informal construction?: No

Is this construction typically authorized as per development control rules?: Yes

Additional comments on building permits and development control rules:


Building Maintenance and Condition

Typical problems associated with this type of construction: -Fire-resistance; -Walls need to be joined together by means of vertical steel bars, -Walls need to be anchored into the foundation; -Vertical clenching (vising) members need to be provided in walls for two-story buildings.

Who typically maintains buildings of this type?: Owner(s)

Additional comments on maintenance and building condition: The maintenance is performed either by the owner (city) or (periodically) by a contractor # a maintenance firm.


Construction Economics

Unit construction cost: 140 rub/m.sq. (50-100$US/m.sq.)-official rate

Labor requirements: 50-70 person-days per building.

Additional comments section 3:

Timber log building

Timber log building


4. Socio-Economic Issues


5. Earthquakes

Past Earthquakes in the country which affected buildings of this type

Year Earthquake Epicenter Richter Magnitude Maximum Intensity
1958 Kamchatka,Kronotsky Gulf 8 9 (MSK)

Past Earthquakes

Damage patterns observed in past earthquakes for this construction type: Some buildings of this type were damaged in the 1958 Kamchatka earthquake.


Structural and Architectural Features for Seismic Resistance

The main reference publication used in developing the statements used in this table is FEMA 310 Handbook for the Seismic Evaluation of Buildings-A Pre-standard, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington, D.C., 1998.

The total width of door and window openings in a wall is: For brick masonry construction in cement mortar : less than ½ of the distance between the adjacent cross walls; For adobe masonry, stone masonry and brick masonry in mud mortar: less than 1/3 of the distance between the adjacent cross walls; For precast concrete wall structures: less than 3/4 of the length of a perimeter wall.

Structural/Architectural Feature Statement Seismic Resistance
Lateral load path The structure contains a complete load path for seismic force effects from any horizontal direction that serves to transfer inertial forces from the building to the foundation. FALSE
Building Configuration-Vertical The building is regular with regards to the elevation. (Specify in 5.4.1) TRUE
Building Configuration-Horizontal The building is regular with regards to the plan. (Specify in 5.4.2) TRUE
Roof Construction The roof diaphragm is considered to be rigid and it is expected that the roof structure will maintain its integrity, i.e. shape and form, during an earthquake of intensity expected in this area. FALSE
Floor Construction The floor diaphragm(s) are considered to be rigid and it is expected that the floor structure(s) will maintain its integrity during an earthquake of intensity expected in this area. TRUE
Foundation Performance There is no evidence of excessive foundation movement (e.g. settlement) that would affect the integrity or performance of the structure in an earthquake.TRUE
Wall and Frame Structures-Redundancy The number of lines of walls or frames in each principal direction is greater than or equal to 2.TRUE
Wall Proportions Height-to-thickness ratio of the shear walls at each floor level is: Less than 25 (concrete walls); Less than 30 (reinforced masonry walls); Less than 13 (unreinforced masonry walls);N/A
Foundation-Wall Connection Vertical load-bearing elements (columns, walls) are attached to the foundations; concrete columns and walls are doweled into the foundation.FALSE
Wall-Roof Connections Exterior walls are anchored for out-of-plane seismic effects at each diaphragm level with metal anchors or straps.TRUE
Wall Openings N/A
Quality of Building Materials Quality of building materials is considered to be adequate per the requirements of national codes and standards (an estimate).TRUE
Quality of Workmanship Quality of workmanship (based on visual inspection of a few typical buildings) is considered to be good (per local construction standards).FALSE
Maintenance Buildings of this type are generally well maintained and there are no visible signs of deterioration of building elements (concrete, steel, timber).FALSE

Vertical irregularities typically found in this construction type: Other

Horizontal irregularities typically found in this construction type: Other

Seismic deficiency in walls: Poor log connections; Inadequate wall-foundation connections.

Seismic deficiency in frames: Frames not provided around openings (doors, windows)

Seismic deficiency in roof and floors: Poor roof connections (ceiling, tie-beams).


Seismic Vulnerability Rating

For information about how seismic vulnerability ratings were selected see the Seismic Vulnerability Guidelines

High vulnerabilty Medium vulnerability Low vulnerability
A B C D E F
Seismic vulnerability class o -/

Timber log building

Timber log building


6. Retrofit Information

Description of Seismic Strengthening Provisions

Structural Deficiency Seismic Strengthening
Walls - Installation of vertical clenching members in the walls for two-story buildings; - Connecting wood logs using vertical steel bars - Installation of the frames around the openings
Wall- Foundation connection #NAME?

Has seismic strengthening described in the above table been performed?: No. In general, it is considered that seismic strengthening for this construction is not feasible.

Was the work done as a mitigation effort on an undamaged building or as a repair following earthquake damages?: N/A

Was the construction inspected in the same manner as new construction?: N/A

Who performed the construction: a contractor or owner/user? Was an architect or engineer involved?: N/A

What has been the performance of retrofitted buildings of this type in subsequent earthquakes?: N/A

7. References

Manual on Certification of Buildings and Structures in the Seismic-Prone Areas, Second Edition, CENDR, Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka, Russia, 1990.


Building Catalog of Typical Housing Projects, Vol.1, Part 2, Div.1, Seria 115, #14, 1984.


Authors

Name Title Affiliation Location Email
Mark Klyachko Dr./Director Centre on EQE&NDR, (CENDR) 9 Pobeda Ave., Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka 683006 Russia cendr@svyaz.kamchatka.su or cendr@peterlink.ru
Andrey Benin Senior researcher Centre on EQE&NDR, (CENDR) 9 Pobeda Ave., Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka 683006 Russia cendr@svyaz.kamchatka.su or cendr@peterlink.ru
Janna Bagdanova Senior researcher Centre on EQE&NDR, (CENDR) 9 Pobeda Ave., Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka 683006 Russia cendr@svyaz.kamchatka.su or cendr@peterlink.ru

Reviewers

Name Title Affiliation Location Email
Svetlana Uranova Head of the Laboratory KRSU Bishkek 720000, KYRGYZSTAN uransv@yahoo.com