ABSTRACT

This project contains a comprehensive research on the sustainability of timber as a building material. It consists of an extensive literature review comprising of the historical usage of timber in Nigeria, its qualities and properties, environmental impact and comparison to other building materials.

Tests including moisture content, specific gravity, compression, bending and tensile strength were performed on locally sourced timber specimens of which are; Oku, Ekki and Walnut. These test was done based on the British Standard code 373:1957. Proper fabrication of each specimen and testing based on standard procedures were done to give accurate results. The timber specimens were weighed and oven dried to determine its moisture content and specific gravity/density. Compression test was done with a compression machine on the various timber specimens, the bending test was done using dead loads and a hanger due to the unavailability of a universal testing machine and the tensile test was done with a universal material testing machine. The data from the various test properly recorded and analyzed. Results from the various laboratory tests were collated and comparison between the various specimens were done to determine their viability as probable building materials.

From the results Ekki has the highest tensile strength (150.83N/) and compressive strength (54.6N/), while Oku which has a higher bending strength (406.25N/) of the three timber specimens. Ekki being a hardwood would be the most desirable for heavy duty construction while Walnut would be better suited for lightweight construction and furniture making. It was recommended that proper treatments, standard testing and forestry regulations should be taken into consideration when using timber as a building material.