Load-bearing capacity of a 150x150 glulam column

[Pistol]

Hello,
I built a pergola two years ago but I'm not really satisfied with how it turned out, and I'm planning to rebuild it this spring. I've started sketching how it might look, but as usual, I'm concerned about its structural integrity.

I've tried using the strength calculations and calculation programs from Träguiden, but there's no option to select a 150x150 mm glue-laminated beam as a load-bearing element. What do you think of the pergola in the picture? Will the construction hold up?

The idea is to add a plexiglass roof on half of the roof as well.

Everything will be built with 150x150 glue-laminated beams.

 

[Lulaua]

Guaranteed to hold as a pergola, the part with the roof depends a bit on which snow zone you are building in.

 

[Pistol]

Definitely holds as a pergola, the part with the roof depends a bit on which snow zone you build in.

It is calculated snow zone 1.5, on the west coast.

 

[justusandersson]

Then you need to know some mechanics of materials. First, convert the moment of inertia for 115x115 using the formula b*h^3/12 to a known dimension. If you do that, you get, for example, 42x160 mm, which is slightly smaller than the smallest standard size 42x180.

 

[justusandersson]

I see that I calculated on 115x115 instead of 150x150 as TS intended. This may be because 150x150 is not a standard dimension, but for the sake of order, I will correct myself. 150x150 corresponds to 42x229 or 78x187. 140x140 and 160x160 exist as standard dimensions. How would half the area be covered with plexiglass?

 

[Pistol]

I see that I calculated on 115x115 instead of 150x150 which TS intended. That might be because 150x150 is not a standard dimension, but for the sake of order, I will correct myself. 150x150 corresponds to 42x229 or 78x187. 140x140 and 160x160 are available as standard dimensions. In what way would half the area be covered with plexiglass?

Thank you very much for the answer.
Part of the pergola is intended to be a "lounge," and over that we wanted plexiglass (or equivalent) to be able to sit under on days when it might drizzle or there is a shower.
We haven't quite decided yet; it might cover the entire area to push down the heat from any potential infrared heaters.

 

[justusandersson]

From a design perspective, I think it would look nice with lumber with a square cross-section. The problem is that the material is not utilized particularly efficiently in that way. On a covered part, 150x150 lumber works well as roof beams; however, it is too weak as a support beam at the front edge. You either need to add another post in the middle or increase the dimensions, for example, to 165x315.