The Potential of Gmelina as new Material for the Design and Construction of Timber Structures

This work is an extensive and systematic study on the potentials of Gmelina arborea from southwestern Nigeria as a construction material. The fundamental motivation of the study is to investigate whether timber from the large available Gmelina plantations in Nigeria can be used to mediate the need for more housing units currently facing the country due its current growing population, and to introduce the local populace to an alternative construction material that is both sustainable, and environmentally. The thesis is written in nine chapters with each chapter, building on the knowledge of the previous one. Although the chapters can be studied independently in any order, a progressive study of the text is recommended to enable a consistent build-up of the central idea of the study.