Demonstration of Improper Notching Failure

What happens here

Observe a practical demonstration of how improper notching affects a joist's strength. A small piece of dimensional lumber, mimicking a joist, is set up with a deep notch cut into its bottom edge at the center. This joist is then subjected to a downward force using a hydraulic jack system (specifically, a hydraulic pump connected to a jack) and a pressure gauge to measure the applied load. As the load is applied, the joist with the bottom notch quickly fails and breaks, visually demonstrating its severely compromised strength. The failure occurs at a much lower load than an unmodified joist would withstand, proving the critical impact of improper notching.

Goal: Visually confirm the catastrophic impact of improper joist notching, especially at the bottom.