Erratum to: Experimental analysis of the response of fresh wood stems subjected to localized impact loading

Wood Science and Technology -     

Mechanical response of wood perpendicular to grain when subjected to changes of humidity

This paper describes the deformations caused by stress and humidity interaction, mechano-sorption, in the cross grain directions of wood and the relaxation or accumulation of internal stresses caused by these deformations. Long-term tests on small clear specimens in cyclic climates with both tensile and compressive loads were carried out. The development of internal stresses in timber was measured indirectly at different times during the adsorption and desorption processes. Released deformations were measured from cross-sections after cutting them to small slices. These deformations were used to estimate the internal stresses caused by the humidity variations. Tests with constant loads and multiple humidity cycles show a mechano-sorptive strain that is ten times higher than the elastic strain. It is shown that existing models for describing mechano-sorption perpendicular to grain are inaccurate when applied to multiple humidity cycles. The present results demonstrate that if the mechano-sorptive behaviour and the moisture gradients in wood can be accurately described, it is possible to predict the stress distribution in a timber cross-section by knowing the climate history.     

Micromechanics of wood subjected to axial tension

Summary The behaviour of a small group of wood fibers of Sitka spruce during tensile loading is investigated. The load-extension curves for both early and late wood fibers consist of three distinct segments. The first segment is almost a straight line, at some stage of loading a yield point is observed. Beyond this point the specimen becomes less stiff and undergoes a large, mainly irreversible deformation. As the load is increased further, the curve exhibits the third segment showed by a significant change in slope. These curves look different from those obtained on thick specimens. In this respect, the behaviour of a thin wood specimen subjected to cyclic type tensile loading along its longitudinal direction is also illustrated. Based on wood microstructure, a model is presented to interpret the evolution of the Young's modulus of a wood fiber during tensile loading. The model considers wood as an assembly of cylindrical fibers pasted together in a longitudinal direction. We have assumed the cell wall to comprise only an S₂ layer made of a composite material consisting of a lignin and hemicellulose matrix reinforced by helical microfibrils along the fiber. Furthermore, it is assumed that the microfibril angle a in the S₂ layer is not uniform along the fiber axis and matrix degradation occurs in the zones where the microfibril angles are bigger. The validity of this assumption is verified by using holographic interferometry to visualize the displacement field of the specimen's surface under tension.The work reported in this paper is supported by a grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation, and its support is gratefully acknowledged     

Dynamic behavior of wood strip over elastic underlayment composite flooring subjected to light impact loads

Summary The dynamic behavior of composites consisting of wood flooring strips placed over rubber sheeting was investigated. A light impact load was applied to the center of the strips and impact force, contact duration and contact area were measured. The energy transfer from the impacting mass to the composite was estimated by measuring the restitution coefficient. Frequency analysis was conducted in order to examine the vibration characteristics of the composites.This study was carried out at the Forest Products Laboratory, University of California at Berkeley while the first author was a visiting scholar supported by the Science and Technology Agency, Japan     

Microflora of sound-looking wood in Picea abies stems

Ascocoryne spp. (A. cylichnium and A. cf. sarcoides) were found in 48 % of 262 60-year-old Picea abies stems. They were isolated with increasing frequency towards the pith from the lower 2-3 m, more often from thicker than from thinner stems. Neobulgaria premnophila was present in 10 % of the stems, more evenly distributed, and with no difference in occurrence between thicker and thinner stems. Nectria fuckeliana was situated at random in 8 % of the trees.     

Shape stability of modified engineering wood product subjected to moisture variation

Abstract

A modified softwood product would enable the utilization of softwood in new areas. Densification is an old modification method to improve wood properties such as hardness and resistance to abrasion. A major problem with densified wood is, however, its ability to retain its original dimensions under the influence of moisture. Therefore, this study investigated the influence of surface to bottom layer thickness ratio on the shape stability of a modified and three-layered cross-laminated engineering wood product (EWP) subjected to moisture variations. The study describes a simple solid wood densification technique based on compressing a clear solid piece of softwood with vertical annual rings in the radial direction by restraining the tangential expansion. Three-layered cross-laminated EWP was manufactured with the densified wood as a surface layer. The recovery of the densified wood in the surface layer was then reduced to movements in the same level as the other two layers of unmodified wood. The EWP was subjected to climatic variations in order to investigate its shape stability. The results disclosed that an appreciable degree of shape stability was obtained by an increase in the surface to bottom layer thickness ratio of the EWP.     

An experimentally validated fatigue model for wood subjected to tension perpendicular to the grain

This study presents an experimental investigation of fatigue in wood subjected to tension perpendicular to the grain. The study has been designed with special reference to the influence of the frequency of loading. The investigation reveals an interaction between number of load oscillations and accumulated time under load to failure. This interaction corresponds to frequency dependent fatigue. Current models for damage accumulation and failure modelling are screened with respect to their ability to account for such “two-source” damage. The Damaged cracked viscoelastic material model proved to give a good basis.     

油松株内幼龄材与成熟材材性的比较研究

本文就中条山油松株内幼龄材与成熟材材性差异的比较研究,讨论对幼龄期划分的依据。根据木材解剖特征、物理力学性质的径向变异规律,确定其幼龄期为14年。随着树干高度的增加,油松木材幼龄期逐渐缩短、株内幼龄材范围及所占断面上的比例变小。株内幼龄材与成熟材材性差异显著。幼龄材管胞长度短、直径小,胞壁薄,微纤丝角度大,生长轮较宽,晚材率低,浸提物含量高,基本密度较大。幼龄材的力学强度远远小于成熟材。     

Deflection of wood under intermittent loading

Summary The study of intermittent loading of wood described in an earlier publication was extended to explore the effects of shorter cycles. For stresses below about 50 per cent of the modulus of rupture the principle of superposition provides a fair indication of expected deflections when the environmental conditions are constant. It is shown how, under this principle, the peak strains are limited to fractions of the creep strain at constant load, the excess after the first peak being dependent on the proportion of time under load in a cycle. Consequently, when the intervals between loads are considerably longer than the duration of loads, cumulative effects are negligible.The authors wish to acknowledge the advice and help received from Messrs L. N. Clarke, R. Donaldson and F. Peplar on instrumentation and data-logging, the contribution by Mr. J. J. Mack to the planning and execution of the short-cycle tests and the preparation of the statistical analyses by Mr. P. PahlAt the time of the study this author was working with the CSIRO, Australia, under a fellowship provided by the Japanese Government     

Application of modal analysis by transfer function to nondestructive testing of wood I: determination of localized defects in wood by the shape of the flexural vibration wave

This study was intended to detect nondestructively some defects such as knots and grain deviations in wood using modal analysis. The shapes of flexural vibration waves at the first mode generated by the tapping of wooden beams were determined using the transfer function. The wave shapes obtained were compared with the theoretical wave shape for a uniform material; and the possibility of detecting defects in wood was examined. The results are summarized as follows: (1) The shapes of flexural vibration waves at the first mode of wooden beams free of defects coincided almost completely with the theoretical wave shape. (2) The shapes of flexural vibration waves of wooden beams containing defects such as knots clearly differed from the theoretical wave shape, especially near the defect. (3) Based on these results, it should be possible to detect the presence of defects and to determine their location in wood.Part of this report was presented at the 49th Annual Meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Tokyo, April 1999. This article is translated from the Japanese edition published inMokuzai Gakkaishi Vol. 47, No. 4, 1988     

Digital image analysis of radial shrinkage of fresh spruce (Picea abies L.) wood

Contact-free digital image analysis was performed of the radial shrinkage of fresh, fully saturated small spruce wood beams. An experimental test set-up was developed to ensure constant distance from the charge-coupled device camera to the sample surface as well as constant climate and light conditions during the whole experiment. Dimensional changes were observed immediately after the drying process began. An unexpected distinct effect could be observed which could not be explained by drying surface layers only. After a fast initial radial shrinkage a slowing down of the dimensional changes occurred at high mean moisture contents. A complete interruption of any dimensional changes followed. Finally, a recovery from shrinkage was even observed. It is assumed that strong negative pressure occurred in the fully saturated capillaries owing to dehydration which led to additional dimensional changes. As a consequence, the break of the water column and aeration in these capillaries finally resulted in a recovery period in the shrinkage rate due to the pressure release. After this effect, the dehydration was characterized by a phase of fast and almost linear shrinkage due to drying surface layers. Finally, the shrinkage slowed down to zero when reaching equilibrium moisture content.     

Effect of thinning on the development of compression wood in stems of Corsican pine

This study considered the effects of thinning on the development of compression wood in stems of 35-year-old stand of Corsican pine (Pinus nigra L.). Part of the stand had been thinned at 5-yearly intervals and part left unthinned. Twenty trees each from the thinned and unthinned stands were randomly selected and felled. Measurements were made on tree height, stem diameter, stem slenderness and canopy depth. Wood samples were removed from the central part of the main log and cross-sectional measurements made on ring width, basic density and compression wood content. Cross-sectional area of compression wood was found to be three time higher in stems from the unthinned trees in comparison with those from the thinned trees. No significant differences in mean radial ring width or basic density were found between treatments. Correlations indicated that, with increasing in stem diameter, compression wood content increased in the unthinned trees, while a decline in compression was observed in the thinned trees. Tree height was also positively correlated with compression wood content in unthinned trees, while no equivalent relationship was observed in thinned trees. Observations from this study, while not conclusive, suggest that phototropic stimulus may be producing stem inclinations in the unthinned stand as trees compete for space in the canopy, whereas crown competition has been largely eliminated in the thinned stand; and that this is responsible for compression wood levels recorded in this study.     

Influence of loading point on the static bending test of wood

We conducted three-point bending tests by changing the condition at the loading point and then examined the influence of the loading point on the test data. Yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipfera L.) was used for the tests. First, using loading noses with various radii, static bending tests were conducted by varying the depth/span ratios. Deflections were measured from the displacement of the cross head and at the point against the loading nose: Young's and shear moduli were obtained from the modified Timoshenko's bending equation proposed in a previous paper. Then a similar testing procedure was undertaken by inserting cushion sheets of Teflon between the specimen and the nose. After the measuring these moduli, bending strengths were measured using the loading noses and cushion sheets. The following results were obtained: (1) When the deflection was measured from the displacement of the cross head, the radius of the loading nose had an influence on the additional deflection when the depth/span ratio was high, causing the dependence of the shear modulus on the radius. In contrast, the radius had little influence on the measurement of Young's modulus. By placing cushion sheets between the nose and the specimen, the effect of the radius was moderated. When the deflection was measured at the point against the loading nose, the radius of the nose had little influence on the additional deflection; hence the loading nose had little influence when obtaining Young's and shear moduli. This tendency was commonly observed regardless of whether the cushion sheets were in place. (2) When the specimen had a high depth/span ratio, the bending strength increased with the increase in the radius of the loading nose. However, the influence of the radius was small when the specimen had a low depth/span ratio. There was no significant effect of the cushion sheets used here on the measurement of bending strength.Part of this paper was presented at the 48th annual meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Shizuoka, April 1998     

尼龙轮在木材装卸索道中应用

用尼龙轮代替木材装卸架杆中走行轮和起重轮的铸铁或铸钢材质轮,解决了铸铁或钢滑轮对钢丝绳的磨耗大寿命短的难题,可提高钢丝绳寿命。具有较大的使用价值和明显的经济效益。     

On the effect of the loading time on the strength properties of wood

Summary One of the most important tasks of wood engineering concerning the determination of permissible stresses in the design of wooden structural parts is to take into consideration the influence of the duration of loading on the strength properties of structural timber.On this subject a number of investigations were carried out and published in Japan. Most of the publications, however, were written in Japanese and were published in Japan only. In consequence, practically no access was gained to the international literature in this field.The present paper intends to give a summary report of the above results. They were deseribed more in detail by the author in a book written in Japanese.

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Zusammenfassung Die Einbeziehung des Einflusses der Belastungsdauer auf die Festigkeitseigenschaften von Bauholz gehört zu den wichtigsten Aufgaben des Holzbau-Ingenieurs, wenn er sich mit der Frage der zulässigen Spannungen beim Entwurf von Holzbaukonstruktionen beschäftigen muß.Zu dieser Frage wurden in Japan eine Reihe von Untersuchungen durchgeführt und veröffentlicht. Die überwiegende Zahl dieser Arbeiten wurde jedoch in japanischer Sprache verfaßt und deshalb ausschließlich in Japan publiziert. Sie fanden deshalb so gut wie keinen Eingang in das internationale Schrifttum dieses Fachgebietes.Die vorliegende Arbeit soll zusammenfassend hierüber berichten. In ausführlicher Form wurden die dargestellten Ergebnisse vom Verfasser in Buchform, in japanischer Sprache veröffentlicht.

     

Effects of borate impregnation on the response of wood strength to heat treatment

Based on the strong correlation between acidity and thermal degradation in wood reported in previous studies, the effect of borate impregnation as an alkali-buffering medium was investigated on the strength properties of thermally modified wood. Wood samples were impregnated with 0.1 M Sodium borate solution (pH=9) before they were subjected to heat treatment at temperatures of 180°C and 200°C for durations of 2 and 4 h. The borate impregnation results in some reductions in the severity of strength loss during heat treatment and this is invariably due to buffering effect of the alkali on the acidity of wood, which could have mitigated the degree of degradation. The positive effects of borate impregnation as a pretreatment on the strength properties of heat-treated wood depend on the degree of heat treatment. Hence, the use of borate impregnation as a pretreatment method for heat treatment is recommended only where a relatively mild heat treatment is involved.     

Stem modeling and simulation of conversion of cork oak stems for quality wood products

Recent research is underway to study cork oak (Quercus suber L.) wood potential for production of wood components. A total of 35 stems of young and mature cork oaks were sampled, live sawn into flitches, scanned using VTT’s WoodCIM^®, and the measured data computed by VTT’s PuuPilot software, allowing stem 3D reconstruction. Sawing simulations were run for 0.5 m and 1 m logs and the whole stem. Sawn products were (1) planks, (2) parquet, (3) lamparquet, and (4) external component of multilayer planks. Cork oak stems showed a moderate to small taper (mean 24 mm/m). Curviness varied between straight to significantly crooked stems (mean value 40 mm) Batch yields for the tested products ranged 25–43% and 37–50% for 0.5 m logs of young and mature trees, respectively; for 1 m logs, batch yields ranged 19–41% and 25–54%. When using the whole stem, batch yields were lower, ranging 11–38% and 15–50%. Higher yields were obtained for all log lengths and samples for production of lamparquet, parquet, and multilayer component.