Longitudinal moisture-shrinkage coefficients of softwood at the mechano-sorptive creep limit

Summary An adaptor for the conversion of a high-accuracy tensile creep machine to compression loading is described. It was found that a stable mechano-sorptive creep limit could be obtained by a suitable load reduction after moisture cycling; after which further creep and creep recovery just balanced each other. In this stable state the value of the longitudinal moisture-swelling coefficient depended on the strain; being less with tensile strain and more with compressive strain then in the unloaded condition. These differences in the swelling coefficient could explain the apparent recovery during subsequent sorptions in mechanosorptive creep in bending. Such a hypothesis was strongly supported by numerical comparisons of strains in bending, tension and compression.Part of the equipment used in this project was purchased with a grant from the U.K. Science and Engineering Research Council     

Mechano-sorptive creep mechanism of wood in compression and bending

Summary A model is introduced which links the mechano-sorptive behaviour of wood subjected to moderate and high compression or bending stresses parallel to grain to the formation of slip planes in the cell wall. Slip plane formation is dependent on the breaking of hydrogen bonds, which process is directly related to the amount of moisture change. The dramatic change of microfibril orientation in slip plane zones cause an increase of the longitudinal shrinkage/swelling and a decrease of the modulus of elasticity. These features of slip plane formation account for both the magnitude and the oscillation of the excessive mechano-sorptive creep associated with compression and bending parallel to grain. A summary is given of the characteristics of the mechano-sorptive effects, and the model is discussed in the light of these effects.The paper is one of the results of a project on the influence of changing moisture content on the mechanical behavior of wood, currently underway in a co-operation between College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York, and the Technical University of Denmark. Support for this project is provided by the Danish Technical Research Council and by the USDA C--operative Research Program (proj. 85-FSTY-9-0112). The support is gratefully acknowledged     

Experimental indication of interaction between viscoelastic and mechano-sorptive creep

Summary This paper describes the study of possible interactions between the viscoelastic and mechano-sorptive creep inPinus sylvestris. When two periods of constant-moisture creep were separated by a period of mechano-sorptive creep, the expected creep rate during the second viscoelastic period was decreased. A similar effect was observed during creep recovery. These results were taken to indicate an interaction between the two types of creep, although not necessarily a common mechanism. During recovery with uniform moisture cycling, the effects of one extra low and one extra high humidity were observed. The low humidity showed no significant effect, but the high humidity significantly increased the recovery. This was attributed to a parallel effect to that of creep: namely, the creep acceleration that occurs at a higher moisture level than has previously been reached during the test.     

Effects of temperature on mechano-sorptive creep of delignified wood

The effects of temperature on mechano-sorptive (MS) creep of delignified hinoki wood (Chamaecyparis obtusa Endl.) were investigated using longitudinal (L) and radial (R) specimens during adsorption and desorption over the temperature range of 20°–80°C. The results were compared with those of stepwise delignified specimens tested at a constant temperature of 20°C. It was found that the effects of temperature on the MS creep of delignified specimens are more remarkable than for untreated specimens. The tendencies of increasing MS creep with temperature, delignification, and their combination were observed. The increase in MS creep for L specimens was relatively small and almost equal in both adsorption and desorption processes, while for R specimens the MS creep was small in desorption, but significantly different in adsorption. In addition, good correlation was observed between the MS coefficient (K) and instantaneous compliance (J ₀). The increase in MS creep occurs as a result of temperature increase or decrease in lignin content, or their interacting effects. However, in the case of desorption for R specimens, the increase of MS creep was unexpectedly small due to a remarkably increased J ₀. Part of this report was presented at the 15th Annual Meeting of the Chubu Branch of the Japan Wood Research Society in Fukui, October 2005     

Measurement of bending properties of wood by compression bending tests

We measured Young's modulus, proportional limit stress, and bending strength by the compression bending test and examined the applicability of the testing method by comparing it with conventional bending test methods. Long columns of todomatsu (Japanese fir,Abies sachalinensis Fr. Schmidt) with various length/thickness ratios were the specimens. A compressive load was axially applied to the specimen supported with pin ends. Young's modulus, the proportional limit stress, and the bending strength were obtained from the load-loading point displacement and load-strains at the outer surfaces until the occurrence of bending failure. Four-point bending tests were also conducted, and the bending properties obtained were compared with the corresponding properties obtained by the compression bending tests. Based on the experimental results, we believe that when the stress-strain relation is measured by the load-loading point displacement relation using specimens whose length/thickness ratio is large enough, the bending properties can be obtained properly using the compression bending test.     

Modelling of bending creep of low- and high-temperature-dried spruce timber

In the current project, a finite element model is developed to analyse the long-term behaviour of timber beams. The time-dependent response of wood subjected to bending and moisture changes is investigated in terms of strains and stresses. A rheological model is implemented to capture the effects of creep, mechano-sorption and hygroexpansion. The model is validated against test results from Bengtsson and Kliger (Holzforschung 57:95–100, 2003). The results of the analysis showed that the mechano-sorptive creep of low- (LT) and high-temperature-dried (HT) timber beams can be sufficiently modelled with a spring and a single Kelvin body. The different mechano-sorptive behaviour of LT- and HT-dried specimens is considered with different mechano-sorptive and shrinkage–swelling parameters. The presented model could be used to derive general mechano-sorptive parameters: (1) for better prediction of creep over the service life and (2) to provide a basis of time-dependent probabilistic calculations for structural-sized timber in serviceability limit state.     

Long term bending creep of wood in cyclic relative humidity

Summary Long term creep and recovery test results of wood under a bending load of 10 MPa stress and subjected to relative humidity cycling are presented. In spite of the vast number of humidity cycles during these tests, the results do not give evidence of an existence of a mechano-sorptive creep limit. The results also indicate that the recovery is not complete on unloading when the humidity is cycled. A mechano-sorptive model that fits the test results is proposed. According to the model, the elastic bending deflection in a cyclic load of 10—3 MPa and subjected to natural outdoor relative humidity can be about doubled to account for the creep under ten years loading.     

Measurements of compression creep of wood at humidity changes

Summary Uniaxial compression creep tests of tubular spruce specimens loaded in uniaxial compression are reported. The relative humidity in the interior of the tube is varied in a controlled manner. The results indicate that creep is greatly increased in magnitude by simultaneous humidity changes of either sign.Thanks are due to Dr. John Zahn of Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin, for various helpful advice, as well as for arranging the manufacture of test specimens in his laboratory. Thanks are also due to Forest Products Laboratory of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Madison, Wisconsin, for funding a large part of this work under subcontract FP-81-0389.     

温度对重组竹短期受压蠕变性能的影响

通过对重组竹受压试件进行短期蠕变试验,研究温度对重组竹受压试件蠕变特性及蠕变规律的影响.针对不同应力水平下温度对重组竹短期受压蠕变的影响,研究了在同一应力水平7.5％下,重组竹在5种不同温度下的24 h顺纹受压蠕变性能;进一步比较了重组竹在应力水平为7.5％,15％,30％且温度分别为25,50,75℃情况下的24 h...     

A comparison of static bending,compression and tension parallel to grain and toughness properties of compression wood and normal wood of a giant sequoia

Summary Compression wood (CW) of the giant sequoia studied had higher values than normal wood (NW) in crushing strength and ultimate stress in tension parallel to grain, in toughness, in modulus of rupture, and in work to maximum load and total work in static bending. In the green condition CW had higher values than NW in stress at the proportional limit and work to the proportional limit, and about the same modulus of elasticity in static bending. In the dry condition CW was about equivalent to NW in work to the proportional limit, but was slightly weaker in stress at proportional limit and modulus of elasticity in static bending. The compression wood of this giant sequoia, even though formed when the tree was suppressed and having relatively narrow rings, can therefore be said to be essentially equivalent to normal wood so far as the mechanical properties tested in this study are concerned.Given at FPRS meeting in Dallas, Texas, June 1972     

Mechanistic study of microstructural deformation and stress in steam-exploded softwood

Steam explosion pretreatment results in the formation of microcracks in the cell walls of wood. In the present study, steam explosion experiments were performed and structural changes in Norway spruce were identified using scanning electron microscopy. The cellular structure of the softwood spruce was simulated using the finite element method, and the effects of pressure generated during the steam explosion pretreatment on the deformation of the cells were investigated. The simulated model included earlywood, latewood, and ray cells. The effects of bordered and cross-field pits on the stresses in the cell wall were studied as well. Many similarities were observed between the microcracks in the steam-exploded wood and the high-stress regions predicted by the model. The experimental and simulation results showed that the radial cell walls in the earlywood cells experienced major deformation. The presence of the pits created stress localization and facilitated the formation of microcracks in the cell walls.     

紫椴嫩枝扦插繁殖技术研究

为了筛选能提高紫椴生根率的扦插繁殖技术,文中研究了植物生长调节剂的不同种类(ABT1、IBA、NAA)、浓度(50、100、200 mg L-1)、浸泡时间(1、4、8 h)、基质类型(河沙、蛭石、体积比为3∶1的泥炭与珍珠岩)、母株年龄(1、2 a)对紫椴嫩枝扦插生根质量的影响情况。结果表明:植物生长调节剂的处理效果以IBA为最好,其对紫椴嫩枝的生根率、生根数量和平均根长的影响显著;嫩枝扦插,以100 mg L-1的IBA浸泡时间8 h的处理为最优组合,其生根率为63.07%;3种不同类型扦插基质的生根效果明显不同,河沙的生根效果最好,生根率最高达到37.16%,蛭石次之,泥炭土+珍珠岩(体积比为3∶1)最差。不同母株年龄对紫椴嫩枝扦插生根的影响也不同,1年生紫椴嫩枝的生根质量比2年生嫩枝好,其生根率、生根量和平均根长均明显优于后者。     

Some aspects of the rheological behaviour of wood part IV: Non-linear behaviour at high stresses in bending and compression

Summary The incidence of non-linearity with stress in the rheological behaviour of wood in bending was shown earlier to occur at an unexpectedly low stress. This has been further confirmed by the study of an additional species, alpine ash.Tests on hoop pine, one of the species previously studied in bending, have shown that in compression, non-linearity first occurs at stresses which are a much higher fraction of the ultimate stress than in bending, but in approximately the same range of actual stress. This suggests that the cause of non-linearity at such a low stress in bending lies in the fact that the compressive strength is considerably lower than the bending strength. The stress on the compression face of a beam reaches a high percentage of the ultimate compressive strength by the time the bending stress reaches the limit of proportionality in bending and the nonlinear effects in a beam are attributable mainly to stresses near the compression face.A marked effect of temperature on fractional total creep for hoop pine in compression was found even within the range 20 to 50° C, the creep increasing by a factor of about 2.5 in this range.The authors wish to thank Miss N. Ditchburne of the Division of Mathematical Statistics, C.S.I.R.O., for statistical advice and for carrying out statistical computations, and Mr. L. D. Armstrong for valuable discussion and suggestions.     

Fatigue and creep in chipboard

Summary Matched samples of chipboard were loaded in four-point bending under either a 7 hours loaded/17 hours unloaded cycle, a 17 hours loaded/7 hours unloaded cycle, or constant load in order to asses the effect of cyclic loading on creep deformation. Tests were carried out at three humidity levels (30, 45 and 90% RH) and at three stress levels (30, 45, and 60% of the short term strength). The creep rate of samples under constant load was greater than under cyclic load, with the 7 hours loaded/17 hours unloaded samples giving the lowest creep rate. Analysis of the data on an accumulated time-under-load basis showed that the law of superposition did not apply to the 7 hours loaded/17 hours unloaded samples at the 30% and 45% stress levels, with these samples giving lower deflection than for the other loading conditions. The 17 hours loaded/7 hours unloaded samples also did not appear to obey the law of superposition, although the difference between them and the constantly loaded samples was slight. Considerable scatter in data accumulated at the 60% stress level did not allow any differences in the superposition analysis of cyclic and constant loaded samples to become apparent. Increasing the stress level applied to samples produced an almost linear increase in relative creep for all loading regimes. The 7 hours loaded/17 hours unloaded samples gave consistently lower relative creep values at all levels of stressing, but particularly at the 30 and 45% stress levels. Increasing the relative humidity from 30% to 65% RH had an almost negligible effect on relative creep of all samples, but increasing the humidity to 90% RH caused a marked increase in relative creep.     

Fatigue and creep in chipboard

Summary Structural grade chipboard used as floor decking can be exposed to a combination of creep loading, and fatigue loading at a wide range of frequencies. Creep loads are produced by static masses such as machinery. Fatigue loads arise from intermittent loads such as fork lift trucks in motion, people in motion, or vibrating machinery.Four-point bend tests in fatigue and creep have been performed simultaneously on matched sets of four structural grade chipboard samples. The aim was to examine the effect of frequency on the fatigue performance of chipboard by following the rate of microstrain development in each case at the same peak stress. The ratio of the minimum to the maximum fatigue stress (the R ratio) was set at R = 0.1. Fatigue tests were performed at three different frequencies classified as low, medium and high, determined by the rate of application of stress.The performance of chipboard in flooring applications is shown to be highly dependent on the loading frequency. Increasing the frequency increased the number of cycles to failure as did reducing the stress level. Using hysteresis loop capture to monitor damage accumulation during testing indicates that there is a fatigue limit for chipboard loaded at constant amplitude at some point just below 20% of its static bending strength.This research was supported by the Building Research Establishment who also supported the postgraduate case award in conjunction with the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)     

Mode I fracture and acoustic emission of softwood and hardwood

 The Mode I fracture behaviour of two softwoods (spruce and pine) and three hardwoods (alder, oak and ash) was studied in the RL crack propagation system using the splitting test in combination with monitoring acoustic emission (AE) activity. Test parameters measured included notch tensile strength, specific fracture energy, characteristic length and AE cumulative counts, AE amplitudes as well as parameters characterizing the frequency spectra of the emitted acoustic emission events. The notch tensile strength was found to correlate with density. The specific fracture energy and characteristic length showed the different crack propagation process between the softwoods and hardwoods. The softwoods fractured in a more ductile way and the hardwoods showed a more linear elastic behaviour. This finding was supported by the AE measurements showing much less cumulative counts for the hardwoods indicating that less microcracks were formed and that processes like fiber bridging were not so effective. Differences in the frequency domain of the AE signals between softwoods and hardwoods could not be detected. Received 13 January 1999     

Comparison of the decomposition behaviors of hardwood and softwood in supercritical methanol

 The chemical conversion of Japanese beech (Fagus crenata Blume) and Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) woods in supercritical methanol was studied using the supercritical fluid biomass conversion system with a batch-type reaction vessel. Under conditions of 270°C/27 MPa, beech wood was decomposed and liquefied to a greater extent than cedar wood, and the difference observed was thought to originate mainly from differences in the intrinsic properties of the lignin structures of hardwood and softwood. However, such a difference was not observed at 350°C/43 MPa, and more than 90% of both beech and cedar woods were effectively decomposed and liquefied after 30 min of treatment. This result indicates that the supercritical methanol treatment is expected to be an efficient tool for converting the woody biomass to lower-molecular-weight products, such as liquid fuels and useful chemicals. Received: December 19, 2001 / Accepted: March 15, 2002 Acknowledgments This research has been done under the research program for the development of technologies for establishing an eco-system based on recycling in rural villages for the twenty-first century from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan and by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)(2) (no.12460144, 2001.4–2003.3) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan. This study was presented in part at the 45th Lignin Symposium, Ehime, Japan, October 2000 and the 51st Annual Meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Tokyo, Japan, April 2001. Correspondence to:S. Saka     

Chemical characteristics of surfaces of hardwood and softwood deteriorated by weathering

The factors that cause weather-induced deterioration of wood surfaces were determined by chemical and spectroscopic analyses. Albizzia (Paraserianthes falcata Becker.) and sugi (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) were exposed to two temperate conditions of natural weathering with and without rainfall and to accelerated conditions of artificial weathering coupled with ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation and water flashing. Infrared spectroscopic analysis showed that the oxidative reaction of lignin was observed under all conditions of weathering for both wood species. However, a marked decrease in lignin and hemicellulose content were recognized when albizzia woods were exposed to weathering with water. Lignin content in the softwood sugi did not decrease as much as in albizzia even in the presence of water, but the modification of lignin macromolecules was assumed to be accelerated by water, as seen by electron spin resonance spectroscopy. These results showed that the presence of water promotes the weathering deterioration of wood under UV irradiation.     

Fatigue and creep of chipboard

Structural grade chipboard was subjected to fatigue and creep loads in four-point bending, the peak fatigue stress being equal to the constant creep stress. Peak fatigue stresses of 50, 60, 70 and 80% of the static bend strength were selected and an S-N (stress versus log₁₀ (cycles)) curve was generated. Stress versus strain hysteresis loops were captured automatically throughout fatigue tests so that underlying creep strain, dynamic modulus and energy dissipated per cycle were continuously monitored. The possibility of superimposing creep and fatigue data was investigated.The S-N curve generated at R = 0.01 demonstrates that for lives of less than 10⁷ cycles chipboard does not show a fatigue endurance limit. The 70 and 80% samples experience a gradual decrease in dynamic modulus and an increase in the area of the hysteresis loop during fatigue tests. Samples at the 50 and 60% levels show an initial increase in dynamic modulus before a decline to failure is observed.Creep samples never failed before fatigue samples at the same peak stress level, but until close to the point of failure, creep strains were nearly always greater than fatigue strains on elapsed time. It is concluded that the mechanism of fatigue damage accumulation differs from the mechanism of creep deformation.