FACTORS AFFECTING STRENGTH IN TIMBER Many of the variables influencing modulus of elasticity also influence the various strength properties of timber. Once again, these can be regarded as being either material dependent or manifestations of the environment. Anisotropy and Grain Angle The marked difference between the longitudinal and transverse planes Read more…
Failure & Strength in Timber While it is easy to appreciate the concept of deformation primarily because it is something that can be observed, it is much more difficult to define in simple terms what is meant by the strength of a material. Perhaps one of the simpler definitions of Read more…
Viscoelastic Deformation in Timber Timber is neither truly elastic in its behaviour nor truly viscous, but rather a combination of both states; such behaviour is usually described as viscoelastic and, in addition to timber, materials such as concrete, bitumen and the thermoplastics are also viscoelastic in their response to stress. Read more…
Creep in Timber Creep Parameters It is possible to quantify creep by a number of time dependent parameters, of which the two most common are creep compliance (known also as specific creep) and relative creep (known also as the creep coefficient); both parameters are a function of temperature. Creep compliance Read more…
Deformation in Timber Under Load This article is concerned with the type and magnitude of the deformation that results from the application of external load. As in the case of both concrete and polymers, the load–deformation relationship in timber is exceedingly complex, resulting from the facts that: timber does not Read more…
Deformation in Timber DIMENSIONAL CHANGE IN TIMBER DUE TO MOISTURE In timber it is customary to distinguish between those changes that occur when green timber is dried to very low moisture contents (e.g. 12%), and those that arise in timber of low moisture content due to seasonal or daily changes Read more…
Flow in Timber The term flow is synonymous with the passage of liquids through a porous medium such as timber, but the term is also applicable to the passage of gases, thermal energy and electrical energy; it is this wider interpretation of the term that is applied in this article, Read more…
Moisture in Timber Equilibrium Moisture Content Timber is hygroscopic, that is it will absorb moisture from the atmosphere if it is dry and correspondingly yield moisture to the atmosphere when wet, thereby attaining a moisture content that is in equilibrium with the water vapour pressure of the surrounding atmosphere. Thus, Read more…
Mass Volume Relationship of Timber Density The density of a piece of timber is a function not only of the amount of wood substance present, but also of the presence of both extractives and moisture. In a few timbers extractives are completely absent, while in many they are present, but only Read more…
Appearance of Timber in Relation to Structure Most of you will agree that many timbers are aesthetically pleasing and the various and continuing attempts to simulate the appearance of timber in the surface of synthetic materials bear testament to the very attractive appearance of many timbers. Although a very large Read more…