The Mechanical Behavior and the Anatomical Changes of Wood due to Variation of Deflection Rates

The objective of this study is to estimate the mechanical behavior in bending and the anatomical changes of wood under several deflection rates. Sample specimens of water-saturated Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) were stressed to rupture under several deflection rates. Mechanical properties of wood such as modulus of elasticity, modulus of rupture and stress at proportional limit, and anatomical changes affected by deflection rates were estimated. Microscopic observations on compression side of the test specimens when the specimen was loaded to rupture were carried out by the SEM (scanning electron microscopy). The results are summarized as follows: 1. The mechanical properties of wood were affected by variations of the deflection rates. The modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR) and stress at proportional limit were in proportion to the logarithm of deflection rates. 2. The deflection of wood at rupture in bending increased as deflection rates decreased. 3. The variations of the microscopic deformations of sample specimens were closely related to the deflection of wood at rupture. In case of largely deflected wood by maximum bending load, severe and abundant microscopic deformations were observed.