Compression Behavior of Wood Stud in Light Framed Wall as Functions of Moisture, Stress and Temperature

There has been considerable research in recent times in light-timber med structures in fires. These structures have included horizontal (floor-like) panels in bending and walls under eccentric and approximately concentric vertical loading. It has been shown that compression properties are the most dominant mechanical properties in affecting structural response of these structures in fire. Compression properties have been obtained by various means as functions of one variable only, temperature. It has always been expected that compression properties would be significantly affected by moisture and stress, as well. However, these variables have been largely ignored to simplify the complex problem of predicting the response of light-timber framed structures in fire. Full-scale experiments on both the panels and walls have demonstrated the high level of significance of moisture and stress for a limited range of conditions. Described in this paper is an overview of these conditions and experiments undertaken to obtain compression properties as a functions of moisture, stress and temperature. The experiments limited temperatures to $20{\sim}100^{\circ}C$. At higher temperatures moisture vaporizes and moisture and stress are less significant. Described also is a creep model for wood at high temperatures.