Evaluation of Failure Theories to Determine the Wood Strength Variation with Grain Slope

Three failure theories were studied to evaluate the wood strength variation with grain slope. Maximum stress theory, Tsai-Hill theory and Hankinson formula were presented to hypothesize the failure of wood according to grain slope to loading direction. Red pine and Japanese larch were used as materials to simulate failure strength prediction with grain slope. Calculation of strength results was that the strength of wood drops rapidly between parallel to grain orientation (0 degree) and 15 degree grain orientation. The strength of wood with grain orientation were somewhat different at small grain angles among failure theories, and this tendency was due to tension and compression distinction, and shear accounting in each theories. For the above 45 degree grain orientation, the predicted failure strength of wood with grain variation were very close in each failure theories and were useful in assessing failure strength of wood. The applicable these theories should be considered that the wood has different behavior in tension and compression, and this lead to different strength at small grain angles in each theories. Furthermore, reconsideration is needed to assess the failure strength of wood at small grain angles in Hankinson formula and further studies are necessary to accounting for shear behavior at small grain angles.