Comparison of Dynamic Sorption and Hygroexpansion of Wood by Different Cyclic Hygrothermal Changing Effects

To investigate the dynamic sorptive and hygroexpansive behaviors of wood by different cyclic hygrothermal changing effects, poplar (populus euramericana Cv.) specimens, were exposed to dynamic sorption processes where relative humidity (RH) and temperature changed simultaneously in sinusoidal waves at 75-45% and $5-35^{\circ}C$ (condition A) and where RH changed sinusoidally at 75-45% but temperature was controlled at $20^{\circ}C$ (condition B), both for three cyclic periods of 1, 6, and 24 h. Moisture and dimensional changes measured during the cycling gave the following results: Moisture and transverse dimensional changes were generally sinusoidal. Moisture and dimensional amplitude increased with increasing cyclic period but all were lower for thicker specimens. The amplitude ratio of condition A to condition B ranged from 1.0 to 1.6 with the maximum value of 1.57 occurring at the shortest cyclic period, not as much as expected. T/R increased as cyclic period increased or specimen thickness decreased. T/R from condition B was weaker than that from condition A. Sorption and swelling hysteresis existed in both conditions. Sorption hysteresis was negatively related to cyclic period but in positive correlation with specimen thickness. Sorption hysteresis was found more obvious in condition B, while moisture sorption coefficient and humidity expansion coefficient showed the opposite results.