COMPRESSIVE AND FLEXURAL STRENGTH OF

WOOD
 PRESENTED BY: GROUP OF 5.2
•
PARAY, LESLY REIANE S.
BOLANTE, KHAINE ANNE
DIOMANGAY, KYLE ROBBY
PADOLINA, CHRISTIAN PAOLO
SUMAWAY, ADRIAN GAVRIEL
 INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPIC:
WOOD / TIMBER / LUMBER AS A CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL
 
.
TOPIC DESCRIPTION:
Timber for construction is one of the many forest products used around the world.  The tensile strength of soft-
woods parallel to grain at 12% moisture content generally ranges between 70 to 140MPa. The
compression strength is lower and is usually in the range 30 to 60 MPa

TOPIC OBJECTIVES:
What is Compressed Wood? (Advantages, Disadvantages, Uses)
What is the Flexural Strength of Wood? (Advantages, Disadvantages, Uses)
 
TOPIC OUTCOMES:
At the end of the topic, we are expected to learn about the disadvantages, advantages, process and uses of
compression wood and flexural strength of wood.
 
 
 What is construction wood?

• Wood is a versatile raw material and the only

renewable construction material.
• White pine wood is a popular choice for many construction projects from
crafts to home construction. 
 The Three Main Types of Wood.
1. SOFTWOODS 
2. HARDWOODS
3. ENGINEERED WOOD
• CLASSIFICATION OF WOOD
• woods are classified according to these methods:
• Chemical Composition
• Use and Application
• Manufacturing Processing Forms
 Chemical Composition

• The chemical composition of wood varies from species to

species, but is approximately 50% carbon, 42% oxygen, 6%
hydrogen, 1% nitrogen, and 1% other elements (mainly calcium,
potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron, and manganese) by weight.
 Manufacturing Processing Forms
• The lumber manufacturing process generally follows these steps:
• Head Rig: The primary saw cuts the tree into sawn pieces or boards.
• Edging: Removes irregular edges and defects from sawn pieces or boards.
• Trimming: The trimmer squares off the ends of lumber into uniform pieces.
• Rough Lumber Sorting: Pieces are separated based on dimension and final
product production, whether the finished piece will be unseasoned (known
as “green”) or dry.
• Stickering: Lumber destined for kiln drying production is stacked with spacers (known
as stickers) that allow air to circulate within the stack (green product skips this stage and
the next).
• Drying: Kiln drying wood speeds up the natural evaporation of the wood’s MC in a
controlled environment.
• Planing: Smoothes the wood’s surfaces and ensures that each piece has a uniform width
and thickness.
• Grading: Assigns a “grade” to each piece of lumber that indicates its quality level,
based on a variety of characteristics, including its MC.
 Wood vs. Concrete:

• Wood and concrete have been used in construction for

thousands of years and for good reason. Both materials
have properties that make them appealing building
materials.
 Advantages of Concrete

• Very durable
• Low maintenance
• Does not rust, rot, or burn
• Absorbs & retains heat (increases efficiency in buildings and cuts heating/cooling bills)
• Wind and water resistant
• Non-combustible (fire safe)
• Effective soundproofing material
 Disadvantages of Concrete

• More expensive
• Heavy & difficult to transport (although lightweight concrete does exist)
• Limited versatility
• Slower to build with
• Susceptible to efflorescence
 ADVANTAGES OF WOOD

• Light and easy to work with

• Inexpensive
• Efficient and fast
• Wood is decorative material when Considered as An aesthetic material
 DISADVANTAGES OF WOOD

• Wood is hygroscopic and it will absorb surrounding vapors loses moisture

below the fiber saturation point.
• Biotic factors can cause decay of wood by mold fungi, bacteria and
insects.
• Abiotic factors like sun, wind, water, fire and certain chemicals can cause
deterioration and destruction of wood.
 What is Compressed Wood?

• Compressed wood is an engineered, man-made wood product made of

wood fibers, sawdust, wood particles, wood shavings, and a veneer
facade.
• It has a wide range of common applications, most notably in furniture,
cabinetry, and trim work.
 Types Of Compressed Wood

• Particle Board
• Medium-Density Fiberboard
• High-Density Fiberboard
 Particle Board

• One of the most common is particle board, which is the most cost-
effective form of compressed wood because it is made from small pieces
of the waste left behind from other wood production.
 Medium-Density Fiberboard

• Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) is similar to particle board but is much

more dense and durable. Hardwood and softwood are broken down into
fibers in a machine called a defibrillator.
 High-Density Fiberboard

• Moving even further along in density is High-Density Fiberboard (HDF).

• Though the production process is very similar to that of MDF, HDF is
even denser and thinner, which also means it is heavier.
 Is Compressed Wood Durable?
•
The durability of compressed wood can vary depending on the type and
how it is used. Particleboard is commonly used in furniture due to its
lightweight and low cost, but the resulting furniture shouldn’t be expected
to last for generations like older, natural wood furniture
 Advantages of Compressed Wood

• We’ve discussed a few of the drawbacks to compressed wood, but its

many great qualities give it an advantage over natural wood. As long as
you are aware of its limitations, you may find these advantages offer
plenty of reasons to choose compressed wood for your project.
 What is the Flexural Strength of Wood?

• Flexural strength, also known as modulus of rupture, or bend strength, or

transverse rupture strength is a material property.
• Defined as the stress in a material just before it yields in a flexure test.
What is difference between tensile strength and flexural strength?

• The flexural strength is higher than the tensile.

• The flexural strength is directly proportional to the density of the wood.
• Tensile strength is usually 10-20 times more than
its strength perpendicular to the grain than flexural strength.
• The elasticity and durability of wood increase as its density increases.
• The modulus of elasticity of wood in the direction of the grain may be up to
a hundred times more than the same parameter perpendicular to the grain.
 SHEARING STRENGTH OF WOOD
• The shearing strength of wood is 10-15% of its tensile strength in the
direction of the grain. Shearing strength is weakened by knots and faults
and cracks that appear in the wood.