@Article{jrm.2020.09483,
AUTHOR = {Katharina Müller, Walter Sonderegger, Oliver Kläusler, Michael Klippel, Edwin Zea Escamilla},
TITLE = {Mechanical Characterisation of Densified Hardwood with Regard to Structural Applications},
JOURNAL = {Journal of Renewable Materials},
VOLUME = {8},
YEAR = {2020},
NUMBER = {9},
PAGES = {1091--1109},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/jrm/v8n9/39620},
ISSN = {2164-6341},
ABSTRACT = {The demand for high-performance, yet eco-friendly materials is
increasing on all scales from small applications in the car industry, instrument
or furniture manufacturing to greater dimensions like floorings, balcony furnishings and even construction. Wood offers a good choice on all of these scales and
can be modified and improved in many different ways. In this study, two common
European hardwood species, Beech (<i>Fagus sylvatica</i> L.) and Ash (<i>Fraxinus excelsior</i> L.) were densified in radial direction by thermo-mechanical treatment and the
densified product was investigated in an extensive characterisation series to determine all relevant mechanical properties. Compression in the three main directions
(longitudinal, tangential, radial) and tension perpendicular to the grain (tangential,
radial) were tested and compared to reference specimens with native density.
Strength and modulus of elasticity were determined in all tests. In addition, a Life
Cycle Assessment was carried out to evaluate the environmental impact associated to the densification process. The experimental investigations showed that
strength and stiffness of hardwood in the longitudinal and tangential directions
improve significantly by radial densification, whereas some properties in the
radial direction decrease. The Life Cycle Assessment showed that artificial wood
drying has higher impact than wood densification. Furthermore, the transport distance of the raw material highly influences the environmental impact of the final
densified product. The paper then also offers an overview of possible applications
in structural timber construction. Densified hardwood is a viable option as local
reinforcement, where high compressive or tensile strength is needed. The wood
densification process offers an alternative to the use of carbon-intense steel components or hardwoods from tropical forests.},
DOI = {10.32604/jrm.2020.09483}
}