Wood features and effects on mechanical properties
The variability of wood is an intrinsic characteristic of the material. Knowledge of all the properties that vary within a wooden element and how these properties can vary is fundamental to understanding the mechanical behaviour of solid wood elements and also of glulam. In particular, certain properties can influence certain structural functions, such as mechanical connections, wood-to-wood joints, and bolt or pin connections. This lesson provides an overview of the main properties of wood and their contribution to mechanical behaviour in relation to structural use.
The webinar is organised into the following thematic sections:
- Wood density
- Presence of Knots
- Slope of the Grain
- Cracks
- Moisture
- Anisotropy
- Duration of loads
Marco Togni
An associate professor at the University of Florence since 2001, he holds a degree in Forest Sciences from the University of Florence and obtained a PhD in Wood Science from the same university in 1995. His main fields of research are concerned with wood for structural use: assessment of the mechanical properties of ancient timber structural components and structural systems, in situ inspection and diagnosis, and the characterisation of timber for structural use. He is involved in regional and national research on the quality, uses and characterisation of timber.
Giacomo Goli
An associate professor at the University of Florence, he holds a degree in Forest Sciences. In 2003, he obtained his PhD in Wood Science at the University of Florence and in “Mécanique des métiers de l’Ingénieur” at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Arts et Métiers (ENSAM) in Cluny, France. His main fields of research include cultural wood heritage (conservation, monitoring and control of environmental conditions, analysis of manufactured products), wood processing (modelling of forces and shear strength during processing with different grain orientations), development of new wood-based materials (modified wood and modified wood-based materials). He is involved in regional and national research on the quality of wood and wood-based products and international research on wood processing and modification technologies.
