Characterization of the sorptive properties of spruce wood by the Inverse Identification Method

Abstract

This paper focuses on transverse moisture transport in spruce wood caused by changing climate conditions. Aiming to determine the space and time dependent moisture content (MC) field in the cross section of the sample during the drying process, at first a series of measurements on small clear specimens of spruce wood were carried out and secondly a computer simulation of the drying experiment was done. The MC was measured by the destructive gravimetric method. The measurement was repeated several times for consecutive time intervals during the drying period. In a computer aided material characterization, a so-called inverse problem identification method is used. The solution of the inverse problem enabled us to estimate the moisture diffusion coefficients and to simultaneously determine the MC field.