Effect of compressive load on the dimensional changes of the Japanese larch dried in a radio-frequency/vacuum drier

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of a compressive load of 0.092 MPa on the dimensional changes of Japanese larch in a humidity chamber after continuous radio-frequency/vacuum drying. The dimensional changes in the loading directions were significantly increased while those perpendicular to the loading directions were decreased. The shrinkages showed higher values in continuous drying than in intermittent drying. For the specimens loaded on their tangential sections, the radial shrinkages were even higher than the tangential shrinkages; thus, the tangential/radial shrinkage ratio was decreased by 0.27. The transverse hygroscopicity was reduced for the specimens loaded on their cross sections, but increased for the specimens loaded on their tangential sections.