Examination of the Specimen Configuration and Analysis Method in the Flexural and Longitudinal Vibration Tests of Solid Wood and Wood-Based Materials

Abstract

Abstract The Young's modulus and shear modulus of solid wood (Sitka spruce, Picea sitchensis), medium-density fiberboard (MDF), and Lauan wood (Shorea sp.) with five-ply construction were determined by conducting flexural and longitudinal vibration tests with various specimen depth/length ratios and performing a subsequent finite element analysis (FEA). The values of Young's modulus and shear modulus were calculated by three analysis methods: (1) the method based on the rigorous solution of Timoshenko's differential equation (Phil. Mag. 41:744–746, 1921), (2) the iteration procedure proposed by Hearmon (Brit. J. Appl. Phys. 9:381–388, 1958), and (3) the method in which Young's modulus measured by the longitudinal vibration test is substituted into an approximated equation proposed by Goens (Ann. Physik. Ser. 7 11:649–678, 1931). The results obtained from the FEA suggested that the analysis method does not influence the values of Young's modulus or shear modulus. However, the results obtained indicated that the analysis method influenced the measured values of these moduli. Although Method 3 is simpler than Methods 1 and 2, the influence of depth/span ratio was more pronounced when using resonance frequencies lower than the second flexural vibration mode. When using the resonance frequency for flexural vibrations higher than the third mode, however, it is promising that the shear modulus can be measured while reducing the influence of the depth/length ratio.