Influence of biotic factors on the mechanical properties of wood, taking into account the time of harvesting

Abstract

The aim of the present paper is to investigate the influence of biotic factors (fungi and insects) on the mechanical properties of wood through the effect of blue-stain, taking into account the time of harvesting and the time of stay of wood in the forest. Specifically, the resistance to axial compression and to bending (modulus of rupture (MOR)) was studied using infected specimens of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) and Norway Spruce (Picea abies) (the usual types of wood used in woodwork). The specimens were obtained from logs of Scots Pine and Norway Spruce that were harvested in three different seasons of year, namely in July 2012, November 2012 and June 2013, respectively, in the forest of Elatia-Greece, and the attack pace by biotic factors with respect to the time of logging was studied. The placement of the experimental surfaces of each type of tree was made on skid road and in the stand. Totally, 120 laboratory measurements in axial compression and 120 measurements in bending (MOR) took place. The results proved that blue-stain hardly affect the mechanical properties of both wooden species and particularly the specimens that were derived during the winter logging.