1 CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Tuguegarao City, Cagayan

College of Engineering and Architecture

FINALS
Construction Materials and Testing
Wood
• Is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other
woody plants. It is a natural composite of cellulose fibers.

Timber – is a type of wood at any stage after it has been felled. This is wood processed for
construction into beams and planks.

INTRODUCTION
Types of Trees for Timber Production
The trees are classified into following types based on their mode of growth.

1. Exogenous - Exogenous trees are outward growing trees. Horizontal section of such tree
contains several rings which are nothing but annual rings. These rings can be used to predict
the age of tree. Most of the exogenous trees are useful for many engineering purposes.
Exogenous trees are sub classified into following types.

➢ Conifers - Conifers are nothing but soft wood producing trees which are also called
as ever green trees. The timber of these trees is light colored, light in weight, low
dense and poor against fire.

Examples: Pine, Fir, redwood, spruce, deodar, cedar etc.

➢ Deciduous - Deciduous trees are hard wood producing trees. The leaves of this
type of trees are generally broad in size and they fall in autumn and grow in spring.
Deciduous trees are most suitable for constructional purposes. Timber of
deciduous trees is dark colored, dense, heaviest and good against fire.

Examples: Maple, Mahogany, Oak, teak, walnut, babul etc.

2. Endogenous - Endogenous trees are inward growing trees which contains fibrous mass in their
longitudinal section. The timber from these trees is useful in some limited engineering
purposes.
Examples: bamboo, palm, cane etc.

Processing of Timber
Processing of Timber contains following steps
1. Felling of Trees - Felling of trees is nothing but cutting of trees which are suitable for
engineering purposes. Felling should be done when the tree is matured.
2. Seasoning of Timber - Seasoning of timber means removal of moisture content from
timber. A newly fell tree contains water up to 50% of its dry weight. The timber contains free
moisture and bound moisture.
3. Conversion of Timber - Conversion of timber is the process of cutting of timber into
required sections. This can be done by using power machines. Skilled persons should be required
for economic conversion of timber.

1 Prepared by: Engr. Frances Lorane R. Tuddao-Calapini

2 CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY
Tuguegarao City, Cagayan
College of Engineering and Architecture

FINALS
Construction Materials and Testing
4. Preservation of Timber - The final stage of timber processing is preservation which is
carried out to increase the durability of timber and also to resist the attacks of fungi, insects etc.
on timber.

WOOD AS A CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL

Cardinal directions related to the trunk of the tree are as
follows:

• Tangential – tangential to the annual rings such as flat

grained board.
• Radial – cuts across the annual rings at a right angle such
as vertical grained board
• Longitudinal – direction parallel to the grain and to the
length of the log
Performance Properties

- The performance of wood depends on how the piece is intended to be used.

• Strength
• Stiffness
• Hardness
• Finish Retention
• Treatability with Preservatives
• Resistance to :
o Shrinkage/swelling
o Warping
o Checking
o Weathering
o Decay
o Photo degradation
o Color changes
o Insect attack
Deterioration – refers to the loss of the ability of a wood product to serve its intended purpose in
appearance, strength, or other functions.
Causes of Wood Deterioration
Hazards

• Exposure to sunlight – sunlight causes erosion and photodegradation, a photochemical

process that results in disintegration of the wood cell wall.
• Exposure to moisture and heat cycles – the cyclical exposure to these weathering elements
leads to various types of degradation, including checking and splitting of wood as well as
separation at the glueline of bonded wood products.
• Changes in moisture content – wood swells as it absorbs moisture and shrinks as it dries.
The degree of movement depends on the species and the direction of the grain
(longitudinal, tangential and radial), as well as on the amount of moisture change.
• Attack by insects and decay fungi

2 Prepared by: Engr. Frances Lorane R. Tuddao-Calapini

3 CAGAYAN STATE UNIVERSITY
Tuguegarao City, Cagayan
College of Engineering and Architecture

FINALS
Construction Materials and Testing
o Insect attack wood products for two purposes: to consume the wood as a food and
to burrow into the wood for habitation.
o The fungi that cause decay are always present in the environment. They live by
digesting food manufactured by other plants and wood.
o Molds and mildews produce dark-gray-to-black coloration. They are also fungi but
the affect mainly the appearance of wood products and not the structural
characteristics.
Principal Effects
➢ Surface Erosion (photodegradation)
➢ Checking, splitting and warping
➢ Shrinkage and swelling
➢ Disintegration and decay

3 Prepared by: Engr. Frances Lorane R. Tuddao-Calapini