Testing of the fatigue strength along wood fibres at different moisture contents

Testing of the fatigue strength along wood fibres at different moisture contents. The paper determines the effect of wood moisture content on the fatigue strength in compression along fibres. The method of determining the maximum stress at the proportional limit was used for the measurements. Fatigue strength was investigated for three wood species: pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.), bearded birch (Betula pendula Roth.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies L.), with two moisture contents: close to the absolutely dry state and above the fibre saturation point. The ratio of fatigue strength to short term strength depends on moisture content and is similar for birch (70.3% in the dry state and 72.1% in the wet state), for oak (67.4% and 69.5% in both states) and for spruce (66.6% in the dry state and 68.1% in the wet state). The moisture content of the wood clearly influences the fatigue strength of the wood. On average, the fatigue strength of wood with moisture contents above the fibre saturation point constitutes about 0.20 of the fatigue strength of wood with moisture contents close to 0%. This tendency was found regardless of the tested species. The simplified method for testing fatigue strength at the limit of proportionality has shown its limited usefulness, requiring further analysis and comparison with other methods in order to be thoroughly tested and possibly improved.