Strength properties of wood and wood-based materials

Knowledge of the strength of wood and wood-based materials is an important basis for the calculation and dimensioning of wooden products. This chapter describes the basics of the strength properties, test methods, important influencing parameters (e.g., moisture content, load direction, type of load, duration of load, speed of loading). Phenomenological aspects of failure on various structural levels, fracture mechanical properties as well as essential test methods such as tension, compression, shear strength, bending, torsion, and cleavage are also described. An overview is given of test specifications, strength properties of wood, and wood-based materials depending on the type of load and the direction of loading. Hardness, wear resistance, and other methods are also described. In addition to static load in short-term tests, impact resistance and fatigue as well as the influence of load duration in the static long-term test are described. In addition, selected results of the first studies to determine the properties of the molecular structure are briefly described.