Controlling moisture content of wood samples using a modified soil-pan decay method

Abstract

In wood, the threshold level below which decay cannot occur varies with species or type of wood product and other factors such as temperature, humidity, and propensity of exposure or service-use to allow rain-induced wetting and subsequent drying. The ability to control wood moisture content (MC) during laboratory decay testing could allow research on the moisture thresholds required for the initiation of wood decay over a range ofmoisture conditions. In this study, we modified the soil-pan decay test method to control wood MC by controlling the vermiculite moisture levels. A model was developed to understand and control wood MC when using this modified soil-pan decay method.

Citation

Winandy, Jerrold E.; Curling, Simon F.; Lebow, Patricia K. 2005. Controlling moisture content of wood samples using a modified soil-pan decay method. Forest products journal. Vol. 55, no. 6 (June 2005): Pages 80-85.