INFLUENCE OF FIRE EXPOSURE ON THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF WOOD

Abstract

Young's modulus and bending strength of 3 species of wood commonly used for engineered wood and Zelkova, hardwood normally used for traditional large building, heated up to 250℃ are measured at the elevated temperature and after cooling to the room temperature as an engineering basis for the structural fire safety design and the reusability diagnosis of large-scale timber buildings. The results show the both properties, either at elevated temperature or after cooling, are highly dependent on exposed temperature for 150-200℃ or higher, and correlation between the Young's modulus and the bending strength tends to become weaker with rise of exposed temperature. The bending strength at elevated temperature is found to converge while it is notably scattered at normal temperature.