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Effect of pre-mechanical compression on free water removal, drying collapses and associated internal voids of oil palm wood

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Abstract

To prevent defects caused by drying collapse, transverse pre-mechanical compression with lateral restraint of green oil palm wood (OPW) before kiln-drying was performed. OPW specimens were divided according to specific gravity into low density (LD 0.22 ± 0.05) and medium-density (MD 0.33 ± 0.02) groups. Effects of compressive strain (0–0.65) and strain rate (0.01–1.0/min) on moisture removal and wood recovery after the compression and on collapse and internal void formations after kiln-drying were investigated. Results indicate that pre-mechanical compression linearly removes moisture out of wood and linearly generates permanent thickness strain that is independent of the strain rate used. The pre-compression reduces the true cross-sectional strain in the kiln-dried LD OPW and MD OPW and the internal voids caused by drying collapse in the LD OPW. The collapse-induced voids, not observed in all kiln-dried MD OPW, disappear when compressive strain > 0.45 is applied to the LD OPW. Microstructural examination reveals that directional folding of parenchyma cells caused by the compression reduces intercellular micro-voids randomly generated during drying by the non-directional collapse of parenchyma cells caused by capillary force. However, above the compressive strains of 0.35 and 0.25 in the LD OPW and MD OPW, interfacial micro-cracks, generated at the boundaries between the parenchyma cells and the fiber bundles, link to form shear bands at the angle of approximately 30–40° to the compression axis. After kiln-drying, these shear bands expand into shear-induced voids. Finally, mechanical properties of the kiln-dried LD OPW pre-compressed at a 0.45 strain without collapse-induced voids are comparable to those that have been air-dried.

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the Thailand Science, Research and Innovation and Timber Engineering of Krabi Co., Ltd., Muang, Krabi, Thailand through the Research and Researchers for Industries program (grant no. PHD60I0038) and the Walailak University research fund (grant no, WU61124). This research was partially supported by the new strategic research (P2P) project, Walailak University, Thailand. Prof. Dr. Arno Frühwald and Asst. Prof. Dr. Buhnnum Kyokong are gratefully acknowledged for useful discussions.

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  1. Center of Excellence in Wood Science and Engineering, School of Engineering and Technology, Walailak University, Thasala district, Nakhon Si Thammarat, 80160, Thailand

    Choosak Rittiphet, Kamolwun Dumyang & Nirundorn Matan

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  1. Choosak Rittiphet
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Rittiphet, C., Dumyang, K. & Matan, N. Effect of pre-mechanical compression on free water removal, drying collapses and associated internal voids of oil palm wood. Eur. J. Wood Prod. 79, 925–940 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-021-01674-6

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