Summary
There is evidence showing that lignification causes both an increase in the thickness of the walls, and changes in the overall width or circumference of wood cells. Although data are not available on changes in length during lignification, it can be deduced that these must also tend to occur. As lignin occupies sites in the cell walls corresponding to those occupied by water, the theory of anisotropic shrinkage of wood may be used to predict the proportional dimensional changes tending to occur as each wall layer in a compression wood cell is lignified. Taking account of the microfibril angles in those layers, it is shown that if the angle for S2 is more than about 45°, inevitably S2 will tend to develop deep helical fissures or splits of the form of those reported in the literature.
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Boyd, J.D. Helical fissures in compression wood cells: Causative factors and mechanics of development. Wood Science and Technology 7, 92–111 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00351153
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00351153