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Numerical modelling of moisture movement and related stress field in lime wood subjected to changing climate conditions

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Abstract

Numerical modelling was used to follow the evolution of the moisture content gradient and the stress field resulting from the restrained differential dimensional response across a wooden cylinder, simulating sculptures, in response to variations in temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH). Material properties of lime wood (Tilia sp.) were used in the modelling as this wood species was historically widely used. The allowable RH variations, below which mechanical damage will not occur, were derived as functions of the amplitude, time period and starting RH level of the variation. Lime wood can endure step RH variations of up to 15% in the moderate RH region, but the allowable domain narrows when RH levels shift from the middle range. The allowable amplitude of the variations increases when time allowed for the change increases. The stress field does not vanish even for slow, quasi-static changes in RH due to structural internal restraint resulting from the anisotropy in the moisture-related dimensional change.

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Acknowledgments

A substantial part of this research was done within two projects supported financially by the European Commission 6th Framework Programme: “Global climate change impact on built heritage and cultural landscapes” (NOAH’S ARK) and “Sensor systems for detection of harmful environments in pipe organs” (SENSORGAN). Further, this work was supported in part by grant 1 H01E 010 30 from the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

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  1. Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Niezapominajek 8, 30-239, Kraków, Poland

    S. Jakieła, Ł. Bratasz & R. Kozłowski

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  1. S. Jakieła
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  2. Ł. Bratasz
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  3. R. Kozłowski
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Correspondence to R. Kozłowski.

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Jakieła, S., Bratasz, Ł. & Kozłowski, R. Numerical modelling of moisture movement and related stress field in lime wood subjected to changing climate conditions. Wood Sci Technol 42, 21–37 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00226-007-0138-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00226-007-0138-5

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