Determination of the Elastic Modulus of Brazilian Tropical Wood at High Temperatures Using the Impulse Excitation Technique (IET)

Abstract

Wood, as a renewable and highly abundant material, has been receiving increasing attention for use in high-performance applications, such as a structural element subjected to high temperatures. For its successful implementation in the construction or timber industry sector, it is crucial to understand its behavior during and after exposure to high temperatures. In this study, the red angelim wood, Dinizia excelsa, is subjected to high temperatures, up to a temperature of 508 K, using the dynamic excitation wave propagation test. For the study, the samples tested in the furnace were dimensioned in six distinct directions: the three main ones (radial, tangential, and longitudinal) and three intermediate ones (longitudinal-radial, longitudinal-tangential, and radial-tangential). The static test used only the main directions of wood orientation. The values of elasticity modulus exhibited a reduction after the heat treatment, resulting in significant decreases of up to 45%. The results obtained demonstrated that the excitation wave propagation method was effective in estimating the elasticity modulus at room temperature up to 508 K. Therefore, this study contributed to the construction of a database that can be expanded by future research focused on Brazilian woods.