Technological properties of glulam beams made from hydrothermally treated poplar wood

ABSTRACT

In this research, technological properties of glulam beams made from hydrothermally treated poplar (Populus deltoides) wood were investigated. Poplar wood blocks with dimensions of 6 (r) × 10 (t) × 73 (l) cm³ were cut and hydrothermally treated in a stainless steel reactor at temperatures of 140 and 160°C for a holding time of 30 min. The treated wood blocks were initially air seasoned and then they were dried in a semi-pilot scale vacuum dryer to achieve moisture content (MC) of 12%. Conditioning of the treated and the untreated wood blocks was done prior to adhesive bonding. Afterwards the glulam beams (4 ply) were manufactured using polyurethane. In order to evaluate the physico-mechanical properties of the beams, density, equilibrium moisture content, water repellent effect (WRE), anti-swelling effect (ASE), mass loss (ML), wettability as well as surface roughness due to the hydrothermal treatment were determined in the treated wood and delamination, bond shear strength, tensile strength, MC and moisture-induced stresses as well as strains in cross-section of the beams were determined in the glulam beams. The results revealed that density, ML, ASE, WRE, modulus of elasticity, modulus of rupture and delamination were increasing and the others were decreased due to the hydrothermal treatment.

KEYWORDS:

• Glulam
• hydrothermal treatment
• poplar
• moisture-induced stresses
• technological properties

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge Tarbiat Modares University (TMU) for granting this research work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.