Diversity of mechanical and physicochemical properties

Mechanical behavior of wood

One-dimensional elastic behavior and strength of materials (RDM) applied to structures with wooden beams and introduction to calculation codes (finite element modeling).

One-dimensional viscoelasticity and damping.

Orthotropic behavior.

Fracture behavior.

Quasi-static and vibratory measurement methods.

Wood compared to other materials (Ashby cards).

Physicochemical properties of wood

Thermal and hygroscopic properties (shrinkage-swelling), impact on elastic properties.

Relationships between structure, chemistry, and physical-mechanical behavior (from the cell wall scale to the macroscopic scale).

Sensory properties: colors, smells, touch, sound, and taste properties.

Diversity of woods and diversity of uses

Variability within a species and diversity between species (temperate, Mediterranean, tropical) in terms of physical and mechanical properties.

Woods at the interface of several categories of diversity (biological, physical-mechanical, functional, cultural), illustrated by specific uses and across different geocultural areas.

The EU "Diversity of mechanical and physicochemical properties" aims to acquire knowledge about the physicomechanical behavior of wood, its specific characteristics (heterogeneity, anisotropy, and variability) in relation to its structure and chemistry. The focus will be on intra- and inter-species diversity and the consequences for uses.