17
Journal of Tropical Agriculture 57 (1): 17-26, 2019
Wood variation in physico-mechanical properties of Dalbergia sissoo
Roxb. ex DC. from local markets of Himachal Pradesh
Pavin Praize Sunny*, Bhupender Dutt, Kulwant Rai Sharma, Bandana Dhiman,
Yogesh Yadavao Sumthane
Department of Forest Products, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni (Solan)
173 230, H.P., India
Received 23 July 2018; received in revised form 02 May 2019; accepted 07 May 2019
Abstract
Attempt was made to evaluate the wood variation in Dalbergia sissoo (shisham) from the local markets of
Himachal Pradesh. The highest moisture content (20.17%) was observed in the wood samples of Nalagarh
site. Highest specific gravity of 0.644 was observed in Dattowal and lowest (0.748) in Nalagarh site.
Significant variation in mechanical properties was observed for all the studied parameters. The maximum
bending strength was recorded in Baroh and Sundernagar site (0.006 kN/mm2) and maximum tensile strength
(0.094 kN/mm2) was noticed in the wood samples from Baroh site. The maximum compressive strength
parallel to grain (0.069 kN/mm2) was observed in Kangu site and maximum compressive strength
perpendicular to grain (0.038 kN/mm2) was found in Baroh site. The maximum modulus of elasticity
parallel to grain (0.231 kN/mm2) was recorded in Ghumarwin and maximum modulus of elasticity
perpendicular to grain (1.653 kN/mm2) was noticed in wood samples of Galore site. The greater modulus
of elasticity due to tension and bending was found in the wood samples of the sites Baroh (2.876 kN/mm2)
and Kangu (10.369 kN/mm2) respectively. The maximum bending modulus of rupture was observed in the
wood samples from the sites of Sundernagar (0.116 kN/mm2) and for teak was found to be 0.323 kN/mm2.
The maximum elongation for shisham wood samples for bending was found in Nalagarh site (0.039 mm)
and for tension in the site of Sarahan (0.033 mm). The mechanical properties of shisham wood were
compared with standard teak wood samples and it was found that the wood samples of shisham were
superior in some mechanical properties.
Keywords: Bending, Elasticity, Moisture, Specific gravity.
Introduction
Wood has remained as an important substance
throughout history because of its unique properties
and has been used as a most versatile constructional
material for thousands of years (Rowell, 2013).
Wood is essentially composed of cellulose,
hemicelluloses, lignin and extractives. Each of these
components contributes to fibre properties, which
ultimately have an impact on wood properties. Two
major chemical components in wood, lignin (1835%) and carbohydrate (65-75%) are complex,
polymeric materials along with minor amount of
extraneous materials, mostly in the form of organic
extractives and inorganic material (ash). Overall,
wood has an elemental composition of about 50 per
cent carbon, 6 per cent hydrogen, 44 per cent
oxygen, and trace amounts of several metal ions.
Wood is highly anisotropic in its properties i.e., it
has different properties in different directions. This
is due to its cellular structure and physical
organization of the cellulose chain molecules within
the cell walls (Schniewind, 1989). It is a natural,
renewable cellular resource of botanical origin with
unique structural and chemical characteristics that
render desirable end uses for variety of purposes
*Author for Correspondence: Phone: 9497075718, Email: ppsbrahmabull316@gmail.com
Wood variation in physico-mechanical properties of Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. ex DC. from local markets of Himachal Pradesh
with excellent strength-to-weight properties
(Hingston et al., 2001).
Dalbergia sissoo commonly known as shisham
belongs to the family Fabaceae and is a medium to
large-sized deciduous tree up to 30 m in height and
80 cm dbh under favourable conditions. This species
grows well in subtropical to tropical climate which
occurs throughout sub Himalayan tract and outer
Himalayan valleys from the Indus to the Assam,
usually upto 900 m, but occasionally ascending to
1500 m. This species is a strong light demander and
right from the seedling stage it requires full
overhead light for successful regeneration and
establishment. It is, therefore, found in riverine
environments. It has long been grown in
combination with agricultural crops, field
boundaries around the fruit orchard, as wind breaks
and shelter belts and as scattered trees in fallow
lands.
The timber of this species is strong and very elastic
in nature. The physical and anatomical properties
of the wood are comparable to teak and are
somewhat even better than teak. The heartwood of
shisham is extremely durable both in exposed and
under cover conditions as compared to sapwood.
The heartwood is golden to dark brown whereas
sapwood is white to pale brownish white. The wood
has straight grain, though it can sometimes be
interlocked. Texture is medium to coarse with a
good natural lustre. The wood has a distinct scent
which is the characteristic of most of woods in the
Dalbergia genus, though the scent is somewhat
milder compared to other species. Sissoo timber is
easy to work, machines well and takes an excellent
polish and is highly valued in India, where its price
is at par with teak (Luna, 2005). The tree itself tends
to grow in a crooked fashion, clear sections of
lumber are seldom seen. Sissoo wood has good
working characteristics and responds well to nearly
all machining operations, glues and finishes well.
It is also commonly planted in Southern Indian cities
as a street tree and is one of the most preferred
species for doors and windows in Northern India.
18
The wood is suitable for handles of striking,
scooping, cutting and shaping tools. Although
eminently suitable for railway sleepers, due to its
usefulness in constructional and cabinet purposes,
it is rarely used for this purpose. Shisham, like teak
and rosewood, ranks amongst the finest of India’s
cabinet and furniture woods due to its attractive
brown colour, desirable figure, good grain etc. The
use of woody material is increasing continuously,
thus resulting in consumption of larger quantities
by different timber processing industries. Due to
this increased demand, the pressure on forests has
increased, resulting in shortage of wood and other
woody products (Rahman et al., 2005). Like teak
and sal, shisham wood can be used as timber and
for other purposes.
At present, there has only few studies on the physical
and mechanical properties of shisham wood,
although some clonal comparative studies have been
conducted at Dehradun in Uttarakand and Solan in
Himachal Pradesh. As physical and mechanical
properties are important parameters for the practical
application of wood for different purposes, the
present study aims to understand the species, its
complete and effective utilization. In this back drop
a study was carried out with twin objectives of
investigating the variation in physical and
mechanical properties of shisham wood.
Materials and Methods
The present study on the characterization of physical
and mechanical properties of shisham wood was
carried out in three sub experiments.
Experimental Material
Wood samples of Dalbergia sissoo were collected
randomly from ten different market sites of
Himachal Pradesh. Details of sites with their
coordinates from the market sites have been given
in Table No.1
Experiment 1: Identification and authentication of
Dalbergia sissoo wood
Pavin Praize Sunny, Bhupender Dutt, Kulwant Rai Sharma, Bandana Dhiman, Yogesh Yadavao Sumthane
19
Table 1. Details of market sites, their elevation and coordinates
Sl. No.
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.
xi.
Sites
Andreta (Kangra)
Baroh (Kangra)
Galore (Hamirpur)
Kangu (Hamirpur)
Nalagarh (Solan)
Chowkiwala (Solan)
Dattowal (Solan)
Ghumarwin (Bilaspur)
Sundernagar (Mandi)
Sarahan (Sirmaur)
Control (Teak)
Elevation (m)
988
756
753
1103
348
346
394
609
849
1589
From Solan market
The following physical properties were recorded for
the identification and authentication of the wooden
samples taken from the market:
i) Colour
ii) Odour
iii) Texture
i) Colour
Colour of the wood is due to the presence or
infiltration of chemical products and is a
variable feature of some diagnostic value.
Colour was observed in each wood sample
using Royal Horticultural Society chart (RHS,
2015). Wooden samples were matched with
different colours in the chart and the colour
codes were recorded for each sample.
ii) Odour
The odour of the wood is due to one or more
volatile chemicals, generally at a very low
concentration, that humans or other animals
perceive by the sense of olfaction. Odours are
also commonly called scents, which can refer
to both pleasant and unpleasant odours.
iii) Texture
Wood texture describes the relative size as well
as the amount of variation in size of the wood
cells. It depends upon the size of the cells, and
its distribution, and proportion of the various
types of cells. Texture of Tectona grandis ranges
from medium to coarse and was determined
based upon the range of tangential diameters
of vessels under four main classes (Peng et al.,
1988) as given below:
Latitude
32° 2' 24.4854" N
31° 36' 13.821" N
31° 41' 7.335" N
31° 6' 42.03" N
31° 2' 40.4118" N
31° 2' 45.4842" N
31° 2' 27.7404" N
31° 26' 56.922" N
31° 31' 59.6634" N
30° 43' 33.0882" N
Longitude
76° 34' 3.3846" E
76° 26' 54.7292" E
76° 30' 56.0988" E
76° 57' 54.7014" E
76° 42' 17.244" E
76° 42' 9.054" E
76° 43' 16.4814" E
76° 42' 17.244" E
76° 53' 32.1828" E
77° 11' 7.6338" E
Texture
Mean tangential
diameter of vessels
(a) Very fine
: <100 µm
(b) Fine
: 100-200 µm
(c) Medium
: 200-300 µm
(d) Coarse
: >300 µm
In order to measure the vessel diameter, the cross
section of the wood sample was observed by using
ocular micrometer of 15x fitted in the eyepiece of
microscope with 4x magnification objective lens
which was standardized with the help of stage
micrometer.
Experiment 2: To study the physical properties of
Dalbergia sissoo wood
Species
: Dalbergia sissoo
No. of sites
:
Control (Tectona grandis) :
Replications
:
Design
:
10
1
3
CRD
Observations recorded:
i) Moisture content (%)
ii) Maximum moisture content (%)
iii) Specific gravity
i) Moisture content (%)
Fresh weight of the standard samples was
recorded just after they were cut from logs of
Shisham wood procured from different sites.
After initial weighing, the samples were oven
dried at 102±10C till constant weight. This
Wood variation in physico-mechanical properties of Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. ex DC. from local markets of Himachal Pradesh
weight of samples was recorded as oven dried
weight (g).
The moisture per cent of the samples was
calculated by using the formula given by Desch
and Dinwoodie (1996).
Moisture content (%) =
Where,
Mi =
Mo =
x100
Initial weight of sample (g)
Oven dried weight of sample (g)
ii) Maximum moisture content (MMC %)
Maximum moisture content (MMC) of wood
samples was determined as per procedure
prescribed by Indian Standard IS: 1708 (BIS,
1986). The wood samples were submerged in
distilled water for 7 days to ensure complete
saturation. The saturated samples were taken out
and weighed. These samples were then dried
first in air and then at 105±2oC till constant
weight. The maximum moisture content (%) was
calculated using the formula:
Maximum moisture content (MMC %)
= Mm-Mo x 100
Mo
Where, Mm = Saturated weight of sample (g)
Mo = Oven dried weight of sample (g)
iii) Specific gravity
Specific gravity of the samples was determined
by the maximum moisture content method
(Smith, 1954). Wood samples were prepared
from the disc which was cut from the base of
log for each sample. These samples were
submerged in distilled water till saturation. The
weight of the samples at this point was recorded
as weight at maximum moisture content level.
These samples were then oven dried at 102±10C
until constant weight was attained.
The specific gravity was calculated as per the
formula given below:
20
Specific gravity =
Where,
Mm =
Mo
=
GS
=
Fresh/ Green weight of the sample
having maximum moisture
Oven dried constant weight of the
sample
Average density of wood substances,
a constant, having value 1.53
Experiment 3: To study mechanical properties of
Dalbergia sissoo wood
Species
: Dalbergia sissoo
No. of sites
: 10
Control (Tectona grandis) : 1
Replications
: 3
Design
: CRD
Observations recorded:
i. Tensile strength (kN/mm2)
ii. Bending strength (kN/mm2)
iii. Compression strength parallel to grain (kN/
mm2)
iv. Compression strength perpendicular to grain
(kN/mm2)
v. Compression Modulus of elasticity (kN/mm2)
vi. Bending Modulus of rupture (kN/mm2)
vii. Bending Modulus of elasticity (kN/mm2)
viii. Tensile Modulus of elasticity (kN/mm2)
The standard size of the specimen for conducting
this test was 300 mm x 10 mm x 10 mm. The
computer generated data and graph from Universal
Testing Machine (UTN-10) was obtained to derive
the values of maximum load, maximum
displacement and breaking pattern for all the
samples. Utmost care was taken so that each
specimen faced similar type of test measures.
i) Tensile strength (kN/mm2)
The standard size of the specimen taken was
300 mm x 10 mm x 10 mm which was tested
for bending strength on Universal Testing
Machine (UTN-10) and data were recorded.
Utmost care was taken so that each specimen
Pavin Praize Sunny, Bhupender Dutt, Kulwant Rai Sharma, Bandana Dhiman, Yogesh Yadavao Sumthane
faced similar type of test measures.
ii) Bending strength (kN/mm2)
The standard size of the specimen taken was
300 mm x 20 mm x 20 mm which was tested
for bending strength on Universal Testing
Machine (UTN-10) and data were recorded.
Utmost care was taken so that each specimen
faced similar type of test measures.
iii) Compression strength parallel to grain (kN/
mm2)
This test was conducted in the direction parallel
to the grain using Universal Testing Machine
(UTN-10). The standard size of specimens for
the compression test was 50 mm x 20 mm x 20
mm along the grain. All samples faced similar
type of test measures.
iv) Compression strength perpendicular to grain
(kN/mm2)
The size of the specimen taken was 50 mm x
20mm x 20 mm across or perpendicular to the
direction of grain and the data were recorded
on Universal Testing Machine (UTN-10).
Proper care was taken so that each specimen
faced similar type of test measures.
v) Compression Modulus of elasticity (kN/mm2)
The compressive strength data and graphs
perpendicular to grain were used for the
determination of modulus of elasticity. It was
calculated as:
Modulus of elasticity =
Where,
P = Load at limit of proportionality in Newton
(N)
L = Gauge length of the specimen in mm
∆ = Displacement at limit of proportionality in
mm
A = Cross- sectional area in mm2
a) Modulus of elasticity parallel to grain (kN/
mm2)
The compressive strength data and graphs
parallel to grain were used for the
determination of modulus of elasticity.
b) Modulus of elasticity perpendicular to grain
(kN/mm2)
21
The compressive strength data and graphs
perpendicular to grain were used for the
determination of modulus of elasticity
vi) Bending modulus of rupture (kN/mm2)
The size of the specimen taken was 30x20x20
mm and the data were recorded on Universal
Testing Machine (UTN-10). Care was taken so
that each specimen faced similar type of test
measures.
MOR=
Where,
P
=
L
=
b
=
h
=
Maximum load (kN)
Length of test piece (mm)
Breadth of test piece (mm)
Thickness of test piece (mm)
vii) Bending modulus of elasticity (kN/mm2)
The static bending strength data and graph were
used for the determination of bending modulus
of elasticity. It was calculated using load and
displacement at limit of proportionality as
follows:
Modulus of elasticity =
Where,
P = Load at limit of proportionality in Newton
(N)
L = Gauge length of the specimen in mm
∆ = Displacement at limit of proportionality in
mm
b = Breadth of the specimen in mm
h = Height/depth of the specimen in mm
viii) Tensile modulus of elasticity (kN/mm2)
The static bending strength data and graph were
used for the determination of bending modulus
of elasticity. It was calculated using load and
displacement at limit of proportionality as
follows:
Modulus of elasticity =
Wood variation in physico-mechanical properties of Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. ex DC. from local markets of Himachal Pradesh
22
Table 2. Variation in colour, texture and odour of Dalbergia sissoo wood from different market locations in Himachal
Pradesh.
Sl. No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Sites
Andreta (Kangra)
Baroh (Kangra)
Galore (Hamirpur)
Kangu (Hamirpur)
Nalagarh (Solan)
Chowkiwala (Solan)
Dattowal (Solan)
Ghumarwin (Bilaspur)
Sundernagar (Mandi)
Sarahan (Sirmaur)
Colour
Moderate brown 200[D]
Moderate brown 200[D]
Moderate brown 200[D]
Moderate brown 200[D]
Moderate brown 200[C]
Moderate brown 165[A]
Moderate brown 165[A]
Moderate brown 200[D]
Moderate brown 200[C]
Moderate brown 200[D]
Where,
P = Load at limit of proportionality in Newton
(N)
L = Gauge length of the specimen in mm
∆ = Displacement at limit of proportionality in
mm
A = Cross- sectional area in mm2
Results and Discussion
Experiment 1: Identification and authentication of
Dalbergia sissoo wood
Colour of the wood samples of Shisham collected
from different market sites was matched with RHS
Colour Chart {Fan 4, sixth edition (2015)} for
identification purpose (Table 2). Wooden samples
procured from Chowkiwala and Dattowal were
found similar in colour when matched with Greyed
Texture
Medium
Coarse
Coarse
Medium
Medium
Coarse
Medium
Coarse
Medium
Medium
Odour
Sweet
Sweet
Sweet
Sweet
Sweet
Sweet
Sweet
Sweet
Sweet
Sweet
Orange Group sheet number 165 (moderate brown
[A] colour). Samples from Nalagarh and
Sundernagar were found to be moderate brown [C]
when matched with moderate brown colour from
Brown Group with sheet number 200 whereas, rest
of the wood samples were moderate brown [D] from
same group and sheet number. The texture of the
shisham wood varied from coarse to medium on
the basis of tangential diameter of the vessels. The
odour of all the shisham wood samples collected
from different market sites was sweet (Table 2).
Experiment 2: Physical properties of shisham
The presence of moisture in wood makes it
dimensionally unstable and it also indicates the
degree of porosity in wood. The data related to
moisture content of wood of Shisham collected from
different sites are presented in Table 3. The
Table 3. Variation in the moisture content and maximum moisture content and specific gravity of Dalbergia sissoo wood
from various market locations in Himachal Pradesh
Sl. No.
Site
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Andreta (Kangra)
Baroh (Kangra)
Galore (Hamirpur)
Kangu (Hamirpur)
Nalagarh (Solan)
Chowkiwala (Solan)
Dattowal (Solan)
Ghumarwin (Bilaspur)
Sundernagar (Mandi)
Sarahan (Sirmaur)
Mean
SE (d)
CD0.05
Moisture content
(%)
13.97 (3.87)
13.16 (3.76)
13.32 (3.78)
13.16 (3.76)
20.17 (4.60)
12.82 (3.72)
12.33 (3.65)
10.80 (3.44)
11.30 (3.51)
12.73 (3.71)
13.37
NS
NS
Maximum Moisture
Content (%)
61.75
48.93
48.07
57.26
68.33
60.46
46.99
59.32
55.27
63.46
56.98
NS
NS
Specific gravity
0.560
0.604
0.604
0.561
0.517
0.576
0.644
0.559
0.580
0.546
0.575
0.006
0.012
Pavin Praize Sunny, Bhupender Dutt, Kulwant Rai Sharma, Bandana Dhiman, Yogesh Yadavao Sumthane
maximum moisture content of 20.17 per cent was
observed in wood samples collected from Nalagarh
site and the minimum moisture content (10.80 %)
was found in sample procured from Ghumarwin
site. The higher maximum moisture content was
observed in wood samples procured from Nalagarh
site which was 68.33 per cent and the lower
maximum moisture content was noticed in the wood
sample from Dattowal site i.e., 46.99 per cent.
Specific gravity is the parameter which determines
the strength of wood and gives the idea of the
weight, density and porosity of wood. The data
obtained on specific gravity are presented in Table
3, which revealed significant variation among
Shisham wood samples collected from different
sites. The maximum specific gravity (0.644) was
recorded in wood from Dattowal site and the
minimum specific gravity of 0.517 was observed
in wood samples from Nalagarh site.
Experiment 3: Mechanical properties of shisham
The ability of any material to resist the stretching
forces is its tensile strength. Wood when used for
construction and other purposes ought to face these
forces. Hence, this parameter reveals the ability of
wood to work under such stresses. A critical analysis
of the data recorded for tensile strength is presented
in Table 4. Data obtained showed significant
variation among samples collected from different
sites. The maximum tensile strength was noticed in
wood samples collected from Baroh site (0.094 kN/
mm2) which was statistically at par with samples of
Galore site (0.078 kN/mm2). The minimum tensile
strength (0.030 kN/mm2) was observed in the
samples procured from site of Ghumarwin and this
was statistically at par with the samples from
Dattowal (0.039 kN/mm2) and Andreta (0.032 kN/
mm2) sites.
Bending strength of wood determines its capacity
to be used as beams, pillars etc. The data pertaining
to bending strength of Shisham wood samples
collected from different sites are shown in Table 4.
There was no significant variation among the
samples collected from different sites. The
23
Table 4. Variation in Tensile and Bending strength of
Dalbergia sissoo wood from various market sources in
Himachal Pradesh.
Sl. Site
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Andreta (Kangra)
Baroh (Kangra)
Galore (Hamirpur)
Kangu (Hamirpur)
Nalagarh (Solan)
Chowkiwala (Solan)
Dattowal (Solan)
Ghumarwin (Bilaspur)
Sundernagar (Mandi)
Sarahan (Sirmaur)
Mean
Control (Teak)
SE (d)
CD0.05
Tensile
Strength
(kN/mm2)
0.032
0.094
0.078
0.066
0.068
0.047
0.039
0.030
0.055
0.076
0.058
0.076
0.008
0.016
Bending
Strength
(kN/mm2)
0.004
0.006
0.004
0.005
0.005
0.004
0.005
0.004
0.006
0.004
0.005
0.015
NS
NS
maximum bending strength (0.006 kN/mm2) was
noticed in wood samples from Baroh and
Sundernagar while the minimum tensile strength
(0.004 kN/mm 2) was observed in the sites,
Chowkiwala, Andreta, Galore, Ghumarwin and
Sarahan. In standard teak wood samples, a bending
strength value of 0.015 kN/mm2 was noticed.
Compressive strength of wood is a vital property in
timber as it subjected to compressive forces during
its utilization. The data on compression strength
perpendicular to grain showed significant variation
among samples of Shisham wood collected from
different sites as shown in Table 5. The maximum
compressive strength perpendicular to grain of .038
kN/mm2 was noticed in wood samples from Andreta
site and the minimum compressive strength
perpendicular to grain was recorded in samples of
the Sundernagar site (0.022 kN/mm2). In teak,
compressive strength of 0.034 kN/mm 2 was
observed, which was superior to all the Shisham
wood samples collected from different market sites.
The compression perpendicular to grain is a stress
applied parallel to the length of the wood cells and
is important for its application in sports goods.
Compressive strength parallel to grain revealed
significant variation among different Shisham wood
Wood variation in physico-mechanical properties of Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. ex DC. from local markets of Himachal Pradesh
24
Table 5: Variation in compression strength perpendicular and parallel to grain (kN/mm2) of shisham wood from various
market sources in Himachal Pradesh.
Sl. No.
Site
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Andreta (Kangra)
Baroh (Kangra)
Galore (Hamirpur)
Kangu (Hamirpur)
Nalagarh (Solan)
Chowkiwala (Solan)
Dattowal (Solan)
Ghumarwin (Bilaspur)
Sundernagar (Mandi)
Sarahan (Sirmaur)
Mean
Control (Teak)
SE (d)
CD0.05
11
Compression perpendicular
to grain (kN/mm2)
0.038
0.031
0.033
0.029
0.029
0.023
0.025
0.023
0.022
0.032
0.028
0.034
0.002
0.003
collected from the respective sites (Table 5). The
data showed the highest compressive strength
parallel to grain in wood samples from Baroh site
(0.069 kN/mm2), which was statistically at par with
the sites of Andreta (0.064 kN/mm2), Ghumarwin
(0.063 kN/mm2) and Sundernagar (0.065 kN/mm2)
while the lowest compressive strength perpendicular
to grain (0.046 kN/mm2) was noticed in Sarahan
site. Teak showed compressive strength of 0.067
kN/mm2.
Elasticity of the wood is its level of retention of
original size and shape. Hence, determination of
Compressionparallel
to grain(kN/mm2)
0.064
0.069
0.062
0.062
0.056
0.061
0.053
0.063
0.065
0.046
0.060
0.067
0.003
0.006
wood elasticity has great significance in finding its
suitability for specific uses. The data on modulus
of elasticity (MOE) perpendicular to grain are
presented in Table 6. The maximum value for
modulus of elasticity perpendicular to grain among
samples of Shisham wood collected from the sites
was observed for Ghumarwin site i.e., 1.653 kN/
mm2 while the minimum (0.827 kN/mm2) modulus
of elasticity (MOE) was noticed in wood samples
from Sarahan site. The modulus of elasticity in teak
wood samples was found to be 0.717 kN/mm2. Table
6 revealed significant variations in the values of
modulus of elasticity (MOE) parallel to grain.
Table 6. Variation in Compression Modulus of Elasticity perpendicular and parallel to grain (kN/mm2) of shisham wood
from various market sources in Himachal Pradesh.
Sl. No.
Site
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Andreta (Kangra)
Baroh (Kangra)
Galore (Hamirpur)
Kangu (Hamirpur)
Nalagarh (Solan)
Chowkiwala (Solan)
Dattowal (Solan)
Ghumarwin (Bilaspur)
Sundernagar (Mandi)
Sarahan (Sirmaur)
Mean
Control (Teak)
SE (d)
CD0.05
11
MOE perpendicular
to grain(kN/mm2)
1.247
1.346
0.861
0.933
1.199
0.950
0.838
1.653
0.948
0.827
1.080
0.717
0.090
0.188
MOE parallel to
grain (kN/mm2)
0.107
0.142
0.140
0.100
0.231
0.145
0.196
0.163
0.152
0.097
0.147
0.082
0.016
0.032
Pavin Praize Sunny, Bhupender Dutt, Kulwant Rai Sharma, Bandana Dhiman, Yogesh Yadavao Sumthane
Among all the wood samples collected from
different sites, the maximum modulus of elasticity
parallel to grain was recorded for Nalagarh site
(0.231 kN/mm2) while the minimum modulus of
elasticity (MOE) was noticed for Sarahan site (0.097
kN/mm2). The modulus of elasticity in teak wood
samples was recorded as 0.082 kN/mm2.
Modulus of Rupture (MOR) is a measure of a wood
specimen strength towards rupture. It can be used
to determine overall strength of wood species;
unlike the modulus of elasticity, which measures the
deflection of wood. Significant variation was
observed in modulus of rupture among different
species from different sites which could be
attributed to variable cellular composition of woods.
The data on modulus of rupture (MOR) are
presented in Table 7. The maximum value of
modulus of rupture among Shisham wood samples
collected from the different sites was observed for
Sundernagar site (0.116 kN/mm 2) while the
minimum value for modulus of rupture was noticed
for Sarahan site (0.081 kN/mm2). The maximum
bending modulus of rupture (0.242 kN/mm2) was
observed in teak wood samples collected from Solan
market. Variation in elongation (%) in wood samples
of Shisham wood collected from different sites may
be due to the difference in alignment of the cells.
The total elongation also depends upon the length
25
of the gauge and also upon the species. The data on
elongation of Shisham wood collected from the
different sites are presented in Table 7. The
maximum value for elongation in bending test
(3.867 %) was noticed in the site of Nalagarh and
the minimum value was observed in Sarahan site
(2.167 %). The maximum value for elongation in
tension test was recorded in the Sarahan site (3.300
%) which was statistically at par with the sites of
Baroh (3.000 %), Kangu (2.833 %), Nalagarh (2.867
%) and Galore (2.933 %) while the minimum value
was noticed for Andreta site (1.433 %).
The data pertaining to bending modulus of elasticity
of Shisham wood collected from the different sites
are presented in Table 8. The maximum value for
bending modulus of elasticity was observed for the
Kangu site (10.369 kN/mm2) while the minimum
value was noticed for Nalagarh site (6.935 kN/mm2).
The maximum value was observed in the samples
of teak i.e., 15.264 kN/mm2. The data pertaining to
tension modulus of elasticity of Shisham wood
samples collected from the different sites are
presented in Table 8. The maximum value for tensile
modulus of elasticity among Shisham wood samples
was observed for Baroh site (2.876 kN/mm2) while
the minimum value was noticed for Ghumarwin site
(1.853 kN/mm2). The maximum value was observed
in the samples of teak (2.990 kN/mm2).
Table 7. Variation in Bending Modulus of Rupture (kN/mm2), elongation (%) in tension and bending (kN/mm2) of
shisham wood from various market sources in Himachal Pradesh.
Sl. No. Site
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Andreta (Kangra)
Baroh (Kangra)
Galore (Hamirpur)
Kangu (Hamirpur)
Nalagarh (Solan)
Chowkiwala (Solan)
Dattowal (Solan)
Ghumarwin (Bilaspur)
Sundernagar (Mandi)
Sarahan (Sirmaur)
Mean
Control(Teak)
SE (d)
CD0.05
Modulus of Rupture static
bending test(kN/mm2)
0.089
0.113
0.098
0.104
0.097
0.084
0.099
0.088
0.116
0.081
0.097
0.242
0.011
0.024
Elongation Static
Bending test (%)
2.333
3.100
2.367
2.800
3.867
2.267
2.800
2.767
3.177
2.167
2.764
3.087
0.004
0.008
Elongation Tension
test (%)
1.433
3.000
2.933
2.833
2.867
1.820
1.600
1.533
2.333
3.300
2.365
2.443
0.003
0.006
Wood variation in physico-mechanical properties of Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. ex DC. from local markets of Himachal Pradesh
Table 8. Variation in Tensile and Bending Modulus of
Elasticity (kN/mm2) of shisham wood from various
market sources in Himachal Pradesh.
Sl.
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Site
Bending MOE Tensile MOE
(kN/mm2)
(kN/mm2)
Andreta (Kangra)
8.591
2.052
Baroh (Kangra)
8.921
2.876
Galore (Hamirpur)
9.283
2.536
Kangu (Hamirpur)
10.369
2.246
Nalagarh (Solan)
6.935
2.329
Chowkiwala (Solan)
7.188
2.365
Dattowal (Solan)
8.716
2.229
Ghumarwin (Bilaspur)
7.891
1.853
Sundernagar (Mandi)
9.199
2.328
Sarahan (Sirmaur)
9.297
2.222
Mean
8.639
2.304
Control (Teak)
15.264
2.990
SE (d)
NS
0.202
CD0.05
NS
0.421
Chowkiwala and Dattowal wood samples were
found to match in colour with Greyed Orange Group
of sheet number 165 i.e., moderate brown [A]
colour. The texture of the Shisham wood samples
from the sites of Andreta, Kangu, Nalagarh,
Dattowal, Sundernagar and Sarahan were of
medium type and coarse type wood samples were
collected from the sites of Baroh, Chowkiwala,
Galore and Ghumarwin. The maximum specific
gravity was observed for the wood procured from
Dattowal site (0.644). The maximum tensile strength
was recorded for the wood taken from Baroh site
whereas maximum bending strength was for Baroh
and Sundernagar sites. The maximum compressive
strength parallel to grain was noticed for Andreta
site and maximum compressive strength
perpendicular to grain was for Baroh site. The
maximum modulus of elasticity parallel to grain was
observed for Ghumarwin site and modulus of
elasticity perpendicular to grain was recorded for
Nalagarh site. The maximum modulus of elasticity
in bending was observed for Baroh site and modulus
26
of elasticity in tension was recorded for Kangu site.
The maximum elongation in bending was observed
for Nalagarh site and maximum elongation in
tension noticed for Sarahan site. So based on the
above obtained results, it could be concluded that
the shisham wood from the sites of Dattowal, Baroh
and Ghumarwin showed better performance and
could be recommended for use in different
applications.
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