Evaluation of wooden structures

Abstract

In order to preserve the architectural heritage and sustainability of cities, the accurate evaluation of the mechanical properties of existing buildings is crucial. While inorganic building materials such as natural stones can be evaluated more easily, it is difficult to accurately assess the mechanical properties of wood. Mistaken evaluations of structural wooden members may lead to large-scale replacements in the maintenance and restoration of buildings. The techniques used in the evaluation of wood are; destructive, semi-destructive and non-destructive tests. Although destructive tests give accurate information about the mechanical properties of wood, they are not preferred in the evaluation of the existing structures because they cause the loss of structural integrity. The semi-destructive and non-destructive methods are being widely used for the last decades in the evaluation of structural wooden members. As these techniques do not give harm to the structural members, they allow the in situ evaluation of wooden structures. While semi-destructive tests are carried out with the extraction of a small piece without influencing the mechanical properties of wood, non-destructive techniques are carried out with the help of small devices in order to detect the interior defect and deteriorations. In this study, it is aimed to give information about some of the most used semi-destructive and non-destructive test methods.