Moisture Content Distribution in Cross-Section of Cylindrical Wood Components

The moisture content of wood components varies with changes in the external environment, which significantly affects the mechanical properties, moisture stress, decay, drying shrinkage, and cracking of wood components. Therefore, calculating the moisture content distribution of the cross-section of wood components is an important basis for in-depth research on wood components. First, a hygroscopicity test was performed on 45° sector-shaped Chinese fir thin-plate specimens. The specimens were treated to an absolutely dry state and placed in two different environments. The average moisture content and moisture content gradient on the cross-section of the specimens were measured, and the spatial distribution and temporal variation in the moisture content were studied. A theoretical model for the moisture content distribution of wood was then derived based on food drying theory. Finally, the applicability of the theoretical model was verified through experiments, and the effects of the root order <i>μ</i>_n of the characteristic equation of key parameters, the size of the component, and the position of the component on the moisture content distribution were discussed for the theoretical model. During the hygroscopic process, the average moisture content of wood components increased continuously, but the growth rate gradually slowed. The surface moisture content rapidly reached the level of the external moisture content first, followed by the equilibrium moisture content within a few hours. Hygroscopic hysteresis evidently occurred within the wood, which may take dozens or even hundreds of days. When calculating the average moisture content model of cylindrical components, as well as those of the models of the spatial and temporal variation in the moisture content, it is sufficient to take the first 3 orders of the root <i>μ</i>_n of the characteristic equation of the first Bessel function <i>J</i>. The rate of moisture release of cylindrical components is faster than that of laminates because the ratio of the surface area to the volume of a cylinder is greater than that of a plate, and the former is twice that of the latter. The results revealed that the theoretical model for the moisture content distribution of wood has good accuracy and applicability.