Variability of some mechanical properties of coconut wood.
1994
Palomar R.N. | Fernandez V.A.
The natural variation of some strength properties of about 80-yr old brown-and green-type San Ramon variety of coconut stem was investigated. The properties were determined from tests on small clear specimens in the air dry condition with an average moisture content of 16.98 percent. The mechanical properties studied include modulus of rupture, stress at elastic limit and modulus of elasticity in static bending, maximum crushing strength in compression parallel to grain, stress at elastic limit in compression perpendicular to grain, and shear parallel to grain. The brown-type trees showed significantly higher values in all the mechanical properties than the green-type palms. For both brown-and green-type trees, the values of strength properties markedly decreased with increasing height levels and significantly increased radially from the core to the periphery of the stem. In saving coconut logs, it is necessary to recover the peripheral portion of the stem since this is the densiest and strongest material that can be safely used as load-bearing structures particularly for low-cost house construction.
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