On-Site X-ray Assessment of Density in Timber Structures

Conference poster, 2011

On-site determination of density properties of timber structures allows evaluation of the internal condition. The X-ray calibration procedure showed a very good agreement between the measured density and the grayscale from X-ray images and indicates a good opportunity for developing a useful tool for the overall assessment of timber structures. The correlation coefficients (R2) range from 0.90-0.98. There can also be detected a clear tendency between the influence of different moisture conditions and the grayscale from X-ray images. This influence must be therefore concluded in the evaluation process as well as the influence of the thickness of the timber specimen. The density calibration method was verified on wood specimens with highly acceptable results and an average accuracy of 97%. Besides the possibility of determining mechanical properties of timber, the main advantage over conventional techniques is the detection and quantification of internal damage, defects and deterioration that reduce the mechanical properties of the structure.