1. Wood Research Centre Roger E. HERNÁNDEZ IUFRO Division 5 Conference 5.04.06 Wood Drying

2. Wood Research Centre 2 Department of Wood and Forest Sciences, Laval University, Quebec (Qc), Canada G1K 7P4 Effect of temperature on changes in physical properties of wood below and above the fiber saturation point Roger HERNÁNDEZ* and Zaira SILVA Slovakia European Union Quebec

3. Wood Research Centre Aim of work and methods 3 To study the effect of the equilibrium moisture content (EMC) on wood properties below and above the fiber saturation point (FSP) for two hardwoods at two temperatures  Desorption experiments using two experimental techniques  Evaluation of EMC, shrinkage, FSP, and compression stiffness in tangential direction

4. Wood Research Centre Results 4 EMC-WP relationship of yellow birch and beech at 25°C EMC-WP relationship of yellow birch and beech at 25°C. Shrinkage-EMC relationship of yellow birch at 25°C

5. Wood Research Centre At equilibrium, wood shrinkage begins well above the fiber saturation point At equilibrium, wood shrinkage begins well above the fiber saturation point. The EMC affects Young’s modulus in tangential direction well above the FSP The EMC affects Young’s modulus in tangential direction well above the FSP; A region hence exists where the loss of bound water takes place in the presence of liquid water A region hence exists where the loss of bound water takes place in the presence of liquid water. Conclusions.