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Title
The effect of relative humidity on the physical and mechanical properties of oil palm trunk and rubberwood
Authors
OTHMAN SULAIMAN MOHD FAHMI AWALLUDIN ROKIAH HASHIM and MD. IBRAHIM H. MONDAL
Received
April 25, 2012
Published
Volume 46 Issue 5-6 June-July
Keywords
oil palm trunk, rubberwood, compression strength, relative humidity, swelling
Abstract
Some physical and mechanical properties of oil palm trunk (OPT, Elaeis guineensis) and rubberwood (Hevea
brasiliensis) were investigated by exposing to relative humidity, and sorption, dimensional changes and compression
strength were determined. Both OPT and rubberwood showed a sigmoidal relationship of relative humidity and
equilibrium moisture content. The fiber saturation points of OPT and rubberwood were found in the ranges 22-25% and
25-27%, respectively. The percent swelling of OPT in both the tangential and radial directions was almost identical – of
about 2.2%. On the other hand, the swelling of rubberwood was of about 5.7% in the tangential direction and of about
3.2% in the radial direction. The ratio of tangential to radial swelling for oil palm trunk ranged from 1.03 to 1.12, while
that for rubberwood ranged from 1.56 to 2.09. The longitudinal specific compression strength of OPT and rubberwood
was affected by the moisture content.
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