Research Access Lab Profile

Wood Mechanics Lab

The Wood Mechanics Lab is an interdisciplinary teaching and research lab that serves the Building Materials and Wood Technology program, students from more than 30 different programs, and industry partners both nationally and internationally. Established in the early 1960’s by Dr. Alan Marra and Dr. Bruce Hoadley, the lab originally focused on wood adhesives and wood chemistry. Over the past 5-10 years, however, the lab has slowly changed focus to structural materials and forest products testing.

Faculty use the facilities for teaching classes such as Design of Wood Structures and Building Materials and Construction Methods for their own research and consulting work. Recently the lab has branched out to investigations into structural wood composites – wood used in combination with other building materials. Faculty are currently involved in cutting edge research on the Mechanical Properties of Wood Concrete Composite Deck Systems. As part of this research, an extended portion of the laboratory is operating outside the building. A small bridge has been set up to expose the wood concrete composite to New England climate. The bridge is monitored using a 60 channel mobile USB Data Acquisition System that measures bridge deflection, internal strain, temperature variation, and moisture content.

Recent industry partners have included SFS Intec (Switzerland), Zang and Bahmer (Germany), and Bensonwood
(New Hampshire). These companies draw on the expertise of the faculty associated with the lab to serve as consultants for structural analysis of their products. The lab houses three universal testing machines including a 150 kN (33 kip) Material Testing System (MTS) with computerized data acquisition. This state of the art equipment is used to determine standard strength properties of various building materials and components. In addition, a 0.9 m 3 (32 ft 3) temperature/humidity chamber as well as drying equipment and an industrial size dry kiln are available for material conditioning. A staffed wood shop completes the labs’ capability.

This spring approximately 30 students worked in the lab performing strength tests on timber connections that they created. "When students use the lab, they learn by doing. And, through testing, they get the opportunity to assess their own work – a luxury they won’t have in real-life projects." says Peggi Clouston, director of the lab. Contact Peggi Clouston (413-545-1884) with questions or for more information. Search and learn more about campus research equipment, facilities and services at www.UMassREFS.info.

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