Understanding Wood and Wood Products

Wood is an amazing building material: It is beautiful and warm to the touch. It is easy to machine and abundantly available. It is light, yet strong and stiff. And best of all: It comes from a renewable source. To build with wood, however, requires understanding its peculiarities: the variability of its properties, its interaction with water and the possibility of biodeterioration. This course introduces graduate students to the physical and mechanical properties of wood as applies to construction and architecture. It provides an overview of wood-based products and exposes students to structural systems in wood. Basic laboratory techniques for physical measurement and mechanical testing are introduced.