Determination of Mechanical Properties of Treated Wood using Near Infrared Spectroscopy

The purpose of this study was to determine the mechanical properties of treated wood using near infrared spectroscopy. This nondestructive evaluation was used to analyze the tensile strength parallel to the grain, modulus of elasticity parallel to the grain and creosote content of a southern pine telephone pole removed from service. Tests were conducted on tensile samples that were cut from sections of the pole in order to determine the actual values. Partial least squared models developed with reduced wavelengths and models developed from several 50 nanometer (nm) intervals along the spectrum showed promise in the prediction of these properties. The results show the potential value of Near Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy as a feasible, nondestructive way of determining the mechanical properties of treated wood.