Effect of annual rings on abrasive wear property of wood

In this study we investigated the abrasive wear property of Douglas fir (Pseudostuga menziesii Franco) on abrasive paper using test specimens with various dimensions and annual ring widths. The effect of the annual rings on the abrasive wear property of Douglas fir was clarified from the relation with the compression strength of the wood specimens. The dispersion of the wear coefficient, which was calculated as the wear volume divided by the friction distance and the load applied to the friction surface, varied when there were fewer than approximately three annual rings in the specimen, as did the compression strength. As clarified from these results, it was found that the effect of the annual rings on the abrasive wear and compression properties of Douglas fir is closely related to the earlywood/ latewood ratio.