Wood-Water Interactions
- 1st Edition - April 1, 2026
- Latest edition
- Authors: Samuel L. Zelinka, Samuel V. Glass, Maria Fredriksson, Markus Rüggeberg
- Language: English
- Paperback ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 3 - 3 3 6 8 9 - 8
- eBook ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 3 - 3 3 6 9 0 - 4
Wood-Water Interactions examines wood-water interactions in an intuitive approach to such a highly interdisciplinary topic. While wood-moisture interactions dominate nearly every… Read more
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Wood-Water Interactions examines wood-water interactions in an intuitive approach to such a highly interdisciplinary topic. While wood-moisture interactions dominate nearly every facet of wood technology and wood use, many wood scientists have only a rudimentary understanding of these interactions as previous books on this topic are opaque and esoteric. Authored by experts in the field, the chapters follow a logical structure as well as case studies and vivid illustrations; the reader is motivated to understand updated information about the interaction of moisture with wood, the effect of changes in water status on the properties of wood raw material, and changes in the mechanical properties of wood during drying and humidification.
- Provides fundamental information about the relationship between wood-water
- Offers updated coverage of the physical properties and biochemistry of wood after interaction with moisture
- Contains analytical case studies regarding changes in the composition of wood raw material during drying and humidification
Undergraduates of Wood Science learning about the key concepts in wood-moisture interactions
1. Why is water in wood so important?
All wood properties depend on it, durability, biorefinery, basically everything
Swelling and shrinkage (could go really deep into this or keep it at non-deep level)
Consequences of moisture: Swelling shrinkage from micro to macro scale; Effect on mechanical properties; Durability aspects
2. Why is water in wood so weird?
Discussion of properties of water, water is weird: Vapor pressure, relative humidity, etc. and methods of measurement; Ideal gas equation and real gas behavior in brief; Water- changes of state
Introduce concepts such as enthalpy, water activity, chemical potential
Discussion of hydrogen bonds
Talk about water in trees, how that impacts water in wood
3. Where can water go in wood?
Talk about cell wall water, over-hygroscopic region, etc.
Explain moisture content
Talk about density, specific gravity, basic specific gravity, etc.
(surface forces, hydrogen bonding, etc.)
Relation between basic material properties (density) and moisture sorption in the two moisture ranges
Hydroxyl accessibility
Capillary absorption/Kelvin equation
4. How much water can wood hold?
Maximum total amount of water wood can hold
Introduce the concept of a sorption isotherm, temperature dependence of isotherm, Clausius-Clapeyron equation
Isotherm models have been used to interpolate data; caution is needed when using them to attempt to derive physical quantities
Introduce hysteresis
FSP and maximum cell wall moisture – definitions, sorting out the different claimed FSP states
Property Intersection Point (aka fiber saturation point); Mechanical properties; Dimensions; Electrical properties
Maximum cell wall water content; Experimental methods (DSC, low field NMR, solute exclusion)
5. How water moves in wood
Sorption kinetics
Wood drying
Liquid water absorption
Combine liquid vapor transport
Cup tests
transport under non-isothermal conditions (e.g. thermal gradients)
6. How can we change wood-water relations and why we might want to
Wood modifications often affect how wood interacts with moisture
Why modifications that affect wood-moisture interactions can be beneficial; Improved dimensional stability; More decay resistant
What we know about how different wood modifications affect wood-moisture relations; Bulking modifications; Cross-linking modifications
7. How can we “see” water in wood?
Mass changes
D2O exchange
Experimental methods for probing capillary water
Neutron scattering
(could include basic equipment such as moisture meters as well as advanced experimental methods used in science
Molecular dynamics simulations
sorption calorimetry, solution calorimetry, isothermal calorimetry, introduce heat of wetting
8. What is unknown about water in wood?
White paper about what we hope to inspire future researchers to accomplish End Matter: 1. Section on nomenclature 2. Glossary of important terms and our definitions for key things in wood-moisture relations
All wood properties depend on it, durability, biorefinery, basically everything
Swelling and shrinkage (could go really deep into this or keep it at non-deep level)
Consequences of moisture: Swelling shrinkage from micro to macro scale; Effect on mechanical properties; Durability aspects
2. Why is water in wood so weird?
Discussion of properties of water, water is weird: Vapor pressure, relative humidity, etc. and methods of measurement; Ideal gas equation and real gas behavior in brief; Water- changes of state
Introduce concepts such as enthalpy, water activity, chemical potential
Discussion of hydrogen bonds
Talk about water in trees, how that impacts water in wood
3. Where can water go in wood?
Talk about cell wall water, over-hygroscopic region, etc.
Explain moisture content
Talk about density, specific gravity, basic specific gravity, etc.
(surface forces, hydrogen bonding, etc.)
Relation between basic material properties (density) and moisture sorption in the two moisture ranges
Hydroxyl accessibility
Capillary absorption/Kelvin equation
4. How much water can wood hold?
Maximum total amount of water wood can hold
Introduce the concept of a sorption isotherm, temperature dependence of isotherm, Clausius-Clapeyron equation
Isotherm models have been used to interpolate data; caution is needed when using them to attempt to derive physical quantities
Introduce hysteresis
FSP and maximum cell wall moisture – definitions, sorting out the different claimed FSP states
Property Intersection Point (aka fiber saturation point); Mechanical properties; Dimensions; Electrical properties
Maximum cell wall water content; Experimental methods (DSC, low field NMR, solute exclusion)
5. How water moves in wood
Sorption kinetics
Wood drying
Liquid water absorption
Combine liquid vapor transport
Cup tests
transport under non-isothermal conditions (e.g. thermal gradients)
6. How can we change wood-water relations and why we might want to
Wood modifications often affect how wood interacts with moisture
Why modifications that affect wood-moisture interactions can be beneficial; Improved dimensional stability; More decay resistant
What we know about how different wood modifications affect wood-moisture relations; Bulking modifications; Cross-linking modifications
7. How can we “see” water in wood?
Mass changes
D2O exchange
Experimental methods for probing capillary water
Neutron scattering
(could include basic equipment such as moisture meters as well as advanced experimental methods used in science
Molecular dynamics simulations
sorption calorimetry, solution calorimetry, isothermal calorimetry, introduce heat of wetting
8. What is unknown about water in wood?
White paper about what we hope to inspire future researchers to accomplish End Matter: 1. Section on nomenclature 2. Glossary of important terms and our definitions for key things in wood-moisture relations
- Edition: 1
- Latest edition
- Published: April 1, 2026
- Language: English
SZ
Samuel L. Zelinka
Dr Zelinka is a Project Leader at US Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory. His research and publication activities focus on wood-moisture relations. More information found here: Samuel L. Zelinka | US Forest Service Research and Development (usda.gov)
Affiliations and expertise
US Forest Service, Wisconsin, USASG
Samuel V. Glass
Dr. Glass is a member of the Building and Fire Sciences Research Work Unit at the Forest Products Laboratory. His research focuses on the building envelope, the collective elements that separate the interior and exterior environments, including the foundation, exterior walls, and roof. Dr. Glass investigates the relationships between moisture, energy efficiency, and durability in residential and non-residential wood buildings. Primary research objectives include:
- Advancing the fundamental understanding of wood–water interactions;
- Quantifying moisture transfer in the building envelope;
- Developing tools for assessing risk of moisture-induced damage in buildings; and
- Developing moisture control strategies for cross-laminated timber, a relatively new engineered wood product with vast potential for use in mid-rise and high-rise buildings.
Affiliations and expertise
US Forest Service, Wisconsin, USAMF
Maria Fredriksson
Dr Fredriksson is a Senior Lecturer in the department of Building Materials. Her research concerns moisture and durability related properties of wood and other organic materials. She has expertise in UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
Affiliations and expertise
Lund University, Sweden