An experimentally validated fatigue model for wood subjected to tension perpendicular to the grain

This study presents an experimental investigation of fatigue in wood subjected to tension perpendicular to the grain. The study has been designed with special reference to the influence of the frequency of loading. The investigation reveals an interaction between number of load oscillations and accumulated time under load to failure.

This interaction corresponds to frequency dependent fatigue. Current models for damage accumulation and failure modelling are screened with respect to their ability to account for such ‘‘two-source’’ damage. The Damaged cracked viscoelastic material model proved to give a good basis.