Summary of Testing | Natural Durability | Environmentally Sound
The full scale testing was performed following the requirements of ANSI O5.1 – Annex D - Foreign Wood Species Test Requirements. The testing for the cross arms observed the requirements stated in the ANSI O5.3 Standard.
The tropical hardwoods selected for testing at the Wood Materials and Engineering Laboratory of Washington State University involved five (5) tropical hardwood species for cross arms and three (3) tropical hardwoods for poles.
The Poles and Cross Arms Quantity Requirements for the Full Scale Testing
To meet the requirements for the full scale testing prescribed by ANSI O5.1 Annex D, 35 tropical hardwood poles for each pole specie, and 70 cross arms of each tropical hardwood species, which are different tropical hardwoods from the ones selected for poles, were brought to Pullman, WA to WSU’s WMEL facilities for testing. The reason 70 cross arms per specie were brought to the lab was to address the testing requirements for both the major axis, and minor axis of the cross arms, with 30 cross arms tested per specie for each of the two axis. The 30 specimen testing for poles and cross arms, per specie, was to meet the Statistical Significance requirements stated in ASTM D-2915.
The Full Scale Testing Scope
- Flexure testing of wood poles per ASTM D-1036 – Standard Test Method of Static Tests of Wood Poles. Three tropical hardwood species were tested in flexure using the Machine Test Method described in sections 20-23, utilizing 30 specimens per specie for a total of 90 flexure testing. Specimens were delivered to WMEL facilities in their “green” condition, and were tested without any seasoning as stipulated in ASTM D-1036 Section 10.2.
- Each pole tested in flexure had 10 small clear specimens taken from the butt end tested for static bending (five specimen), and compression parallel to the grain (five specimen) according to ASTM D-143 sections 8 and 9, respectively, which included moisture content determination for each specimen. Additionally two specimens were obtained from the but end for determination according to ASTM D-143 section 14, which included moisture determination for each specimen.
- Following each test, two 1 inch thick disk were cut from the pole, approximately one foot from ground line. Age, sapwood thickness and number of rings per inch were recorded from one disk. From the second disk 3 specimens were obtained and tested for moisture content and specific gravity according to ASTM D-4442 – Standard Test Methods for Direct Moisture Content Measurement of Wood and Wood-Base Materials, and ASTM D-2395 – Standard Test Method for Specific Gravity for Wood and Wood-Base Materials, respectively.
- Flexure testing of wood cross members (approximately 4”x5”x96”) according to ASTM D-198 – Standard Test Methods of Static Tests of Lumber in Structural Sizes, sections 4-11. Five species were tested utilizing 30 specimens per specie, per cross member sections, for a total of 300 static flexure, moisture content, and specific gravity tests.
- Final analysis and report.
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