Drying Schedule and Effect of Seasoning on Physical and Mechanical Properties of Three Available Timber Species in Bangladesh

Drying schedules for seasoning of Gmelina arborea (Gamar), Swietenia macrophylla (Mahagony) and Mangifera indica (Mango) timber with minimum drying defects were developed. The effects of the drying on physical and mechanical properties of timber of these species were studied. New drying schedules for these three species were compared with an accelerated drying schedule. Physical properties i.e., density, water absorption and thickness swelling, as well as mechanical properties i.e., modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR) of the wood of these species seasoned by new drying schedules and accelerated drying schedule were tested. Lower water absorption and thickness swelling were found for G. arborea, S. macrophylla and M. indica wood dried with new drying schedules of A, B and C respectively. MOE and MOR of wood of G. arborea, S. macrophylla and M. indica were significantly higher when seasoned with new drying schedules compared to those of green wood, and seasoned with accelerated drying schedule. Though seasoning was slower by using new drying schedules compared to accelerated drying schedule, the former resulted in no drying defects.