This book answers the request of our colleagues throughout the world who expressed the desire for a synthesized source of information on nondestructive evaluation of wood. Widely respected technical authorities were asked to prepare chapters dealing with their areas of expertise. Contents include: characteristics of wood, fundamental hypothesis, static bending nondestructive evaluation methods; transverse vibration and longitudinal stress wave nondestructive evaluation methods; acoustic emission and acousto-ultrasonics; proof loading; probing, drilling, and coring – nondestructive evaluation methods; visual grading of softwood dimension lumber; mechanical grading of lumber; ultrasonic veneer grading; inspection of timber structures using stress wave timing nondestructive evaluation tools; and nondestructive evaluation of green materials – recent research and development activities.
Sections of the book originally appeared in technical journals, research reports, and various symposia proceedings. In addition more than 400 technical articles are cited in the chapters or listed in the Appendix.
