Effects of Treatment, Incising, and Drying on Mechanical Properties of Timber

The design demands of timber construction used in transportation structures, such as bridges, require extended durability and reliability. As such, preservative-treated timber, rather than naturally durable timber, is most often required by code. Design demands also require minimal strength loss during treatment or during the service life of the structure. This report critiques the literature on treatment effects and recommends treating procedures for controlling reductions in strength properties. Particular emphasis is given to the effects of pretreatment drying, incising, treatment processing factors, and post-treatment drying practices.