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Difficulty: MediumCommon Building Materials

When used as a structural building material, timber can support a significantly heavier compressive load if the weight is applied perpendicular to its grain rather than parallel to its grain.

Answer: Answer

Answer

False. Timber is much stronger in compression when loaded parallel to the grain.
The statement is false because the fibrous nature of timber means it acts like a series of vertical columns. It possesses its maximum compressive strength when loaded parallel to the grain, not perpendicular.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the physical structure of wood as a building material.
Wood consists of long, hollow cellulose fibers that are aligned in one primary direction, which forms the wood's grain.
Understanding the cellular structure is required to determine how the material handles mechanical stress.
2
Evaluate the effect of a compressive force relative to the grain orientation.
Compressing wood parallel to the grain pushes against the solid ends of the fibers, providing high load-bearing resistance. Compressing it perpendicular to the grain easily crushes the hollow fiber walls.
This physical behavior proves that the claim of higher strength perpendicular to the grain is incorrect.

Key Concept

Directional strength (anisotropy) and load-bearing properties of timber
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Common Building Materials

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