DENSITY CALIBRATION USING X-RAY EQUIPMENT FOR IN-SITU ASSESSMENT OF TIMBER STRUCTURES

Wood density is related to several properties that have a large influence on its quality. In this article, an X-ray image calibration procedure is presented which allows the determination of density properties for in-situ assessment of timber structures. This non-destructive method is useful for evaluation of the internal condition for global assessment of the structure. The density calibration method of X-ray images was verified on a timber beam specimen with good agreement and an average accuracy of 97%. The values obtained from the image calibration presented very good linear correlation coefficients (R2) between the measured density and the greyscale from X-ray images ranging from 0.90-0.98. Besides the opportunity of determining mechanical properties of timber, its main advantage over conventional techniques is the detection and quantification of internal damage, defects, disturbances and deterioration that reduce mechanical properties of the structure. Furthermore, this study indicates a good opportunity for the development of asuccessful future tool for in-situ assessment of timber structures and can also be used in the analysis of the structural behaviour