Dynamic moisture sorption and hygroexpansion of Populus euramericana Cv. under two cyclic hygrothermal conditions

Abstract

Abstract Poplar (Populus euramericana Cv.) specimens, 20 mm in radial (r) and tangential (t) directions with thicknesses of 4 mm and 10 mm along the longitudinal direction, were subjected to cyclic environmental conditions, in the course of which the relative humidity (RH) changed sinusoidally between 75% and 45% at 20°C (condition A), or the temperature (T) was changed sinusoidally within 5–35°C at 60% RH (condition B). Moisture content (MC), as well as the t- and r-dimensional changes were measured as a response to the dynamic environmental conditions. The measured data also changed sinusoidally but they lagged behind the triggering original RH or T data. This effect was much higher under condition A than under condition B. The observed equivalent RH and T changes at different ΔMCs or Δts served for comparison of the responses to RH and T, and the former were less pronounced than the latter. MC and t-dimensional changes per unit change of RH were greater than those per unit change of T but still lower than static values. In summary, the effects of dynamic RH change are larger than those of T, especially concerning MC responses compared to dimensional changes.