Examination of Lightning-Induced Damage in Timber

Abstract

The ancient Chinese architectures were constructed using timber as the main building material. Considering that the lightning strike is the primary natural cause of damage to ancient building, the lightning strike damage mechanism of ancient building timber and the related influencing factors are investigated using the representative timber materials from the ancient building. The burning of timber was mainly caused by the heat of lightning arc. The splitting and damage pit of timber were mainly caused by the mechanical force generated by the temperature rise of the injected by lightning current and air shock wave effects of the lightning. These ways all played in different roles under different conditions. The higher the water content of timber was, the easier it was to crack, and the greater the damage depth and the larger the damage area were. It was easy to burn for the dry timber or the loose timber with low density, but it was difficult for the thick timber. When the wood was too thin, the lightning air shock wave could cause damage. This research may provide reference for protection of ancient timber architecture from possible damage caused by lightning.