Paper Titles
An Analysis of Binder Decomposition and its Inhibitory Effects on the Sintering of Lattice Structured Ti6Al4V-Polyamide 12 Composites
p.15
Flexural Properties and Hardness of Unidirectional Tiger Grass Fiber and Coconut Leaf Midrib Reinforced Epoxy Resin Composites
p.23
Influence of Polymer Matrix Stiffness on Multifunctional Composites Analysed by ROM and Halpin-Tsai Models
p.29
Thermomechanical Stability and Damping Mechanisms in Multifunctional 3D-Printed PCL-Based Composites
p.43
Strain-Dependent Damping of the Fast-Growing and Sustainable Paulownia Wood at Room Temperature
p.53
Cross-Linked Epoxidized Natural Rubber (ENR) from Reused Palm Oil
p.75
Numerical Analysis of Stretching Behavior of Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) Thin Film Laminate
p.81
An Empirical Investigation into the Chromium-Containing Percentage of Carbon Steel on Oil and Water Wettability Behaviour
p.89
Wettability Testing of Stranded Aluminium Conductors
p.99

Strain-Dependent Damping of the Fast-Growing and Sustainable Paulownia Wood at Room Temperature

Article Preview

Abstract:

As the climate challenges worsen and the need to reduce carbon emissions becomes more urgent, timber is undergoing a remarkable revival as a sustainable material, driven by shifting societal attitudes. However, this renewed reliance on wood also raises important questions about how to reforest in ways that are ecologically responsible. With global demand for timber projected to rise, the expansion of managed plantations has become inevitable, positioning agroforestry at the centre of both commercial and scientific attention.Paulownia, renowned as the fastest-growing tree species globally, plays a pivotal role in this transition. Its dense foliage enables unparalleled CO2 sequestration, earning it the moniker of a "climate tree". While native to China, it is now cultivated across the globe, though not without controversy - its invasive tendencies have spurred demand for domesticated strains with reduced ecological impact. Crucially, such cultivars must retain robust mechanical performance, including vibration damping properties, a key determinant of acoustic suitability.This research evaluated strain-dependent damping characteristics through analysis of the logarithmic decrement in free-decaying flexural vibrations. Specimens included a conventional Paulownia variant (cultivated in Georgia, Italy, and Spain) alongside a novel German-cultivated strain - notably the first such harvest recorded in the country.Given the microstructure’s reliance on local soil nutrients and its critical role in damping behaviour, the study quantified the resulting variability in strain response. The results identified distinct regimes within the damping curves: a strain-independent plateau followed by a strain-dependent area. Calculated bending moduli, derived from resonant frequencies, ranged from 1024 N/mm² to 5873 N/mm². This wide dispersion is attributed to heterogeneity in the fibril alignment - a factor that also influences energy dissipation.

You might also be interested in these eBooks
Structural Metals, Polymer and Composite Materials View Preview

Info:

Periodical:

Materials Science Forum (Volume 1198)

Pages:

53-74

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4028/p-9Ihfny

Citation:

Cite this paper

Online since:

August 2026

Authors:

Juergen Göken*, Nicolas Saba, Ivan Anžel

Keywords:

Damping, Logarithmic Decrement, Paulownia, Sustainability, Wood

Export:

RIS, BibTeX

Price:

Permissions CCC:

Request Permissions

Permissions PLS:

Request Permissions

Сopyright:

© 2026 Trans Tech Publications Ltd. All Rights Reserved

Share:

Citation:

* - Corresponding Author

References

[1] V.B. Woods, Paulownia as a Novel Biomass Crop for Northern Ireland? - A Review of Current Knowledge, Agri-Food Biosciences Institute (AFBI), Hillsborough, Northern Ireland, 2008.

Google Scholar

[2] P. Icka, R. Damo, E. Icka, Paulownia Tomentosa, a Fast Growing Timber, The Annals of "Valahia" University of Targoviste, 2016.

DOI: 10.1515/agr-2016-0003

Google Scholar

[3] M. Jakubowski, Cultivation potential and uses of Paulownia wood: A review, Forests 13 (2022) 668.

DOI: 10.3390/f13050668

Google Scholar

[4] O. Dubova, O. Voitovych, O. Boika, Paulownia tomentosa - New species for the industrial landscaping, Curr. Trends Nat. Sci. 8, 16 (2019) 19-24.

Google Scholar

[5] Information on https://www.paulownia-baumschule.de/klimabaum (retrieved: 06.06.2025).

Google Scholar

[6] KIRITEC GmbH, Tönisvorst, Germany, https://www.kiritec.eu (retrieved: 05.05.2025).

Google Scholar

[7] Information on https://greenchild.eu/en/kiri-tree (retrieved: 26.05.2025).

Google Scholar

[8] Z.D. Perry, T. Saminathan, A. Arun, B.N. Vaidya, C. Basu, U.K. Reddy, N. Joshee, Transcriptome analysis of cambium tissue of Paulownia collected during winter and spring, Diversity 13 (2021) 423.

DOI: 10.3390/d13090423

Google Scholar

[9] C.A. Welter, D.T. de Farias, P.H.G. de Cademartori, C. de Bona da Silva, C. Pedrazzi, Valorization of Paulownia tomentosa wood wastes to produce cellulose nanocrystals, CERNE 30, 1 (2024), e-103343.

DOI: 10.1590/01047760202330013343

Google Scholar

[10] Information on https://greemap.es (retrieved: 26.05.2025).

Google Scholar

[11] S. Samarghandian, T. Farkhondeh, F. Samini, Honey and health: A review of recent clinical research, Pharmacognosy Res. 9, 2 (2017) 121-127.

Google Scholar

[12] V. Patel, N. Pauli, E. Biggs, L. Barbour, B. Boruff, Why bees are critical for achieving sustainable development, Ambio 50(2021)49-59.

DOI: 10.1007/s13280-020-01333-9

Google Scholar

[13] J. Göken, N. Saba, I.S. Golovin, Damping of spruce wood at different strain amplitudes, temperatures and moisture contents, Rom. J. Phys. 68 (2023) 903.

Google Scholar

[14] R. Graims, Wood biopolymers: A sustainable resource for the future, Biopolymers Res. 7, 5 (2023) 180.

Google Scholar

[15] J. Pérez, J. Muñoz-Dorado, T. de la Rubia, J. Martínez, Biodegradation and biological treatments of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin: An overview. Int. Microbiol. 5 (2002) 53-63.

DOI: 10.1007/s10123-002-0062-3

Google Scholar

[16] J.M. Dinwoodie, Timber - A review of the structure-mechanical property relationship, J. Microsc. 104, 1 (1975) 3-32.

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2818.1975.tb04002.x

Google Scholar

[17] W.A. Côté, Chemical composition of wood, in: F.F.P. Kollmann, W.A. Côté (Eds.), Principles of Wood Science and Technology - I Solid Wood, Springer Berlin, Heidelberg, 1968, pp.55-78.

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-87928-9_2

Google Scholar

[18] J. Gadermaier, S. Vospernik, M. Grabner, E. Wächter, D. Keßler, M. Kessler, F. Lehner, K. Klebinder, K. Katzensteiner, Soil water storage capacity and soil nutrients drive tree ring growth of six European tree species across a steep environmental gradient, For. Ecol. Manag., 554 (2024) 121599.

DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2023.121599

Google Scholar

[19] Information on https://www.paulownia.at/product/nordmax-21 (retrieved: 28.05.2025).

Google Scholar

[20] Prof. Dr. Ingo Burgert, ETH Zurich, IfB, lecture notes: Materials I, Part 2 - Wood and wood-based materials (retrieved: 28.05.2025).

Google Scholar

[21] A. Liehm, Messungen der dehnungsabhängigen Dämpfung von Paulownia-Holz (Measurements of the strain-dependent damping of Paulownia wood), bachelor thesis, Faculty of Maritime Sciences, Laboratory of Materials Physics (Prof. Dr. Jürgen Göken), University of Applied Sciences Emden/Leer, Leer, Germany, 2024 (in German).

DOI: 10.59277/romjphys.2024.69.909

Google Scholar

[22] S.V. Glass, S.L. Zelinka, Moisture relations and physical properties of wood, in: Wood handbook - Wood as an engineering material, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-190, Madison, WI, 2010, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory, ch. 4.

DOI: 10.2737/fpl-gtr-113

Google Scholar

[23] Z. Trojanová, P. Palček, P. Lukáč, M. Chalupová, Internal friction in magnesium alloys and magnesium alloys-based composites, in: M. Aliofkhazraei (Ed.), Magnesium Alloys, IntechOpen Limited, London, UK, 2017, ch. 2.

DOI: 10.5772/67028

Google Scholar

[24] M.S. Blanter, I.S. Golovin, H. Neuhäuser, H.-R. Sinning, Internal Friction in Metallic Materials - A Handbook, Springer, Berlin, 2007, p.10.

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-540-68758-0

Google Scholar

[25] F. Krüger, E. Rohloff, Über die innere Reibung von Holz, Z. Phys. 110 (1938) 58-68.

DOI: 10.1007/BF01366862

Google Scholar

[26] J. Göken, S. Fayed, H. Schäfer, J. Enzenauer, A study on the correlation between wood moisture and the damping behaviour of the tonewood spruce, Acta Phys. Pol. A 133, 5 (2018) 1241-1260.

DOI: 10.12693/APhysPolA.133.1241

Google Scholar

[27] A.L. Kimball, D.E. Lovell, Internal friction in solids, Phys. Rev. 30 (1927) 948.

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRev.30.948

Google Scholar

[28] J. Göken, N. Saba, Strain-dependent damping of Paulownia wood at room temperature and constant moisture content, Rom. J. Phys. 69 (2024) 909.

DOI: 10.59277/RomJPhys.2024.69.909

Google Scholar

[29] E.A. Campo, Mechanical properties of polymeric materials, in: E.A. Campo (Ed.), Selection of Polymeric Materials: How to Select Design Properties from Different Standards, William Andrew Publishing, Norwich, New York, USA (2008), pp.41-101.

DOI: 10.1016/B978-081551551-7.50004-8

Google Scholar

[30] M.F. Ashby, Selecting the components of composites, J. Phys. IV 3 (1993) C7-1595-C7-1600.

DOI: 10.1051/jp4:19937250

Google Scholar

[31] S. Sohn, Feasibility study on the use of wireless accelerometers in the experimental modal testing, J. Supercomput. 72 (2016) 2848-2859.

DOI: 10.1007/s11227-016-1628-8

Google Scholar

[32] J.E.G. van Dam, T.A. Gorshkova, Cell wall and fibers - Fiber formation, in: B. Thomas (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Applied Plant Sciences, Elsevier Academic Press Inc., Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2003, pp.87-96.

DOI: 10.1016/B0-12-227050-9/00046-6

Google Scholar

[33] H.R. Morris, The Structure and Function of Ray and Axial Parenchyma in Woody Seed Plants, PhD thesis, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Ulm, Germany, 2016.

Google Scholar

[34] A. Słupianek, A. Dolzblasz, K. Sokołowska, Xylem parenchyma - Role and relevance in wood functioning in trees, Plants 10 (2021) 1247.

DOI: 10.3390/plants10061247

Google Scholar

[35] J. Jura-Morawiec, W. Włoch, P. Kojs, M. Iqbal, Variability in apical elongation of wood fibres in Lonchocarpus sericeus, IAWA J. 29, 2 (2008) 143-152.

DOI: 10.1163/22941932-90000175

Google Scholar

[36] R. Shmulsky, P.D. Jones, Composition and structure of wood cells, in: R. Shmulsky, P.D. Jones (Eds.), Forest Products and Wood Science: An Introduction, Wiley-Blackwell, Gloucester, UK, 2019, pp.73-90.

DOI: 10.1002/9781119426400.ch3

Google Scholar

[37] L.G. Esteban, P. de Palacios, P. Gasson, A. García-Iruela, F. García-Fernández, L. García-Esteban, Hardwoods: Anatomy and functionality of their elements - A short review, Forests 15, 7 (2024) 1162.

DOI: 10.3390/f15071162

Google Scholar

[38] F.H. Schweingruber, Mikroskopische Holzanatomie - Formenspektren mitteleuropäischer Stamm- und Zweighölzer zur Bestimmung von rezentem und subfossilem Material, 3. Auflage, Eidgenössische Forschungsanstalt für Wald, Schnee und Landschaft, Birmensdorf, Switzerland, 1990, p.13.

DOI: 10.1163/22941932-90001365

Google Scholar

[39] D. Dogu, F.D. Tuncer, D. Bakir, Z. Candan, Characterizing microscopic changes of Paulownia wood under thermal compression, BioResources 12, 3 (2017) 5279-5295.

DOI: 10.15376/biores.12.3.5279-5295

Google Scholar

[40] Z. Trojanová, P. Lukáč, J. Džugan, K. Halmešová, Amplitude dependent internal friction in a Mg-Al-Zn alloy studied after thermal and mechanical treatment, Metals. 7, 10 (2017) 433.

DOI: 10.3390/met7100433

Google Scholar

[41] I.S. Golovin, Damping mechanisms in high damping materials, Key Eng. Mater. 319 (2006) 225-230.

DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/kem.319.225

Google Scholar

[42] I.F. Suri, B.D. Purusatama, J.H. Kim, G.U. Yang, D. Prasetia, G.J. Kwon, W. Hidayat, S.H. Lee, F. Febrianto, N.H. Kim, Comparison of physical and mechanical properties of Paulownia tomentosa and Pinus koraiensis wood heat-treated in oil and air, Eur. J. Wood Prod. 80 (2022), 1389-1399.

DOI: 10.1007/s00107-022-01840-4

Google Scholar

[43] M. Jakubowski, Cultivation potential and uses of Paulownia wood: A review, Forests 13, 5 (2022) 668.

DOI: 10.3390/f13050668

Google Scholar

[44] D.E. Kretschmann, Mechanical properties of wood, in: Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory (Ed.), Wood Handbook-Wood as an Engineering Material, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-190, Madison, WI, USA, 2010, chapter 5.

DOI: 10.2737/fpl-gtr-113

Google Scholar

[45] T. dos Santos Angélico, C.R. Marcati, S. Rossi, M.R. da Silva, J. Sonsin-Oliveira, Soil effects on stem growth and wood anatomy of tamboril are mediated by tree age, Forests 12, 8 (2021) 1058.

DOI: 10.3390/f12081058

Google Scholar

[46] W. Sonderegger, K. Kránitz, C.-T. Bues, P. Niemz, Aging effects on physical and mechanical properties of spruce, fir and oak wood, J. Cult. Herit. 16, 6 (2015) 883-889.

DOI: 10.1016/j.culher.2015.02.002

Google Scholar

[47] N.H. Okoye, A.N. Eboatu, R.U. Arinze, N.L. Umedum, P.I. Udeozo, O.A. Ogbonna, Water imbibition capacity of some Nigerian timbers: A function of wood density and structure, IOSR-JAC 7, 6 (2014) 76-81.

DOI: 10.9790/5736-07617681

Google Scholar

[48] V. Placet, J. Passard, P. Perre, Viscoelastic properties of green wood across the grain measured by harmonic tests in the range of 0°C to 95°C. Hardwood vs. softwood and normal wood vs. reaction wood. Holzforschung 61, 5 (2007) 548-557.

DOI: 10.1515/HF.2007.093

Google Scholar

[49] L. Cheng, M. Liu, Effect of chemical treatment on the stress relaxation of wood, Chem. Eng. Trans. 62 (2017) 139-144.

Google Scholar

[50] J. Göken, Temperature-dependent damping of the tonewood spruce, J. Alloys Compd. 856 (2021), 158182.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2020.158182

Google Scholar

[51] R.M. Rowell, R. Pettersen, J.S. Han, J.S. Rowell, M.A. Tshabalala, Cell wall chemistry, in: R.M. Rowell (Ed.), Handbook of Wood Chemistry and Wood Composites, first ed., CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, USA, 2005, chapter 3.

DOI: 10.1201/b12487-5

Google Scholar

[52] M. Weller, C.A. Wert, Internal friction of coal and of other natural macromolecular solids, J. Phys. Colloques 44, C9 (1983) C9-191 - C9-196.

DOI: 10.1051/jphyscol:1983924

Google Scholar

[53] F. Povolo, S.N. Goyanes, Amplitude dependent damping in vinyl polymers, J. Phys. IV 6, 8 (1996) C8-579-C8-582.

DOI: 10.1051/jp4:19968125

Google Scholar

[54] R.M. Rowell, Chemical modification of wood, in: R.M. Rowell (Ed.), Handbook of Wood Chemistry and Wood Composites, first ed., CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, USA, 2005, chapter 14.

DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2005.08.048

Google Scholar

[55] A.J. Stamm, Wood and Cellulose Science, Ronald Press Company, New York, USA, 1964.

Google Scholar

[56] E.T. Engelund, L.G. Thygesen, S. Svensson, C.A.S. Hill, A critical discussion of the physics of wood-water interactions. Wood Sci. Technol. 47 (2013) 141-161.

DOI: 10.1007/s00226-012-0514-7

Google Scholar

[57] C.A. Wert, M. Weller, D. Caulfield, Dynamic loss properties of wood, J. Appl. Phys. 56 (1984) 2453-2458.

DOI: 10.1063/1.334306

Google Scholar

[58] M.B. Sticklen, Plant genetic engineering for biofuel production: Towards affordable cellulosic ethanol, Nat. Rev. Genet. 9 (2008) 433-443.

DOI: 10.1038/nrg2336

Google Scholar

[59] F. Povolo, S.N. Goyanes, Amplitude-dependent dynamical behavior of poly(methyl methacrylate), Polym. J. 26, 9 (1994) l054-1062.

DOI: 10.1295/polymj.26.1054

Google Scholar

[60] A. Puškár, Internal Friction of Materials, Cambridge International Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2001, chapter 3.

Google Scholar

[61] I.S. Golovin, H.-R. Sinning, J. Göken, W. Riehemann, Amplitude dependent damping of some metallic foams, Solid State Phenom. 89 (2003) 267-272.

DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/SSP.89.267

Google Scholar

[62] A. Granato, K. Lücke, Theory of mechanical damping due to dislocations, J. Appl. Phys. 27 (1956) 583-593.

DOI: 10.1063/1.1722436

Google Scholar

[63] C. Chen, Y. Kuang, S. Zhu, I. Burgert, T. Keplinger, A. Gong, T. Li, L. Berglund, S.J. Eichhorn, L. Hu, Structure-property-function relationships of natural and engineered wood, Nat. Rev. Mater. 5 (2020) 642-666.

DOI: 10.1038/s41578-020-0195-z

Google Scholar

[64] I.S. Golovin, H.-R. Sinning, Damping of some aluminium foams at low amplitudes, Solid State Phenom. 89 (2003) 261-266.

DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/SSP.89.261

Google Scholar

[65] J. Göken, N. Saba, Damping behaviour analysis of 3D printed samples with pores, Acta Phys. Pol. A 138, 6 (2020) 844-853.

DOI: 10.12693/APhysPolA.138.844

Google Scholar

[66] J.N. Wei, H.F. Cheng, C.L. Gong, F.S. Han, J.P. Shui, Effects of macroscopic pores on the damping behavior of foamed commercially pure aluminum, Metall. Mater. Trans. A 33 (2002) 3565-3568.

DOI: 10.1007/s11661-002-0344-6

Google Scholar

[67] J. Göken, N. Saba, Analysis of the strain-dependent damping of Paulownia wood to reduce vibrations in maritime transport, JEMS Maritime Sci. 12, 4 (2024) 418-426.

DOI: 10.4274/jems.2024.78736

Google Scholar

[68] M.F. Ashby, Materials Selection in Mechanical Design, second ed., Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, UK, 1999, p.48.

Google Scholar

[69] U.G.K. Wegst, Wood for sound, Am. J. Bot. 93, 10 (2006), 1439-1448.

DOI: 10.3732/ajb.93.10.1439

Google Scholar