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BASIC INFORMATION
V. Duration: 9 months
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PROJECT DETAILS
I. Introduction
Wood has been used as a structural material for thousands of years. However, the typical process
of harvesting wood does not offer the most environmentally friendly solution. It will take 20
years or more to take each log down (Rittironk, 2013). Aside from this, there is a growing
concern of using wood due to over-using leading to the scarcity of supply of this material.
Coconut wood can be a good substitute for many conventional woods in engineering
applications. Like conventional wood, the coconut stem is durable, sturdy and versatile and can
often be used at a considerably lower cost (Arancon, 2009). The cost of coconut wood is only
about half or a little more than half the price of conventional wood traditionally used for
structural purposes (APCC, 1995). This fact is especially attractive to countries including the
Philippines with limited budgets for housing for their growing populations. There is, therefore, a
need to study the situation and prospects for coconut wood utilization in a country, if it wishes to
develop that industry.
Coconut wood has a very high potential as an alternative structural material for commercial
use because coconut trees are abundant in the Philippines and are useless after their seed
production has completed, when the trees are cut down to allow for a new line of young
production. In 2006, the total coconut area in the Asia and Pacific regions was estimated at 10.3
million hectares were in this total the Philippines has 31.5% share (Arancon, 2009).
Consequently, the ready availability of this material is a great opportunity in the industry for
structural application.
The application of coconut wood can be extended as a structural member such as beam in
low-rise shelter. Even though its flexural strength is somewhat lower than that of a hard wood
(Rittironk, 2013), the researcher still fully supports the viability and sustainability of coconut
wood as an alternative structural material. By developing further studies of this material, it could
be transformed using engineering technology to increase its structural capacity. This method
includes lamination technology and other composites technology used in conventional wood.
Nailing and bolting are the common methods in joining timber material. These will also be the
methods that will be adopted in the study in joining the coconut wood laminates.
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This study will investigate the behavior of a laminated coconut wood under flexural loading.
It is hoped that the output of this study will provide important information for the utilization of
coconut wood for structural application.
II. Objectives
In general, this study will investigate the flexural behavior of a laminated coconut wood.
The following are the objectives of the study.
3. Compare the flexural strength and modulus of the laminated and non-laminated
coconut wood
4. Compare the flexural strength and modulus of the laminated coconut wood and the
hardwood
Rittironk (2013) investigated the bending capacity of a Thai coconut wood using four-point
bending test. A total of four specimens were used having a dimension of 50x125 mm
section with an unsupported length of 3 meters. The test results showed that the structural
properties of coconut wood are still somewhat lower as compared to Thai soft wood. In-spite
of this result, he highlighted that it can still be used in small load structures like residential
buildings.
On the other hand, Fruhwald et al. (1992) characterized the mechanical properties such as
bending strength and modulus of elasticity, compression strength, shear strength and impact
bending of Indonesian coconut wood. The result indicated that strength properties of
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coconut wood are within the range of common traditional timbers, though generally about
20-30% lower when compared on the basis of matching densities. This drawback can be
compensated by either larger cross sectional dimensions or by selecting wood in a higher
density range.
The resistance of coconut wood to nail and screw holding has been studied by Fruhwald
and Akrami (2014). They reported that its holding resistance is relatively lower than that of
traditional timber species of comparable density. They emphasized that the resistance to
splitting might be a problem and recommended that adequate measures such as pre-boring
for nailing and screwing operations are required.
Guzman (1989) studied the mechanical properties such as bending strength, compression
parallel to grain and shear strength of Mexican coconut wood and compared them to the
other species such Quercus castanea and Enterolobium cyclocarpum. He concluded that all
properties tested including bending strength, compressive strength and shear strength
decrease from the periphery to the center. Density influenced strongly all mechanical
properties tested; higher density values were always associated to higher properties values.
Coconut wood was highly variable regarding their physical and mechanical properties.
Sulc (1983) assessed the mechanical properties of 80-year-old coconut palm stems
compared those to other species such as oil palm. The mechanical properties in both palm
species differ up to ten times across the stem. They are closely related with density and thus
with the distribution of tissues. However, a distinct difference can be observed: all
mechanical properties of coconut palm wood exceed those of oil palm wood. Mechanical
properties at given positions in coconut palm stems measured from the bottom and are
higher than those in oil palm. This is due to the general higher percentage of denser tissues
in coconut palms (60%) compared with oil palm (30%).
Rana et al. (2015) conducted a study to determine the physical and mechanical properties
of a 40-year-old coconut wood. The test was done at different height positions (i.e., top,
middle and bottom) and lateral positions (i.e., core and periphery). They reported that the
modulus of elasticity and modulus of rupture values for air dry and oven dry conditions were
2374 and 2633 N/mm2 and 27.30 and 30.44 N/mm2, respectively. Moreover, the
compression strength in parallel to grain and perpendicular to grain for air dry and oven dry
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conditions were 12.41 and 12.85 N/mm2 and 9.28 and 9.64 N/mm2, respectively. They
concluded that the stem of coconut palm can be used for different structural purposes.
The physical and mechanical properties of a Malaysian coconut wood was characterized
by Khairul et al. (2009). The coconut wood was divided into inner and outer parts and was
tested under two different conditions (i.e., green and air dry conditions). The result showed
that the physical and mechanical properties of the air-dried outer part of the coconut wood
were 50% higher than that of the inner part under both conditions. They highlighted that this
results proved that this is a potential material especially in the furniture industry.
IV. Methodology/Methods
Specimen
The coconut log, preferably a 40-60 year old, will be collected from the area of Calbayog City.
The age of the log will be determine from the information provided by the coconut farmer or
from the method identified in the literature. It is important that a permit from the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources should be secured prior to cutting of the coconut tree. The
ready-sawn log will be cut into cross sections of 25x150 mm with varying lengths. The selection
intended to use the harder wood (from the outside ring) and the core (inside ring) will both be
used for structural purposes. Specimen will be made by joining 4 pieces of laminates of size
25x150 mm making a specimen of 100x150mm section. It should be noted that only Grade A
coconut wood laminate will only be used in this study. The laminate will be joined by using a
common wire nails and steel bolts. Table 1 shows the specimen description and dimension used
in the study. A total of 30 specimens will be adopted in the present study.
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S6 Lengthwise Common Wire 2 layers 3 100x150
Nail
S7 Edgewise Common Wire 1 layer 3 150x100
Nail
S8 Edgewise Common Wire 2 layer 3 150x100
Nail
B1(Baseline) Lengthwise Non-laminated - 3 150x100
B2(Baseline) Edgewise Non-laminated - 3 100x150
Flexural Testing.
Flexural tests will be performed on a bending testing machine using 3-point loading. All tests
will be performed in a newly-acquired 2000-kn capacity Universal Testing Machine by the
NwSSU. A ratio of the least dimension to the unsupported length of 1:16 will be used to ensure
that it will fail in bending.
Analysis of Results
Raw data collected from the test result will be analyzed using Excel spreadsheet. The observed
failure modes of the specimen tested under flexural loading will be documented by a camera and
will be stored for post analysis.
V. References
Asian and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC), 1995. Proceedings of XXXIV COCOTECH
Meeting, on Technology Transfer and Application in Relation to the Coconut Industry,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, P 119-143.
Fruhwald A. and A. Akrami (2014). Palm an Alternative Raw Material for Structural
Application. In: Proceedings Pacific Rim Conference on Wood Composites, Beijing,
China.
Fruhwald A., Peek R. and A. Schulte (1992). Coconut Timber Utilization, Eschborn, Germany, P
310.
Guzman A.S. (1989). Guzman, AS. 1989. Determinacion De Algunas Caracteristicas Anatomicas
Y Propiedades Tecnologicas Del Fuste De Palma De Coco (cocos nucifera L.).
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Universidad Michoacana De san Nicolas De La Madera. Morelia (as cited by Fathi, L,
2014).
Khairul et al. (2009). Properties of Malaysian Solid Coco-lumber, Cord, Volume 25, No 2, P 63-
70.
Ranal, M. N., DasA. K. and Ashaduzzaman, M. (2015). Physical and Mechanical Properties of
Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera) stem, Bangladesh Journal of Scientific and Industrial
Research, Vol 50, No 1, P 39-46.
Rittironk, S (2013). Potential of Thai Coconut Wood as an Alternative Structural Material, Built,
Volume 2, P 69-75.
Romulo N. Arancon, R.N. (2009). The Situation and Prospects for the Utilization of Coconut
Wood in the Asia and Pacific, A Report to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (Working Paper No. APFSOS
II/WP/2009/15).
Sulc, V.K. (1983). Grading Rules for Coconut Palm Wood. Report Prepared for the Philippine
Government by FAO-UNDP. Regional Coconut Wood Training Programme RAS/81/110.
Zamboanga City, Philippines.
Activities Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 Month 9
Survey and selection on
the suitable coconut X
wood to be used
Purchase of the specimen
and other materials X X
needed for the project
Cutting and slicing of
X X
coconut wood
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Preparation of laminated
specimen using nails and X X X
bolts as connectors
Conduct flexural testing X X X
Analysis of Data X X X
Preparation and X X
submission of Terminal
Report
A) MOOE
B) Personnel Services
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1. 1- Research Assistant
XXX YYY
(Principal Proponent) (Co-Proponent)