Influence of frequency and recovery interval on fatigue behavior of wood in compression

Abstract

This study investigates the fatigue behavior of European ash (Fraxinus excelsior) with density range of 580-620 kg/m3 under relatively short-period cyclic compressive loading. The aim is to understand its mechanical behavior, such as: strain development, recovery, and internal damage mechanisms. Mechanical testings at varying frequencies (0.1, 1.0, and 10 Hz) were performed and the samples were scanned with micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT). Multi-scale assessment of fatigue effects was performed. Strain behavior revealed progressive increases in both viscous and viscoelastic components, demonstrating time- and rate-dependent deformation. For the same loading time, higher loading frequencies resulted in consistently lower accumulated strain; however, no significant differences in strain recovery were observed between frequency groups. Strength and stiffness showed minimal change after up to 2,000 loading cycles at 78 % stress level, highlighting relatively high fatigue resistance of wood under compression. Micro-CT imaging detected internal microcracks in samples pre-loaded with fatigue, inferring that cyclic loading induces more microstructural damage than static conditions. These findings enhance the understanding of the fatigue mechanism in European ash and highlight Micro-CT as a valuable non-destructive tool for internal damage assessment under fatigue loading.