Propagation velocity model of stress waves in larch wood (Larix gmelinii) three-dimensional space with different moisture contents

Based on the effects of stress wave propagation in larch (Larix gmelinii) wood, the propagation mechanism of stress wave was explored, and a theoretical model of the propagation velocity of stress waves in the three-dimensional space of wood was developed. The cross and longitudinal propagation velocities of stress wave were measured in larch wood under different moisture contents (46% to 87%, 56% to 96%, 20% to 62%, and 11% to 30%) in a laboratory setting. The relationships between the propagation velocity of stress waves and the direction angle or chord angle with different moisture contents were analyzed, and the three-dimensional regression models among four parameters were established. The analysis results indicated that under the same moisture content, stress wave velocity increased as the direction angle increased and decreased as chord angle increased, and the radial velocity was the largest. Under different moisture contents, stress wave velocity gradually decreased as moisture content increased, and the stress wave velocity was more noticeably affected by moisture content when moisture content was below the fiber saturation point (FSP, 30%). The nonlinear regression models of the direction angle, chord angle, moisture content, and the propagation velocity of stress wave fit the experiment data well (R2 ≥ 0.97).