Wood is a complex biological structure, a composite of many chemistries and cell types acting together to serve the needs of a living plant. No property of wood - physical, mechanical, chemical, biological, or technological - is not fundamentally derived from the fact that wood is formed to meet the needs of the living tree. To accomplish any of these functions, wood must have cells that are designed and interconnected in ways sufficient to perform these functions. The objective of this course is to review the basic biological structure of wood and provide a basis for interpreting its properties in an engineering context. By understanding the function of wood in the living tree, we can better understand the strengths and limitations it presents as a material.

Publication Source: US Forestry Service, Wood Handbook, Chapter 3, April 2010, Edition