Wood Structure and Properties
| Title | ΔΟΜΗ ΚΑΙ ΙΔΙΟΤΗΤΕΣ ΤΟΥ ΞΥΛΟΥ / Wood Structure and Properties |
| Code | 043Υ |
| Faculty | Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Environment |
| School | Forestry and Natural Environment |
| Cycle / Level | 1st / Undergraduate |
| Teaching Period | Winter |
| Common | No |
| Status | Inactive |
| Course ID | 420000052 |
| Academic Year | 2025 – 2026 |
| Class Period | Winter |
| Faculty Instructors |
|
| Instructors from Other Categories |
|
| Weekly Hours | 5 |
| Total Hours | 65 |
| Class ID | 600273677
|
Course Type 2021
Specific Foundation
Course Type 2016-2020
- Background
- Scientific Area
Course Type 2011-2015
Specific Foundation / Core
Mode of Delivery
- Face to face
Digital Course Content
- e-Study Guide https://qa.auth.gr/en/class/1/600273677
- eLearning: https://elearning.auth.gr/course/view.php?id=12435
Erasmus
The course is also offered to exchange programme students.
Language of Instruction
- Greek (Instruction, Examination)
- English (Instruction, Examination)
Learning Outcomes
1. Understanding the structure of wood.
2. Understanding the physical, mechanical, and chemical properties of wood.
3. Ability to investigate the structure of wood and its macroscopic and microscopic variability.
4. Ability to determine the properties using appropriate techniques and equipment.
5. Recognition of wood defects in standing trees and after their harvesting.
6. Ability to evaluate the quality of wood produced from forests and correlate wood characteristics with its uses.
General Competences
- Apply knowledge in practice
- Retrieve, analyse and synthesise data and information, with the use of necessary technologies
- Adapt to new situations
- Make decisions
- Work autonomously
- Work in teams
- Respect natural environment
Course Content (Syllabus)
Natural, macroscopic characteristics and identification of basic wood species. Transverse, radial, and tangential surface. Physical characteristics of wood: Color, gloss, odor, taste, texture, design, weight, hardness.
Microscopic structure: Wood tissues, cell walls and cavities, intercellular layer, pits. Description of cell types of coniferous and deciduous species. Intercellular spaces and ducts.
Chemical composition and infrastructure of wood: inorganic components, organic components and extractives. Microfiber structure and basic theories related to wood infrastructure. Cell wall structure, pits, warty layer. Distribution of chemical components in the cell walls of wood and effects on its properties and uses.
Wood production mechanism: Production of new wood cells. Importance and action of the cambium. Evolution stages of wood cells. Variability and structural defects. Horizontal and vertical variability. Heartwood formation. Immature, mature and overripe wood. Growing rings. Variability between trees. Structural defects. Deviations a) the formal external form b) the responsibility. irregular structure of growth rings. Compressed and tensile wood. Tissue discontinuations, color abnormalities, knots and pith.
Density: Factors affecting it, density variability, determination and importance. Hygroscopicity: Ways of retaining moisture in the wood, adsorption - desorption. Equilibrium moisture-content. Fiber saturation point. Determination and importance of the hygroscopicity of wood. Wood shrinkage and swelling. Identification and their importance. Mechanical, thermal, electrical and acoustic properties. Factors that affect them and their identification.
Degradation of natural wood.
Keywords
wood identification, wood properties, wood utilization
Educational Material Types
- Slide presentations
- Multimedia
- Book
Use of Information and Communication Technologies
Use of ICT
- Use of ICT in Course Teaching
- Use of ICT in Laboratory Teaching
- Use of ICT in Communication with Students
- Use of ICT in Student Assessment
Description
Use of multimedia during the theory and laboratory exercises.
Course Organization
| Activities | Workload | ECTS | Individual | Teamwork | Erasmus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 39 | ||||
| Laboratory Work | 26 | ||||
| Fieldwork | |||||
| Reading Assigment | 46 | ||||
| Internship | 15 | ||||
| Field trips and participation in conferences / seminars / activities | 6 | ||||
| Written assigments | 15 | ||||
| Exams | 3 | ||||
| Total | 150 |
Student Assessment
Description
Written examination of the course at the end of the semester including Multiple Choice and Extended Answer questions from the course material (80% of the grade). Laboratory exams (20% of the grade).
Student Assessment methods
- Written Exam with Multiple Choice Questions (Formative, Summative)
- Written Exam with Short Answer Questions (Formative)
- Written Exam with Extended Answer Questions (Formative, Summative)
- Written Assignment (Formative, Summative)
- Oral Exams (Summative)
- Written Exam with Problem Solving (Formative, Summative)
Bibliography
Course Bibliography (Eudoxus)
Τσουμής, Γεώργιος, 2009. Δομή και Ιδιότητες Ξύλου. Εκδόσεις Γαρταγάνης. (Κωδ. Εύδοξου 2268)
Additional bibliography for study
Βουλγαρίδης Ηλίας, 2015. Ποιότητα και χρήσεις του Ξύλου. Διαθέσιμο ελεύθερα στο αποθετήριο Κάλλιπος: http://hdl.handle.net/11419/5260
Last Update
26-06-2025
