ISO 3129:2019

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 3129
Third edition
2019-11
Wood — Sampling methods and
general requirements for physical and
mechanical testing of small clear wood
specimens
Bois — Méthodes d'échantillonnage et conditions générales pour les
essais physiques et mécaniques de petites éprouvettes de bois net
Reference number
©
ISO 2019
© ISO 2019
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ii © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 General principles . 1
5 Sampling . 1
5.1 Selection of material. 1
5.2 Sampling of wood material. 1
5.2.1 General. 1
5.2.2 Logs . 2
5.2.3 Matching for test of dry material . 2
5.2.4 Sawn timber . 2
6 Conditioning of material . 2
6.1 Test pieces with a standardized moisture content (air-dry) . 2
6.2 Test pieces with moisture content of equal to or above fibre saturation point (green) . 2
7 Preparation of test pieces . 3
7.1 Form and dimensions . . 3
7.2 Direction of grain . 3
7.3 Permissible deviations . 4
7.4 Marking . 4
7.5 Sample size (number of test pieces) . 4
7.5.1 Random sampling . 4
7.5.2 Selective sampling . 4
7.5.3 Mechanical sampling . 5
7.5.4 Minimum number of test pieces . 5
7.6 Conditioning of test pieces . 6
7.6.1 Testing at equilibrium moisture content (air-dry condition) . 6
7.6.2 Testing pieces at or above fibre saturation point (green condition) . 6
7.6.3 Storage . 6
8 General requirements for physical and mechanical tests . 6
8.1 Temperature and humidity conditions in the laboratory . 6
8.2 Procedure . 6
9 Calculation and expression of results . 6
10 Test report . 7
Bibliography . 8
Foreword
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iso/ foreword .html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 218, Timber.
This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition (ISO 3129:2012), which has been technically
revised.
The main changes compared to the previous edition are as follows:
— Clause 2 and Bibliography were updated.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www .iso .org/ members .html.
iv © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 3129:2019(E)
Wood — Sampling methods and general requirements
for physical and mechanical testing of small clear wood
specimens
1 Scope
This document specifies methods for the extensive and limited sampling of wood, conditioning and
preparation of test pieces. It also specifies the general requirements for physical and mechanical testing
of small clear wood specimens. The sampling guidance provided in this document can be applied for
timber taken from either trees, logs, or pieces of ungraded/graded/presorted sawn timber for non-
structural applications, such as furniture, windows, doors, etc., only.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 24294, Timber — Round and sawn timber — Vocabulary
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO 24294 apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at http:// www .electropedia .org/
4 General principles
This document covers procedures of sampling for obtaining small clear specimens which, when tested
in accordance with methods specified under relevant International Standards, may provide information
on the influence on mechanical properties of such factors as moisture content, density, position in
cross-section, height in the tree and locality of growth.
5 Sampling
5.1 Selection of material
The material intended for physical and mechanical tests shall be selected taking into account the
purpose of the test, as well as the requirements to ensure that the properties obtained from the test
pieces represent the sample population.
5.2 Sampling of wood material
5.2.1 General
The material selected shall be in the form of either logs or sawn timbers.
5.2.2 Logs
Trees or logs shall be selected to represent the population. For each species to be tested, at least five
trees or logs representative of that species or species group shall be selected.
A heart plank shall be cut from a log of acceptable diameter. For a log having a concentric structure, the
heart plank shall cover the geometrical centre (see Figure 1). In the case of a log having a diameter of
180 mm or less, the heart plank shall be cut in the direction of two mutually perpendicular diameters
(see Figure 2).
For a log having an eccentric structure, the plank shall include the pith and not the geometrical centre.
The thickness of the heart plank shall be at least 60 mm, except for logs with a diameter of 180 mm
or less, where the thickness shall be 40 mm. In this case, to obtain test pieces with a cross-sectional
dimension greater than 30 mm, a disc that is at least 100 mm thick shall be cut from one end of the log
prior to sawing out heart planks. This disc may be used for the hardness test.
5.2.3 Matching for test of dry material
If one purpose of the sampling is to provide comparison of green and dry properties, provisions shall
be made for matching of specimens within the tree. The collection of the material shall be arranged to
provide for tests of both green and dry specimens that are closely matched by selection from adjacent
parts of the same tree.
To afford matching, the sticks of one heart plank shall be interchanged with the other sticks from the
next adjacent heart plank from the same tree to form two composite heart planks, each being complete
and made of equal portions of the adjacent heart planks. The sticks from one of these composite heart
planks shall be tested green and those from the other shall be tested after drying. Thus, the sticks of
each composite heart plank shall be regarded as if they were from the same heart plank.
This procedure provides for end-to-end matching (end matching) of sticks to be tested dry with those
to be tested green, which is to be preferred when practicable. If, because of the nature of the material,
end matching is not practicable, side matching may be used.
5.2.4 Sawn timber
In sampling of sawn timber, sticks shall be cut parallel to the direction of the grain. A sufficient number
of sticks shall be cut to ensure that the sam
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