Wood VS Steel....

[rusty ol ranger]

Me and a buddy of mine were pondering this the other day (we were bored and about half corked....FYI)

Which is stronger...pound for pound...wood or steel?

Obvisouly if you compare size for size...steel is. A 2x4 piece of solid steel is obviously stronger then a 2x4 piece of construction lumber (pine).

But....pound for pound, say taking a Wooden Dowel rod that weighs 1 pound, and a steel dowel rod that weighs a pound...which is stronger?

later,
Dustin

 

[Frank The Tank]

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/eng99/eng99345.htm

Problem solved.

Frank

 

[rusty ol ranger]

That doesnt really answer the question though.
After reading that obvisouly bending on a pice of wood (like in the middle) its going to break eaiser then steel. But what about compression? (Like say laying it flat on the ground and driving on it) or crush strength? Like putting each matreal between your back bumper and an immovable object and going in reverse?

later,
Dustin

 

[Frank The Tank]

Your truck will be destroyed.

The wood will compress, and the steel would compress. both would survive (the wood would have indentions, the steel scratches)

The scientist had a point. How do you really decide the strength of something?
are the pieces the exact shape? pound for pound, you cannot get the two the same shape and form.

Frank

 

[rusty ol ranger]

No...you cant....

But if you took a wooden dowel rod say, and a steel dowel rod. Both weighing exactly 16 oz (1 lb) which would be stronger?

The wooden dowel would be larger then the steel one....but would the steel one have the same strength?

later,
Dustinb

 

[rangertoy]

I would think you have to find the tensile strength of each, I bet steel would take more stretching than wood

 

[sweetsride]

from what i have read and learn, pound for pound wood and steel have the same weight holding capasitise for use in struchures..i.e. beams in a house. as for strenght in flat bed boxes and decking for trailers, i would only assume they would be the same as contruction.

Kris