soundboard stresses

Ron Nossaman RNossaman@cox.net
Tue, 14 Oct 2003 08:11:32 -0500


>What I said is that the crowning process does not damage the panel as long 
>as it is kept within the elastic range. Your putting the ceiling at 11% 
>(witch is equivalent ot 60% RH) is exactly what I said earlier.

My figures put the panel at 1% compression. The elastic limit is somewhat 
less than 1%, so at 11%MC by my figures, the panel is already damaged. 
Also, assuming that a panel at slightly under the elastic limit will remain 
undamaged is not realistic. Compression damage accumulates relative to the 
level of stress, and time under load.


>Of course once this damage start to happen in will have more serious 
>effects on the PC board than the RC board.

The damage begins immediately with both assembly methods. And the fact that 
damage is both less severe, and of less consequence in an RC board than a 
CC board is the point of all this.


>But even so I think deterioration will be incremental not catastrophic.

No one ever made any claims to the contrary. The concern is the rate of 
incremental deterioration and resulting effect on soundboard performance.


>The miracle of non linear compression?

Discussing proportional limit in compression perpendicular to the grain, 
Hoadley says: "Beyond these limits, however, as the piece is compacted more 
and more, the resistance increases and no meaningful maximum load is 
reached." Since the panel of a CC board is very likely at or above the 
proportional limit when it's initially loaded with string bearing, 
non-linear compression is not an unreasonable expectation - and that's what 
I found in empirical tests. Also, I didn't find anything in the reference 
materials indicating that compression below the proportional limit is 
linear. Beam deflection is, so it's not unreasonable to presume that 
compression is too. Do you happen to have a reference for this, other than 
a line chart?

Ron N


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