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Scholarly Journal of Agricultural Science Vol. 2(5), pp. 103-107, May 2012
Available online at http:// www.scholarly-journals.com/SJAS
ISSN 2276-7118 ©2012 Scholarly-Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Physical, Mechanical and Seasoning Properties of
Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) Wood in
Bangladesh
M. Rowson Ali 1 , Md. Jahangir Alam 2 , Newaz Ahmed Chowdhury 3
1,2 Bangladesh Forest Research Institute, Chittagong-4000, Bangladesh and
3 Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD) Kotbari, Comilla 3503 Bangladesh.
Accepted 19 May, 2012
The physical, mechanical and seasoning properties of Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) species
were studied. The timber is of light weight and specific gravity 0.46 at green condition which is less
than that of Chittagong teak (Tectona grandis). The shear parallel to grain of jackfruit wood was found
greater than that of teak but the specific gravity was found less than that of teak. From different test
results it is revealed that the species is moderate strong. It can be seasoned with care within 6 to 7 days
and suitable for making furniture, building construction, carving, musical instruments (drums,
metallophone stands) and carpentry.
Keywords: Physical, Mechanical, Seasoning Properties; Jackfruit, Teak
INTRODUCTION
Jack fruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is a medium sized to
large evergreen, glabrous tree with short trunk and large
crown (Das and Alam, 2001). It is one of the most
popular and important food crops tree and recognized as
the national fruit in the country (Haque, 1977). The tree
attains a height of 8m - 25m. The straight cylindrical stem
is covered with rough bark which exudes milky latex. The
wood is yellow when freshly cut but gradually turns light
brown on exposure (Manjunath 1948). The timber is used
for house and ship building, furniture and other purposes
(Watt 1972). Due to global timber crisis it is worthwhile to
search the various end uses of jackfruit wood. Durable
wood is used for carving, musical instruments of drums,
and met allophone stands and carpentry. The ornate
wooden plank called Avani Palaka made of the wood and
its grain is deeply interlocked and resists cracking.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Determination of physical properties namely moisture
content, specific gravity and shrinkage, each tree was
divided into its butt, middle and top position. The sizes of
the samples are 2.54 cm x 2.54 cm x 5.08 cm and 5.08
cm x 5.08 cm x 15.24 cm respectively. For determination
of mechanical properties the bolts were marked into 6.35
cm 2 according to the standard sawing diagram and were
sawn to 6.35 cm x 6.3 cm x 2.50 m sticks. The sticks
were prepared in pairs. One stick was taken from each
test in green condition and the other for air-dry condition.
The sticks for air-dry tests were staked using suitable
stickers inside a drying shed and allowed to attain the
equilibrium moisture content of 12-14%.
Measurement of properties
Small clear specimens were tested, in both green and airdry
states, for the following physical and mechanical
properties using the procedure given in ASTM (Anon,
1971).
Moisture content
Moisture content is the amount of water in wood
expressed as a percentage of its oven dry weight.
Corresponding Author E-mail:newaz_bard@yahoo.com

Scholarly J. Agric. Sci. 104
Table 1. Physical Properties of Jackfruit
Species
Seasoning
condition
Specific gravity based on
oven dry weight
Shrinkage (%) from green to oven dry condition based
on green dimension Volumetric
1 2 3 4 5 6
Tectona grandis
Artocarpus
heterophyllus
Green
Air- Dry
Green
Air- Dry
Source: Sattar and Akhtaruzzaaman, 1997.
0.58
0.59
0.46
0.48
0.61
-
0.49
-
4.50
-
2.47
-
5.0
-
5.72
-
Specific gravity
The specific gravity was determined based on oven dry
weight and volumes at green, 12 % moisture content and
oven dry conditions.
Shrinkage
The volumetric shrinkage was determined from the data
for density measurements. The volume values at green,
12 % moisture content and oven dry conditions were
used for the determination of volumetric shrinkage.
Mechanical properties
All the test sticks were dressed to 5.08 cm x 5.08 cm x
2.50 m strips and clear specimens to the sizes specified
by the American Society for Testing of Materials (ASTM)
standards D 143-52 (1). The specimens of various
parameters were tested in accordance with the
specifications of ASTM except toughness. The tests for
mechanical properties were carried out in a Riehle screw
power type universal testing machine. Toughness tests
were performed in a toughness testing machine designed
by the US Forest Products Laboratory, Madison,
Wisconsin.
Static bending
It furnishes data on bending strength and stiffness for
such uses as beams, joists, etc. Specimen of 2 x 2 x 30
cm is tested on a 28 cm span with centre loading. The
parameters of static bending are as follows:
a) Stress at proportional limit the numerical value of бPL
can be obtained in equation (eqn.1)
3 Pl
бPL = -------- (1)
2bh 2
The modulus of rupture R (eqn.2) can be found by
substituting the maximum load, P 1 for the load at the
proportional limit
3 P 1 l
R = ------- (2)
2bh 2
The modulus of elasticity (eqn. 3) can be determined and
substitution
Pl 3
E = ------ (3)
4 ybh 3
Where, P = Load at the limit of proportionality
l = Span of the test specimen
b = Breadth of the test specimen
h = Depth of the test specimen
y = Deflection at the limit of proportionality
Seasoning properties
Six planks of 2.5 cm x 20 cm x 2 m dimensions were
taken as sample boards. The samples along with other
planks were stacked following the box pilling method in
an open yard and also in a compartment type steam
heated kiln. Air drying was done in the months of March
and April. Kiln drying was accomplished following a
standard schedule developed at the BFRI (Sattar, 1997).
The initial and the final moisture contents were
determined. The total drying times from green condition
to 12-14% moisture content were ascertained.
Results and Discussions
General properties and description of wood
The wood is yellow to yellowish brown. It is of light weight
wood with good dimensional stability and moderate
mechanical strength.
Physical properties
The average values of physical properties such as
moisture content, specific gravity and volumetric
shrinkage of Jackfruit determined in green and air-dry
conditions are presented (table 1). It is evident from data
that the specific gravity and volumetric shrinkage of

Ali et al. 105
Table 2. Comparison of Mechanical Properties of Jackfruit with Teak
Properties
Static bending (kg / cm 2 ):
Stress at proportional limit
Modulus of rupture
Modulus of elasticity
Compression parallel to grain:
Stress at proportional limit (kg / cm 2 )
Maximum crushing strength (kg / cm 2 )
Species / Seasoning conditions / values
Jackfruit
Teak
Green Air-dry Green Air-dry
269
481
58
125
195
382
701
64
220
305
514
867
120
288
383
628
1008
131
Compression perpendicular to grain:
Stress at proportional limit (kg/cm 2 ) 65 115 67 119
Hardness, load required to embed a 1.13
cm ball at half its dia
Radial (kg)
Tangential (kg)
End (kg)
Shear parallel to grain:
Radial (kg)
Tangential (kg)
Nail withdrawal:
Radial (kg)
Tangential (kg)
End (kg)
Cleavage load to cause splitting:
Radial (kg/cm of width)
Tangential (kg/cm of width)
Tension perpendicular to grain:
Tensile strength radial (kg / cm 2 )
Tensile strength tangential (kg / cm 2 )
Toughness:
Radial (cm/kg- specimen)
Tangential (cm/kg- specimen)
Source: Sattar and Akhtaruzzaaman, 1997.
400
415
405
103
123
110
115
90
43
49
22
29
291
321
480
490
425
145
172
115
125
110
56
76
28
33
287
300
495
518
495
86
103
145
132
95
68
77
44
49
387
419
374
513
532
550
532
97
115
82
77
68
66
79
41
47
321
326
timber is 0.46 and 5.72 respectively. On the other hand,
the specific gravity and volumetric shrinkage for teak is
0.58 and 5.0. Data also indicate that the volumetric
shrinkage of Jackfruit is more than that of teak.
Mechanical properties
In respect to mechanical properties the individual
strength value was computed from the data collected for
nine different tests like static bending, compression
parallel to grain, compression perpendicular to grain,
hardness, and shear parallel to grain; nail withdrawal,
cleavage and toughness. The average values of various
strength properties in the both green and air dry
conditions are shown in table 2. The table showed that all
the parameters of mechanical properties except shear
parallel to grain have the lower values in both green and
air- dry conditions for jackfruit wood as compared to teak.
The values of shear parallel to grain in both radial and
tangential have the higher for jackfruit wood as compared
to teak. It is also showed that the values of nail
withdrawal of jackfruit in air-dry condition are higher than
that of teak wood.
The values of physical and mechanical properties were
also compared with the physical and mechanical
properties of teak to find out the suitability of Jackfruit
expressed in percentage (table 3).
Seasoning properties
Jackfruit wood planks of 2.5 cm dimension take 6.5 days
and 32 days respectively in kiln drying and air drying from
the initial green condition to 12-14% moisture content. Air
drying was undertaken in the post-winter period which is
considered to be favorable season for air drying in our
country (Sattar et al. 1992). Seasoning characteristics of

Scholarly J. Agric. Sci. 106
Table 3. Physical and Mechanical Properties of Jackfruit Relative to Teak (in percentage)
Properties
Specific gravity based on oven
dry weight and
Volume at test
Volume at oven dry
Species / Seasoning conditions / values
Jackfruit
Green
Air-dry
79 81
80 -
Volumetric shrinkage (%) from green to oven dry condition
based on green dimension: 114 -
Static bending:
Stress at proportional limit
Modulus of rupture
Modulus of elasticity
Compression parallel to grain:
Stress at proportional limit
Maximum crushing strength
52 61
55 70
48 49
43 59
51 59
Compression perpendicular to grain:
Stress at proportional limit 97 97
Hardness, load required to embed a 1.13 cm ball at half its
dia.
Radial
Tangential
End
Shear parallel to grain:
Shearing stress radial
Shearing stress tangential
81 90
80 89
82 80
120 149
119 150
Nail withdrawal:
Radial
Tangential
End
Cleavage load to cause splitting:
Radial
Tangential
Tension perpendicular to grain:
Tensile strength radial
Tensile strength tangential
Toughness:
Radial
Tangential
Source: Sattar and Akhtaruzzaaman, 1997.
76 140
87 136
95 162
63 85
64 96
50 68
59 70
75 96
77 92
Table 4. Seasoning Characteristics of Jackfruit Timber
Drying method
Kiln drying
Air drying
Source: Sattar and Akhtaruzzaaman, 1997.
Drying time from green to 12-14% (days)
6.5
32
Jackfruit timber is given in table 4.
Conclusion and Suggestion
The wood is very stable and yellowish brown, medium
textured. It is light density wood with good dimensional
stability and moderately mechanical strength. It
possesses good turning and shaping properties and
made finishing properties excellent. The wood seasoned
well with best durability. In our country the tree has been
planted in homestead forest for their local consumption of

Ali et al. 107
timber and wood and extensively used for general
carpentry work, door, windows, furniture, cabinet making
and brush backs.
References
Anon. (1971). ASTM Standards: Part 16, Structural Sandwich
Construction: Wood and Adhesive, American Society for Testing
Materials, Philadelphia, USA, pp. 64-121.
Das, DK, Alam, MK (2001). Trees of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Forest
Research Institute, Chittagong.
Haque, MA (1977). Variability in Fruit Characteristics of Selected
Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) from Some Localities of
Mymensingh District, Bangladesh, J. Agric. Sci., 4(1):119-120.
Manjunath, BL (1948). The Wealth of India, Raw materials, Vol. 1. New
Delhi, India, pp.125-126.
Sattar, MA, Aktaruzzaman, AFM (1997). Properties and Uses of
Jackfruit, (Artocarpus heterophyllus) Wood, Bulletin 2, Forest
Products Branch, Bangladesh Forest Research Institute, Chittagong.
Watt, G (1972). A Dictionary of the Economic Products of India, Vol. 1,
Periodical experts, Delhi, India, pp. 330-332.
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