CHAPTER IX. 
EXPERIMENTS UPON THE TRANSVERSE STRENGTH OF 
BRITISH OAK. 
BRITISH Oak timber being, as before stated, generally 
recognised as the standard of quality, the greatest 
possible care was taken in preparing the specimens of 
the prescribed dimensions—2” x 2” X 84”-—for the experi- 
ments to test its strength ; further, the deflections under 
a weight of 390 lbs., as also that at the crisis of breaking, 
and the exact breaking weight each piece bore, were 
all taken, the results being shown in the tables which 
follow. It is hoped, therefore, that a sufficient guide is 
thus afforded, not only for comparing its strength with 
other woods, but also for determining the scantlings 
required for architectural purposes:— 4+ 
TABLE V.—ENGLISH OAK. 
Transverse Experiments. 
Deflections. Total Weight 
S ‘i Weight 
weight 2 jreduced| > 
Hareber With the | After the At re iatfed 32 to required 
specimen, | 2PParatus weight | the crisis | to break B® | specific to break 
specimen. | weighing was o each wbo | gravity| 7 Square 
390 lbs. | removed. | breaking. | piece. Too0. inch. 
Inches. Inch. Inches, Ibs. Ibs, 
I 3°500 “200 | §°250 590 905 | 652 | 147°50 
2 3°125 “312 8500 825 682 | 1209 | 206'25 
3 3°250 125 | 11‘000 | 1,002 708 | 1415 | 250°50 
4 3°250 "125 | 6°500 797 725 | 1099 | 199°25 
3 3500 "250 | 7°000 804 720 | 1116 | 201°00 
3625 | "125 | 5°875 | 637 | 670} 936 | 159°25 
Total .|20°250 | 1°137 | 44°125 | 4,655 | 4410 | 6427 1163°75 
Average} 3°375 189} 7°354 776 | 735 | 1071 | 193°96 
E = 283410. S = 2037. 
Remarxs.—Nos. 1 and 4 broke with a moderate length of fracture: 2. 5, and 6 with 
9 to 15 inches and splinters in fracture. No. 3 was not completely broken asunder. 
