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 39® 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 :— 
Table V. —English Oak. 
Transverse Experiments. 
Number 
of the 
specimen. 
Deflections. 
Total 
weight 
required 
to break 
each 
piece. 
Specific 
gravity. 
Weight 
reduced 
to 
specific 
gravity 
1000. 
Weight 
required 
to break 
x square 
inch. 
With the 
apparatus 
weighing 
390 lbs. 
After the 
weight 
was 
removed. 
At 
the crisis 
of 
breaking. 
1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
Inches. 
3 Too 
3‘ 12 5 
3 ' 25 ° 
3 ' 2 5 ° 
3 Too 
3 ‘ 6 2 5 
Inch. 
•200 
• 3 I2 
•125 
•125 
•250 
•125 
Inches. 
5- 250 
8-500 
‘ 11 -OOO 
6- 500 
7- 000 
5-875 
lbs. 
590 
825 
1,002 
797 
804 
637 
905 
682 
708 
725 
720 
670 
652 
1209 
1415 
IO99 
IIl6 
936 
lbs. 
I 47 TO 
206‘25 
250-50 
199-25 
201 "OO 
I 59-25 
Total . 
20'250 
1-137 
44'125 
4,655 
44IO 
6427 
1163-75 
Average 
3'375 
*189 
7*354 
776 
735 
1 1071 
193-96 
E = 283410. S = 2037. 
Remarks.— Nos. i 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. 
