Dimensional changes of sweet chestnut wood (Castanea sativa Mill.) of Greek origin

The rate of moisture adsorption and the rate of swelling are two important indicators of wood's tendency to change its dimensions either easily or with difficulty, a tendency with a particular importance for wood constructions in extreme weather conditions. In the present research, the alteration over time of the tangential dimensions of chestnut wood specimens of Greek origin due to moisture adsorption was determined both before and after extraction with hot water. Using the values of the time required for 1/4 and 1/2 of maximum swelling, the diffusion coefficient was calculated for each specimen separately. Initially, a faster swelling rate was determined for the extracted wood specimens compared to the nonextracted wood specimens. However, as time went on, this differentiation appeared to decrease. After the extraction of the wood, the mean diffusion coefficient estimated for the time required for 1/4 of maximum swelling was greater, while the coefficient for the time required for 1/2 of maximum swelling decreased. Our results update the knowledge of Mediterranean sweet chestnut wood (Castanea sativa Mill.) of Greek origin and promotes conservation and the green economy.