Shrinkage of Beech Wood Depending on the Geographical Location of the samples in the Tree (Case study, timer of beech (Fagus Sylvatica L) , that is growing up in the territory of Kosovo)

Abstract In the study are shown shrinkages of beech wood (Fagus Sylvatica L) depending on the geographical location (east, west, north, south) from the samples that are taken on the tree. Studies have been done in three elementary cutting directions (longitudinal, radial and tangential). Results that are found during shrinkage in volume are: east 13.6%, south and north 13,3, and west 13,1%. Keywords: Shrinkage, beech, geographic location, moisture . 1. Introduction 1 Water in freshly cut wood is located within the cell wall and the cell lumen. Water found in the cell wall is called bound water, while water in the lumen is referred to as free water. Both of these forms of moisture have very important role to all the green trees. Moisture of green trees moves from roots to leaves via cellular spaces that are in the structure of wood. After cutting, wood should be prepared for further processing, it also means removing of moisture from the wood. Wood (depending on type) contains unlimited amounts of moisture. During the process of drying, timber loses a significant amount of this moisture, depending on the use location of timber, it must fit the moisture with the humidity of air. For interior environments, it should be 8-12% of moisture, while the moisture for external environment, of timber depends on the relative humidity of the air in the region where the wood will be used. During removal of moisture from the wood material it appear major changes in the physical and mechanical properties, in fact the wood change dimensions , even by changing the specific weight. When free moisture move away from the timber, it begins to lose in weight. This happens when wood has more than 30% of moisture content. Under this percentage which is known as a fiber saturation point, the wood starts changing some physical and mechanical properties, among them, and shrinkage of the wood. These properties (shrinkage of wood when it removes moisture and swelling when it