Analysis of ball-burnishing impact on barrier properties of wood workpieces

Abstract

© 2017, Springer-Verlag London. Analyzed in this paper are barrier properties of wood specimens treated by ball burnishing. For the purpose of experimental investigation, special device was designed which allows continuous monitoring of the volume of water absorbed by specimen within particular time intervals. The device allows water pressurized at 3 bar to efficiently penetrate specimen internal structure over its burnished/non-burnished surface interface. The experimental investigation encompassed six types of wood—beech, acacia, walnut, oak, linden, and ash tree. Comparative analysis was performed to establish relative resistance to water penetration in burnished and non-burnished specimens, as well as the quantities of water volume absorbed over time. The results indicate that ball burnishing is capable of enhancing barrier properties in all of the examined types of wood.