For most materials, temperature is the most important environmental variable: properties like strength and electrical conductivity vary enormously depending on temperature. But in wood, moisture replaces temperature as the most important environmental variable. Moisture within the wood affects the mechanical properties of wood and can change physical properties such electrical conduction by as much as ten orders of magnitude (ten billion times). Many of the challenges of using wood as an engineering material (e.g. decay, corrosion of fasteners, and dimensional instability), arise from changes in the wood moisture content or an abundance of moisture within the wood.
Wood-moisture relations have been studied since the 1950's, and have thus far been characterized empirically. Our research interests focus on developing a mechanistic understanding of wood-moisture relations so that more durable wood products can be created.
Vice Chairman of STG 38.
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Zelinka, Samuel L.; Glass, Samuel V.; Stone, Donald S. 2008. A percolation model for electrical conduction in wood with implications for wood-water relations.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Lambrecht, Michael J.; Glass, Samuel V.; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Yelle, Daniel J. 2012. Examination of water phase transitions in Loblolly pine and cell wall components by differential scanning calorimetry.
Glass, Samuel V.; Zelinka, Samuel L. 2010. Moisture relations and physical properties of wood.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Derome, Dominique; Glass, Samuel V. 2011. Combining hygrothermal and corrosion models to predict corrosion of metal fasteners embedded in wood.
Rammer, Douglas; Zelinka, Samuel. 2011. Method and Apparatus for Determining the Surface Area of a Threaded Fastener.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Jakes, Joseph E.; Kirker, Grant T.; Passarini, Leandro ; Hunt, Christopher G.; Lai, Barry ; Antipova, Olga ; Li, Luxi ; Vogt, Stefan . 2019. Copper distribution and oxidation states near corroded fasteners in treated wood.
Thybring, Emil E.; Boardman, Charles R.; Glass, Samuel V; Zelinka, Samuel L. 2019. The parallel exponential kinetics model is unfit to characterize moisture sorption kinetics in cellulosic materials.
Rammer, Douglas R.; Zelinka, Samuel L.; Hasburgh, Laura E, E..; Craft, Steven T. 2018. Ability of finger-jointed lumber to maintain load at elevated temperatures.
Hunt, Christopher G.; Zelinka, Samuel L.; Frihart, Charles R.; Lorenz, Linda ; Yelle, Daniel ; Gleber, Sophie-Charlotte ; Vogt, Stefan ; Jakes, Joseph E. 2018. Acetylation increases relative humidity threshold for ion transport in wood cell walls a means to understanding decay resistance.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Bourne, Keith J.; Glass, Samuel V; Boardman, Charles R.; Lorenz, Linda ; Thybring, Emil Engelund. 2018. Apparatus for gravimetric measurement of moisture sorption isotherms for 1-100 g samples in parallel.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Kirker, Grant T. 2018. Assessment of fastener corrosion and salt damage in the bilge of the Eureka.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Hasburgh, Laura E.; Bourne, Keith J.; Tucholski, David R.; Ouellette, Jason P. 2018. Compartment fire testing of a two-story mass timber building.
Pásztory, Zoltán ; Horváth, Tibor ; Glass, Samuel V; Zelinka, Samuel . 2018. Experimental investigation of the influence of temperature on thermal conductivity of multilayer reflective thermal insulation.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Jakes, Joseph E.; Tang, Juliet ; Ohno, Katie , M.; Bishell, Amy ; Finney, Lydia ; Maxey, Evan R.; Vogt, Stefan ; Kirker, Grant T. 2018. Fungal copper interactions in wood examined with large field of view synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy.
Kordziel, Steven ; Glass, Samuel V; Pei, Shiling ; Zelinka, Samuel L.; Tabares-Velasco, Paulo Cesar. 2018. Moisture monitoring and modeling of mass-timber building systems.
Zelinka, S.L. ; Kordziel, S. ; Pei, S. ; Glass, S.V. ; Tabares-Velasco, P.C. . 2018. Moisture monitoring throughout the construction and occupancy of mass timber builidings.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Glass, Samuel V; Thybring, Emil Engelund. 2018. Myth versus reality: do parabolic sorption isotherm models reflect actual wood water thermodynamics.
Zelinka, Samuel ; Pei, Shiling ; Bechle, Nathan ; Sullivan, Kenneth ; Ottum, Noah ; Rammer, Douglas ; Hasburgh, Laura , E. 2018. Performance of wood adhesive for cross laminated timber under elevated temperatures.
Glass, Samuel V; Boardman, Charles R.; Thybring, Emil Engelund; Zelinka, Samuel L. 2018. Quantifying and reducing errors in equilibrium moisture content measurements with dynamic vapor sorption (DVS) experiments.
Zelinka, Samuel L. 2018. Role of transport in wood damage mechanisms WSE 2017 keynote lecture.
Senalik, C. Adam; Ross, Robert J.; Zelinka, Samuel L.; Lebow, Stan T.; Cai, Zhiyong. 2017. Accelerated aging of preservative-treated structural plywood.
Passarini, Leandro ; Zelinka, Samuel L.; Glass, Samuel V; Hunt, Christopher G. 2017. Effect of weight percent gain and experimental method on fiber saturation point of acetylated wood determined by differential scanning calorimetry.
Lebow, Stan T.; Zelinka, Samuel L.; Arango, Rachel A.; Woodward, Bessie M.; Lebow, Patricia K.; Ohno, Katie M.; Chotlos, Nathaniel P. 2017. Evaluation of nonpressure wood preservatives for military applications.
Hasburgh, Laura E.; Stone, Donald S.; Zelinka, Samuel L. 2017. Laboratory investigation of fire transfer from exterior wood decks to buildings in the wildland-urban interface.
Glass, Samuel V.; Boardman, Charles R.; Zelinka, Samuel L. 2017. Short hold times in dynamic vapor sorption measurements mischaracterize the equilibrium moisture content of wood.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Jakes, Joseph E.; Kirker, Grant T.; Vine, David; Vogt, Stefan. 2017. Synchrotron based x-ray fluorescence microscopy confirms copper in the corrosion products of metals in contact with treated wood.
Kirker, Grant T.; Zelinka, Samuel; Gleber, Sophie-Charlotte; Vine, David; Finney, Lydia; Chen, Si; Hong, Young Pyo; Uyarte, Omar; Vogt, Stefan; Jellison, Jody; Goodell, Barry; Jakes, Joseph E. 2017. Synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy enables multiscale spatial visualization of ions involved in fungal lignocellulose deconstruction.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Glass, Samuel V.; Jakes, Joseph E.; Stone, Donald S. 2016. A solution thermodynamics definition of the fiber saturation point and the derivation of a wood-water phase (state) diagram.
Kirker, Grant T.; Zelinka, Samuel L.; Passarini, Leandro. 2016. Avast Ye Salty Dogs: Salt damage in the context of coastal residential construction and historical maritime timbers.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Passarini, Leandro; Colon Quintana, José L.; Glass, Samuel V.; Jakes, Joseph E.; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C. 2016. Cell wall domain and moisture content influence southern pine electrical conductivity.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Glass, Samuel V.; Boardman, Charles R.; Derome, Dominique. 2016. Comparison of the corrosion of fasteners embedded in wood measured in outdoor exposure with the predictions from a combined hygrothermal-corrosion model.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Jakes, Joseph E.; Kirker, Grant T.; Passarini, Leandro; Lai, Barry. 2016. Corrosion of metals in treated wood examined by synchrotron based xanes and XFM.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Kirker, Grant T.; Jakes, Joseph E.; Passarini, Leandro; Lai, Barry. 2016. Distribution and oxidation state of copper in the cell walls of treated wood examined by synchrotron based XANES and XFM.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Glass, Samuel V.; Boardman, Charles R. 2016. Improvements to water vapor transmission and capillary absorption measurements in porous materials.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Glass, Samuel V.; Boardman, Charles R.; Derome, Dominique. 2016. Moisture storage and transport properties of preservative treated and untreated southern pine wood.
Jakes, Joseph E.; Arzola, Xavier; Bergman, Richard; Ciesielski, Peter; Hunt, Christopher G.; Rahbar, Nima; Tshabalala, Mandla; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Zelinka, Samuel L. 2016. Not just lumber--Using wood in the sustainable future of materials, chemicals, and fuels.
Zelinka, Samuel; Ringman, R.; Pilgard, A.; Thybring, E. E.; Jakes, Joseph; Richter, K. 2016. The role of chemical transport in the brown-rot decay resistance of modified wood.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Glass, Samuel V.; Ruffinatto, Flavio. 2015. Anatomically informed mesoscale electrical impedance spectroscopy in southern pine and the electric field distribution for pin-type electric moisture metres.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Lebow, Stan. 2015. Corrosion of Wires on Wooden Wire-Bound Packaging Crates.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Bourne, Keith J.; Hermanson, John C.; Glass, Samuel V.; Costa, Adriana; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C. 2015. Force-displacement measurements of earlywood bordered pits using a mesomechanical tester.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Dietenberger, Mark A.; Hasburgh, Laura E.; Bourne, Keith J.; Boardman, Charles, R. 2015. Improvements to the Understanding of the Fire Performance of Wood over the Past 30 Years-A Tribute to Robert Hawthorne White.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Quintana, José L. Colon; Glass, Samuel V.; Jakes, Joseph E.; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C. 2015. Subcellular Electrical Measurements as a Function of Wood Moisture Content.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Ringman, Rebecka; Pulgard, Annica; Thybring, Emil Engelund; Jakes, Joseph E.; Richter, Klaus. 2015. The Role of Chemical Transport in the Decay Resistance of Modified Wood. In: M.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Gleber, Sophie-Charlotte; Vogt, Stefan; Rodriguez Lopez, Gabriela M.; Jakes, Joseph E. 2015. Threshold for ion movements in wood cell walls below fiber saturation observed by X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM).
Rammer, Douglas R.; Zelinka, Samuel L. 2015. Withdrawal Strength and Bending Yield Strength of Stainless Steel Nails.
Pásztory, Zoltán; Horváth, Tibor; Glass, Samuel V.; Zelinka, Samuel L. 2015. Thermal Insulation System Made of Wood and Paper for Use in Residential Construction.
Zelinka, Samuel L. 2014. Chapter 23: Corrosion of Metals in Wood Products.
Lebow, Stan T.; Ross, Robert J.; Zelinka, Samuel L. 2014. Evaluation of Wood Species and Preservatives for Use in Wisconsin Highway Sign Posts.
Glass, Samuel V.; Zelinka, Samuel L.; Johnson, Jay A. 2014. Investigation of Historic Equilibrium Moisture Content Data from the Forest Products Laboratory.
Clausen, Carol A.; White, Robert H.; Wacker, James P.; Lebow, Stan T.; Dietenberger, Mark A.; Zelinka, Samuel L.; Stark, Nicole M. 2014. Laboratory investigation of fire protection coatings for creosote-treated timber railroad bridges.
Zelinka, Samuel L. 2014. Preserving ancient artifacts for the next millennia.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Glass, Samuel V.; Derome, Dominique. 2014. The effect of moisture content on the corrosion of fasteners embedded in wood subjected to alkaline copper quaternary treatment.
Jakes, Joseph E.; Plaza-Rodriguez, Nayomi; Zelinka, Samuel L.; Stone, Donald S.; Gleber, Sophie-Charlotte; Vogt, Stefan. 2014. Wood as inspiration for new stimuli-responsive structures and materials.
Zelinka, Samuel L. 2013. Comparing the Methodologies in ASTM G198 Using Combined Hygrothermal-Corrosion Modeling.
Zelinka, Samuel L. 2013. Comparing the Methodologies in ASTM G198: Is There an Easy Way Out.
Zelinka, Samuel L. 2013. Corrosion of Embedded Metals in Wood: An Overview of Recent Research with Implications for building moisture design.
Zelinka, Samuel L. 2013. Corrosion of Fasteners in Wood Treated with Newer Wood Preservatives.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Rammer, Douglas R. 2013. Environmental Degradation of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Fasteners in Wood.
Zelinka, Samuel L. 2013. Fastener Corrosion: A Result of Moisture Problems in the Building Envelope.
Zelinka, Samuel L. 2013. Guide for Materials Selection and Design for Metals Used in Contact with Copper-Treated Wood.
Glass, Samuel V.; TenWolde, Anton; Zelinka, Samuel L. 2013. Hygrothermal Simulation: A Tool for Building Envelope Design Analysis.
Jakes, Joseph E.; Plaza, Nayomi; Stone, Donald S.; Hunt, Christopher G.; Glass, Samuel V.; Zelinka, Samuel L. 2013. Mechanism of Transport Through Wood Cell Wall Polymers.
Plaza, Nayomi; Zelinka, Samuel L.; Stone, Don S.; Jakes, Joseph E. 2013. Plant-based torsional actuator with memory.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Rammer, Douglas R. 2012. Modeling the Effect of Nail Corrosion on the Lateral Strength of Joints.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Stone, Donald S. 2011. Corrosion of metals in wood : comparing the results of a rapid test method with long-term exposure tests across six wood treatments.
Rammer, Douglas; Zelinka, Samuel. 2011. DETERMINAZIONE DELL'AREA SUPERFICIALE DEI SI-STEMI DI FlSSAGGlO / MEASURING THE SURFACE AREA OF FASTENERS.
Rammer, Douglas R.; Zelinka, Samuel L. 2011. Measuring the surface area of fasteners.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Rammer, Douglas R. 2011. Synthesis of published and unpublished corrosion data from long term tests of fasteners embedded in wood : calculation of corrosion rates and the effect of corrosion on lateral joint strength.
Zelinka, Samuel; Stone, D.S. 2011. The effect of tannins and pH on the corrosion of metals in wood extracts.
Zelinka, Samuel; Stone, D.S. 2010. Advances in corrosion testing of metals in contact with treated wood.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Sichel, Rebecca J.; Stone, Donald S. 2010. Exposure testing of fasteners in preservative treated wood : gravimetric corrosion rates and corrosion product analyses.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Derome, Dominique; Glass, Samuel V. 2010. From laboratory corrosion tests to a corrosion lifetime for wood fasteners : progress and challenges.
Rammer, Douglas; Zelinka, Samuel. 2010. Optical method for measuring the surface area of a threaded fastener.
Zelinka, Samuel L; Glass, Samuel V. 2010. Water vapor sorption isotherms for southern pine treated with several waterborne preservatives.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Rammer, Douglas R. 2009. Corrosion rates of fasteners in treated wood exposed to 100% relative humidity.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Ortiz-Candelaria, Lorraine; Stone, Donald S.; Rammer, Douglas R. 2009. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) as a tool for measuring corrosion of polymer-coated fasteners used in treated wood.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Rammer, Douglas R.; Stone, Donald S. 2009. Evaluating the corrosiveness of southern pine treated with several wood preservatives using electrochemical techniques.
Rammer, Douglas R.; Zelinka, Samuel L. 2008. Analytical determination of the surface area of a threaded fastener.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Rammer, Douglas R.; Stone, D.S. 2008. Corrosion of metals in contact with treated wood : developing test methods.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Rammer, Douglas R.; Stone, Donald S. 2008. Electrochemical corrosion testing of fasteners in extracts of treated wood.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Rammer, Douglas R.; Stone, Donald S. 2008. Impedance spectroscopy and circuit modeling of southern pine above 20% moisture content.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Rammer, Douglas R. 2007. Corrosion avoidance with new wood preservatives.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Rammer, Douglas R.; Stone, Donald S.; Gilbertson, James T. 2007. Direct current testing to measure corrosiveness of wood preservatives.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Stone, Donald S.; Rammer, Douglas R. 2007. Equivalent circuit modeling of wood at 12% moisture content.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Rammer, Douglas R.; Wacker, James P. 2007. Minimizing corrosive action in timber bridges treated with waterborne preservatives.
Zelinka, Samuel L. 2007. Uncertainties in corrosion rate measurements of fasteners exposed to treated wood at 100% relative humidity.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Rammer, Douglas R. 2006. Corrosion avoidance with new wood preservatives.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Rammer, Douglas, R. 2006. Electrochemical method for measuring corrosion of metals in wood.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Rammer, Douglas R. 2006. Exposure test of fasteners in preservative-treated wood.
Rammer, Douglas R.; Zelinka, Samuel L.; Line, Philip. 2006. Fastener corrosion : testing, research, and design considerations.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Rammer, Douglas R. 2005. Review of test methods used to determine the corrosion rate of metals in contact with treated wood.
Zelinka, Samuel L.; Rammer, Douglas R. 2005. The use of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) to measure the corrosion of metals in contact with wood.
Rammer, Douglas R.; Zelinka, Samuel L. 2004. Review of end grain nail withdrawal research.
Fire tests demonstrate that CLT buildings can be designed to withstand fire.