ABSTRACT
This brief introduction to wood as a material is written primarily to inform the practicing civil engineer about what wood is; its cellular makeup; and, therefore, how it may be expected to react under various loading conditions. Space limitations preclude much detail; instead, references are given to lead the reader to detailed cause-effect relationships. Emphasis is placed on those items and relationships that most often lead to wood misuse or problems of proper wood use in structural applications and that may provide useful, practical guidelines for successful wood use.
