Young’s Modulus of Common Wood
The Young’s modulus of wood varies depending on the wood’s species, the direction of loading (parallel or perpendicular to grain), and the moisture content of the wood. Generally, wood has a Young’s modulus that ranges from 5 to 20 gigapascals (GPa).
The following table provides a comprehensive list of Young’s modulus values for different wood types at 12% moisture content, taken at room temperature (approximately 20°C or 68°F).
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| Afromosia | 12.5 |
| Ash (black) | 11 |
| Ash (blue) | 9.7 |
| Ash (green) | 11.4 |
| Ash (white) | 12 |
| Aspen (bigtooth) | 9.9 |
| Aspen (quaking) | 8.1 |
| Balsa | 2.9 |
| Balsam poplar | 7.6 |
| Basswood (American) | 10.1 |
| Beech (American) | 11.9 |
| Beech (blue) | 7.4 |
| Birch (paper) | 11 |
| Birch (silver) | 11.9 |
| Birch (sweet) | 14.9 |
| Birch (yellow) | 13.9 |
| Black wattle | 14.3 |
| Boxelder | 6 |
| Bucida (oxhorn) | 13.8 |
| Buckeye (yellow) | 8.1 |
| Butternut | 8.1 |
| Cedar (eastern red) | 6.1 |
| Cedar (northern white) | 5.5 |
| Cedar (southern white) | 6.4 |
| Cedar (western red) | 7.7 |
| Cherry (black) | 10.3 |
| Cherry (wild red) | 8.7 |
| Chestnut (American) | 8.5 |
| Cottonwood (black) | 8.8 |
| Cottonwood (eastern) | 9.4 |
| Cypress | 9.9 |
| Dogwood | 10.6 |
| Douglas fir (coast) | 13.4 |
| Ebony (India) | 12.4 |
| Ebony (Mauritius) | 9.9 |
| Elm (American) | 9.2 |
| Elm (rock) | 10.6 |
| Elm (slippery) | 10.3 |
| Eucalyptus (jarrah) | 14.34 |
| Eucalyptus (karri) | 18.5 |
| Eucalyptus (mahogany) | 15.8 |
| Fir (balsam) | 10 |
| Fir (white) | 10.3 |
| Greenheart | 10.5 |
| Gum (red) | 10.2 |
| Hairi | 10.9 |
| Hemlock (eastern) | 8.3 |
| Hemlock (mountain) | 9.2 |
| Hemlock (western) | 11.3 |
| Hickory (bigleaf) | 13.1 |
| Hickory (mockernut) | 15.3 |
| Hickory (pignut) | 15.6 |
| Hickory (shagbark) | 14.9 |
| Hornbeam | 11.7 |
| Ironwood (black) | 20.6 |
| Juniper (alligator) | 4.5 |
| Larch (western) | 12.9 |
| Locust (black) | 14.1 |
| Locust (honey) | 11.2 |
| Magnolia (cucumber tree) | 12.5 |
| Magnolia (sweetbay) | 11.5 |
| Mahogany | 10.3 |
| Mahogany (Africa) | 10.6 |
| Mahogany (India) | 8.7 |
| Maple (bigleaf) | 10 |
| Maple (black) | 11.2 |
| Maple (red) | 11.3 |
| Maple (silver, creek) | 7.9 |
| Maple (sugar) | 12.6 |
| Oak (black) | 11.3 |
| Oak (bur) | 7.1 |
| Oak (canyon live) | 11.3 |
| Oak (chestnut) | 11 |
| Oak (laurel) | 11.7 |
| Oak (live) | 13.7 |
| Oak (northern red) | 12.5 |
| Oak (pin) | 11.9 |
| Oak (post) | 10.4 |
| Oak (scarlet) | 13.2 |
| Oak (swamp chestnut) | 12.2 |
| Oak (swamp white) | 14.1 |
| Oak (white) | 12.3 |
| Persimmon (common) | 14.1 |
| Pine (eastern white) | 8.5 |
| Pine (jack) | 9.3 |
| Pine (lobolly) | 12.3 |
| Pine (longleaf) | 13.7 |
| Pine (pitch) | 9.9 |
| Pine (ponderosa) | 8.9 |
| Pine (red) | 11.2 |
| Pine (shortleaf) | 12.1 |
| Pine (western white) | 10.1 |
| Poplar (yellow) | 10.9 |
| Red cedar (Australian) | 8.9 |
| Redwood (young growth) | 7.6 |
| Sassafras | 7.7 |
| Satinwood (Sri Lanka) | 10.8 |
| Silver fir (Pacific) | 12.1 |
| Sourwood | 10.6 |
| Spruce (black) | 11.1 |
| Spruce (red) | 11.4 |
| Spruce (white) | 9.6 |
| Sycamore | 9.8 |
| Tamarack | 11.3 |
| Teak (India) | 11.7 |
| Tupelo (black) | 8.3 |
| Walnut (black) | 11.6 |
| Willow (black) | 7 |
These values are approximate and can vary depending on factors such as the specific wood sample, moisture content, temperature, and grain direction.
Related Tables
References: 1) Cardarelli, François. Materials Handbook: A Concise Desktop Reference. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2018. 2) Forest Products Laboratory. Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material. United States: USDA, 2010.