| dc.description.abstract | Coconut is a plant that can easily be found in Indonesia and has many benefits, especially its trunk. Coconut trunks have different properties where the middle and end of the coconut trunk tend to have lower strength than the base. Efforts to maximise the benefits and use of the middle and end of the coconut trunk can be done by modifying the wood through densification. Densification can be influenced by temperature, time, and pressure used. This study aims to analyse the effect of pressure variation and stem position in the densification process on the physical and mechanical properties of coconut trunks. Physical properties testing included moisture content, density, and thickness recovery. Mechanical properties testing included MOE and MOR, perpendicular compressive strength, shear strength, and hardness. The tests conducted refer to the standard BS-373: 1957. The average value of the physical properties test results showed a moisture content of 10.82%, density of 0.53 g/cm3, and thickness recovery of 15.93%. The average value of the mechanical properties test results showed MOE of 48,617 kg/cm2 and 715 kg/cm2 for the MOR value, perpendicular compressive strength of 154 kg/cm2, shear strength of 61 kg/cm2, and hardness of 280 kg/cm2. Based on the results of data analysis, the stem position factor significantly influenced the moisture content of compacted coconut trunks while the pressure factor significantly influenced the compressive strength and hardness properties of compacted coconut trunks. The interaction of the pressure variation factor with the stem position gave no significant effect on the physical and mechanical properties of compacted coconut trunks. | en_US |
