Overview
ISO 13061-18:2022 - Physical and mechanical properties of wood - Test methods for small clear wood specimens - Part 18: Vocabulary - is a terminology standard that defines the key words and phrases used in sampling and testing of small, defect‑free wood specimens. Published by ISO/TC 218 (Timber) in 2022, this first edition consolidates and updates vocabulary for general concepts, wood macrostructure, sampling, and physical and mechanical test methods. The document replaces ISO 9086-1:1987 and has no normative references.
Keywords: ISO 13061-18, wood testing vocabulary, small clear wood specimens, physical properties of wood, mechanical properties of wood.
Key topics
The standard organizes terms into four practical categories and provides precise definitional guidance to ensure consistency in testing and reporting:
- Wood macrostructure
- Terms such as annual ring / growth ring, juvenile wood, latewood content, and wood macrostructure (visible structure).
- General testing terminology
- Definitions for clear wood, conditioning of wood, sampling, test piece (including small clear test piece and full‑size test piece), and grain directions (longitudinal, radial, tangential).
- Physical test terms
- Concepts including density (oven‑dry, specified moisture content, basic density), green volume, moisture content, specific gravity, dimensional stability, shrinkage and swelling (radial, tangential, volumetric).
- Mechanical test terms
- Standardized definitions for duration of load, speed of test, stress, strength (compression/tension parallel and perpendicular to grain), shear strength, static hardness, impact bending strength, modulus of elasticity (MOE) and modulus of rupture (MOR).
Applications and users
ISO 13061-18:2022 is essential for anyone involved in the measurement, specification or interpretation of wood test data:
- Testing laboratories - to standardize test reports, labels and methods for small clear specimens.
- Timber manufacturers and suppliers - to define product specifications consistently.
- Engineers and designers - to interpret mechanical and physical properties reliably for structural design and material selection.
- Research and academia - to ensure clear communication of experimental methods and results.
- Standards developers and certification bodies - to harmonize terminology across test standards and certification schemes.
Practical value: using this vocabulary reduces ambiguity, improves comparability of test results between labs and studies, and supports accurate procurement and compliance documentation.
Related standards
Using ISO 13061-18:2022 helps unify terminology across wood testing standards, improving clarity and reliability in timber testing, reporting, and specification.
Open preview (PDF)Physical and mechanical properties of wood — Test methods for small clear wood specimens — Part 18: Vocabulary
