calcEMC_wood: Calculate Equilibrium Moisture Content for wood (EMC)

In ConSciR: Tools for Conservation Science

Calculate Equilibrium Moisture Content for wood (EMC)

Description

This function calculates the Equilibrium Moisture Content (EMC) of wood based on relative humidity and temperature.

Usage

calcEMC_wood(Temp, RH)

Arguments

Temp	Temperature (°Celsius)
RH	Relative Humidity (0-100%)

Details

Equilibrium Moisture Content (EMC) is the moisture content at which a material, such as wood or other hygroscopic substanceshas reached an equilibrium with its environment and is no longer gaining or losing moisture under specific temperature and relative humidity.

A safe EMC range for wood is typically between 6% and 20%. This range helps to prevent issues such as warping, cracking, and mold growth, which can occur if the moisture content falls below or exceeds these levels.

Value

EMC, Equilibrium Moisture Content (0-100%)

References

Simpson, W. T. (1998). Equilibrium moisture content of wood in outdoor locations in the United States and worldwide. Res. Note FPL-RN-0268. Madison, WI: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory.

Hailwood, A. J., and Horrobin, S. (1946). Absorption of water by polymers: Analysis in terms of a simple model. Transactions of the Faraday Society 42, B084-B092. DOI:10.1039/TF946420B084

Examples

# Equilibrium moisture content for wood at 20°C and 50% relative humidity (RH)
calcEMC_wood(20, 50)


# mydata file
filepath <- data_file_path("mydata.xlsx")
mydata <- readxl::read_excel(filepath, sheet = "mydata", n_max = 5)

mydata |> dplyr::mutate(EMC = calcEMC_wood(Temp, RH))

ConSciR documentation built on Nov. 5, 2025, 5:25 p.m.