It should be made clear that Wildewoode Lumber is primarily a cellulosic fiber embedded polyolefin plastic product, where the fiber and plastic matrix come from waste and/or renewable agricultural sources.

The characteristics of the product combine attributes from both types of materials, with a hybrid stress deformation curve that is fibrous (roughly straight) in nature until the plastic (curved) portion of the graph. For example, it resists normal bending stresses by brute strength and large mechanical stresses by flexing; i.e., it has no catastrophic breaking point, and under sufficient mechanical stress, will simply bend. Under extreme crushing stresses, it merely begins to compress elastically.

Under laboratory conditions, the material resisted bending in a manner somewhere between Douglas Fir and White Oak. That is to say, it took a torque value between the two before noticeable bending took place. Probably of greater importance is the fact that wood of almost all types undergoes a catastrophic and irreversible rupture almost immediately after it begins to bend, while Wildewoode Lumber bends to nearly 90 degrees and will rebound significantly when released, with no rupture at all.

The modulus of elasticity is much higher than comparable woods, and the material rebounds as much as 90% to original form under crushing, torsional, and flexing loads.

The density is roughly neutral in water (Specific Gravity about 1.0) or slightly denser, depending on the feedstock used. Therefore, the ties will slowly sink in water.

Crushing strength is primarily a function of the tonnage used to create the product, and is engineered to the types of loads expected.

Plastic/fiber composites have no strict crushing correlation with other products on the market.

Perhaps the closest similar materials would be glass impregnated high impact industrial plastics in automotive use or high durometer rubbers, both of which are much too expensive for railroad ties.

Under standard crushing tests (4" X 8" cylinder), the materials withstood 14 Tons of vertical pressure before entering the plastic deformation phase. Of note: when the pressure was released, the material rebounded at least 50% of the deformation within 2 hours. Wood, similarly deformed, made no measurable rebound.

We have been unable to effect any kind of permanent dimple by any standard impact testing (ballpeen hammer, steel ball, etc.) To this kind of insult, the material behaves primarily as HDPE or other high impact plastics. Wood is seriously damaged under similar testing, and the fibrous matrix disrupted.

We have been unable to find any situations where this material will crack, split, warp, spall, etc. including nails, screws, and spikes. In fact, small holes tend to "heal".

The material does not absorb water to any great extent, even when freshly cut fiber is exposed in cross sections. The actual measured water absorption for a fully cross sectioned piece is no more than 0.5% by weight over 24 hours (compared to 15% for white oak over the same time period).

Heat stress deformation under normal environmental conditions is almost unmeasurable; a change in length over 100 degrees F for an 8 foot tie is less than 1/8 inch. Wood deformation is much greater and tends to warp as well during the process, which this material does not do.

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