RC vs CC again

Farrell mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com
Sun, 5 Oct 2003 16:18:47 -0400


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Richard wrote:

"This assertion that ribs don't support the bearing load also is =
bothersome. Why
wouldn't the ribs in a CC board support both crown and bearing... just =
because the
panels compression forces the ribs to bend?"

I've been following this thread with great interest. Me and anyone else =
that knows anything about anything knows that I am no expert on =
soundboard theory - I've barely scratched the surface. But, I did pretty =
dern tootin' good in college physics, and hey, I was a scientist in =
another life! So here goes......

A simple vector analysis of forces in this system would make things =
quite clear. If you are familiar with simple vector analyses, think of =
it that way.

I think it is pretty clear to all how it is that the laminated- or =
machine-radiused rib will support soundboard crown. As you add =
downbearing to the RC&S board, the ribs will provide most all the =
resistance to bending, with the panel supplying a little bit (as the =
ribs loose crown and the panel compresses a little bit) as the assembly =
squishes down under load.

When flat ribs are glued to a very dry flat panel, no force vectors =
exist in the system. As the panel takes on moisture and the ribs bend, =
the ribs will always be trying to pull the panel flat. Period. If that =
assembly has crown, the ribs will always try to go straight by pulling =
down on the panel. The compression forces in the panel are the only =
thing that has provided the force necessary to bend the rib into a =
crown. Whether or not you ever load that soundboard on top, the ribs =
will always be fighting the panel compression to go flat. When you do =
apply a load to the top of the soundboard, the compression on the panel =
will increase, but the ribs will do nothing other than still try to go =
flat. As the crown lessens under increasing load, the ribs will pull =
downward a bit less, but only because they are being bent upwards less =
by the panel.

I think any thoughts of the ribs providing support to a CC soundboard =
are related to thinking of the rim acting as a buttress (I'm not sure of =
the terminology here - I'm referring to church architecture from the =
middle-ages where they used arches that were supported by a solid =
foundation). Perhaps some still subscribe to this train of thought. Is =
that perhaps where you are coming from?

Stiffness? That's still quite amorphous to me!

Terry Farrell

----- Original Message -----=20
From: "Richard Brekne" <Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, October 05, 2003 9:35 AM
Subject: Re: RC vs CC again


> John:
>=20
> Sat on all this for a couple days, and the thought I had that equally =
dimensioned
> and crowned CC vs RC boards would result in the CC board being =
stiffer... and find
> myself bothered by something that doesnt quiet add.
>=20
> First, there is this bit about just how valid it is to say that the =
ribs in a CC
> board do or do not support both crown and bearing. I think I see where =
you and Ron
> diverge in your thinking here.... perhaps as I walk through this you =
can correct
> as neccessary for me. Thanks..
>=20
>=20
> > >If you cut a rib from a Panel crowned soundboard (parallel to the
> > >rib but half way between the adjacent ribs) you have a laminate =
made
> > >from a rib and a strip of cross grain spruce. The two pieces of =
wood
> > >form their crown just the same as the above laminated rib. Once =
formed
> > >this structure is going to behave just the same as if the crown =
were
> > >formed from a crowned rib.
>=20
> What you are saying here is that the structual strength of the =
soundboard
> assembly  is independent of the crowning method ?  That whatever =
stresses are
> involved in forming a CC board are independant from the stresses that =
will be
> applied to the board when bearing is applied ?
>=20
>=20
>=20
> > This doesn't equate in the real world with actual wood. Wood is
> > anisotropic, and compresses considerably more across the grain than =
it does
> > along the grain. It takes considerably more dimensional change in a =
cross
> > grain spruce panel to generate the cross grain compression levels it =
takes
> > to both bend the rib (which, itself is not made of multiple layers =
formed
> > and glued, but is one solid piece that resists bending far more than =
a
> > stack of laminations of the same overall depth), and support the =
bearing load.
>=20
> This assertion that ribs dont support the bearing load also is =
bothersom. Why
> wouldnt the ribs in a CC board support both crown and bearing... just =
because the
> panels compression forces the ribs to bend ?  I mean.. ok... so the =
ribs resist
> bending and will want to bend back... or rather they will resist the =
board
> expansion while taking on humidity with whatever degree of force it =
takes to bend
> them in the first place.... but once that bending is done... and the =
assembly is
> in equilibrium... why wouldnt the ribs directly help support the =
assembly against
> down bearing ? Its not like pushing down on the board will be seen by =
the ribs as
> a drop in humidity or anything... the compression of the panel at its =
interface
> with the ribs isnt going to change with an increase in downbearing. =
The ribs, bent
> as they are... will just see a downwards force wanting to push them =
flat, and
> unless there is some reduction in the panels compression  keeping them =
bent...
> they arent going to want to bend flat.... so why isnt this support =
against bearing
> ?...
>=20
> I think.... thats more or less where Johns reasoning above is going... =
yes ?.. no
> ?
>=20
> >
> >
> > >I admit that it took force to form the crown in a panel crowned
> > >Soundboard but once formed it will have just the same stiffness as =
a Rib
> > >crowned soundboard. The method of crowning has no effect on its =
stiffness.
> >
> > We aren't talking about stiffness, but about the panel supporting =
both the
> > string bearing load, and whatever crown the rib is forced into.
> >
>=20
> I dont see where anyone has pointed any information that establishes =
this
> stiffness amount bit either way.  But its right at the center of my =
present
> headache :)  It the ribs are contributing the same amount of support =
in both the
> CC and RC otherwise identical assemblies... then why wouldnt the =
increased
> compression on the CC board increase its stiffness over the RC board. =
And  If its
> the other way around... that  the stiffness of these same two =
otherwise idenditcal
> panels is the same... then how can the ribs contribute the same amount =
 to the
> overall stiffness in both boards...?
>=20
> one other thing... isnt "stiffness" and "how the panel supports string =
bearing
> load" sort of very much interelated, for not to say more or less the =
same thing ?
>=20
>=20
> Thanks for whatever help you can offer in helping me clear these =
questions I am
> struggling with up.
>=20
> Cheers
> RicB
>=20
> --
> Richard Brekne
> RPT, N.P.T.F.
> UiB, Bergen, Norway
> mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no
> http://home.broadpark.no/~rbrekne/ricmain.html
> http://www.hf.uib.no/grieg/personer/cv_RB.html
>=20
>=20
> _______________________________________________
> pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
> 
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