Dr Dan Ridley-Ellis

BEng MRes PhD

On LinkedIn  /  @flyingquercus on Twitter  /  d.ridleyellis@napier.ac.uk  /  +44(0)131 455 2449

Dan Ridley-Ellis is head of the Centre for Wood Science and Technology.

His research focuses on understanding the growth and utilisation of domestically grown timber in the United Kingdom and Ireland, including how this may be affected by our changing environment.

He obtained a PhD in civil engineering from Nottingham University, where he spent a period as a member of academic staff before joining the newly established Centre for Timber Engineering in 2003. During his time at Edinburgh Napier University he has been involved in research into the mechanical properties of timber, and timber grading standards, as well as online learning, skills and training in the forest and timber industries and public engagement. He is one of the organisers of Bright Club Edinburgh.

Interests

• Timber strength grading and associated standards
• Improvement of timber production and utilisation
• Mechanical and physical properties of timber and their measurement by destructive and non-destructive techniques
• Trees and the structural role that wood plays within them
• Consequences of silviculture and the natural environment on tree growth and wood properties
• Numerical and statistical modelling
• Public engagement and science communication
• Provision of continuing professional development

Dan is the author and tutor of two online training courses for the Trussed Rafter Association.

Professional affiliations

CEN TC124 (Timber Structures)

• WG 1 (Test methods)
• WG 2 (Solid Timber)
• TG1 (Task Group for grading and strength properties)

UK Timber Grading Committee

British Standards Committee B/518 “Structural Timber”

COST Action FP1004: Enhance mechanical properties of timber, engineered wood products and timber structures. MC member, secretary, financial rapporteur and leader of Working Group 3 “Modelling the mechanical performance of enhanced wood-based systems”.

COST Action FP1302: WOODen MUSical Instrument Conservation and Knowledge

COST Action FP1101: Assessment, Reinforcement and Monitoring of Timber Structures

COST Action E53: Quality Control for Wood and Wood Products

Board Member of the Wood Technology Society

Editorial Board Member: International Wood Products Journal

Advisory Board Member of TRADA (until 2019)

Northern UK representative for the Northern European Network for Wood Science & Engineering

Edinburgh Beltane Public Engagement Fellow (since 2011)

Selected Publications

Ridley-Ellis, Daniel, Stapel, Peter and Baño, Vanesa (2016) Strength grading of sawn timber in Europe: an explanation for engineers and researchers. European Journal of Wood and Wood Products, 74 (3). pp. 291-306. ISSN 0018-3768
Rautkari, L. Honkanen, J., Hill C., Ridley-Ellis, D., & Hughes, M. “Mechanical and physical properties of thermally modified Scots pine wood in high pressure reactor under saturated steam at 120, 150 and 180 °C”. Holz als Roh- und Werkstoff 01/2014; 72(1). ·
Moore, J.R., Lyon, A.J., Searles, G.J., Lehneke, S.A., Ridley-Ellis, D.J. “Within- and between-stand variation in selected properties of Sitka spruce sawn timber in the United Kingdom: implications for segregation and grade recovery”. Annals of Forest Science, Volume 70, Issue 4, pp 403-415. 2013. DOI 10.1007/s13595-013-0275-y
Moore, J., Gardiner, B., Ridley-Ellis, D., Jarvis, M., Mochan, S. & Macdonald, E. “Getting the most out of the United Kingdom’s timber resource”. Scottish Forestry, Volume 63, Number 3, pp 3-8, 2009
Moore J.R., Mochan, S. J., Brüchert, F., Hapca, A. I. Ridley-Ellis, D. J., Gardiner, B. A. & Lee, S. J. “Effects of genetics on the wood properties of Sitka spruce growing in the UK: bending strength and stiffness of structural timber” Forestry, Volume 82, Number 5, pp 491-501, 2009. DOI: 10.1093/forestry/cpp018

21 Approved Grading Reports covering settings for UK grown larch and British spruce for MiCROTEC and Brookhuis grading machines

For a full list of journal papers, conference presentations, monographs and approved grading reports, please visit Edinburgh Napier University’s Research Repository.