Dr Dan Ridley-Ellis

BEng MRes PhD

On LinkedIn  /  wood.properties / d.ridleyellis@napier.ac.uk  /  +44(0)131 455 2449
@flyingquercus on Twitter (no longer used)

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 was the lead organiser of Bright Club Edinburgh until 2023.

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”

European Commission expert group 13 for the CPR Acquis (Structural timber products/elements and ancillaries)

COST Action CA20139: Holistic design of taller timber buildings (HELEN)

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 (2011-) now called SCOTPen

Selected Publications

Cramer, M. & Ridley-Ellis, D. (2025). Hardwood strength grading – considerations for density and compression strength, Proceedings of the 14th World Conference on Timber Engineering, Australia. https://doi.org/10.52202/080513-0267
Ridley-Ellis, D. & Cramer, M. (2024). Hardwoods in the United Kingdom Considerations When Looking to Future Planting and Future Value Chains. Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference on Hardwood Processing, Portugal. (see repository)
Price, A., Ridley-Ellis D., Adams, S., Lehneke, S. Ash, A, & Macdonald, E. (2024). Timber properties of species with potential for wider planting in Great Britain, Forest Research Note. https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/publications/timber-properties-species-wider-planting/
Tew, E.R, Ambrose-Oji, B., Beatty, M., … Ridley-Ellis, D.J. … et al (2024). A horizon scan of issues affecting UK forest management within 50 years, Forestry: An International Journal of Forest Research, 97(3), 349–362, https://doi.org/10.1093/forestry/cpad047
Gil-Moreno, D., McLean, J.P., & Ridley-Ellis, D. (2023). Models to predict the radial variation of stiffness, strength, and density in planted noble fir, Norway spruce, western hemlock, and western red cedar in Great Britain. Annals of Forest Science 80, 48. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13595-023-01214-7
Ridley-Ellis, D., Gil-Moreno, D., & Harte, A.M. (2023). Considerations for grading species combinations. General remarks on scenarios and requirements, Proceedings of the 13th World Conference on Timber Engineering, Norway, https://doi.org/10.52202/069179-0107
Ridley-Ellis, D., Gil-Moreno, D., & Harte, A.M. (2022). Strength grading of timber in the UK and Ireland in 2021. International Wood Products Journal, 13(2), 127–136. https://doi.org/10.1080/20426445.2022.2050549
Ridley-Ellis, D. (2019). The Mechanical and Resonance Assessment of Large Clear Samples of UK-Grown Beech Wood. Pro Ligno, 32-39 https://www.proligno.ro/ro/articles/2019/4/RIDLEY-ELLIS.pdf
Ridley-Ellis, D., Stapel, P., & Baño, V. (2016). Strength grading of sawn timber in Europe: an explanation for engineers and researchers. European Journal of Wood and Wood Products, 291-306 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-016-1034-1

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

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