People of the internet often say that pound by pound wood is stronger than steel, but this is a lie.
Consider a truss structure like pic related. It is easy to analyze, once weight is put on the bridge/beam structure some members get in tension or compression. The strength is given by the limit at which the rod under the highest tension/compression would fail.
Steel yield limit is 200 MPA. Wood yield limit is 2 MPA. You can carry the same tension force with a 1x1 inch steel rod as with a 10x10 inch wooden beam, before both snap.
A 10x10 inch wooden beam weighs 6 times more than a 1 inch steel bar, since steel is 16 times more dense but 100 times stronger.
As for the cost, wood cost fluctuates but it is historically about 500 dollars per ton, similar to steel's price of also 500 dollars per ton.
If your structural design is not based on trusses then the comparisons get dumber because the materials wont be used efficiently with most of their strength not used.
Consider a truss structure like pic related. It is easy to analyze, once weight is put on the bridge/beam structure some members get in tension or compression. The strength is given by the limit at which the rod under the highest tension/compression would fail.
Steel yield limit is 200 MPA. Wood yield limit is 2 MPA. You can carry the same tension force with a 1x1 inch steel rod as with a 10x10 inch wooden beam, before both snap.
A 10x10 inch wooden beam weighs 6 times more than a 1 inch steel bar, since steel is 16 times more dense but 100 times stronger.
As for the cost, wood cost fluctuates but it is historically about 500 dollars per ton, similar to steel's price of also 500 dollars per ton.
If your structural design is not based on trusses then the comparisons get dumber because the materials wont be used efficiently with most of their strength not used.
