McQualude wrote in message ...
todd said:

folks who doesn't let a little thing like physics get in the way
of what you think is right.

I'm listening, explain why a round or square wooden fence post is
stronger if the width of the post is not a factor.

I, and one or two others, postulated that the round post would be
stronger because it maintains the integrity of the tree (assuming the
post started as a whole tree). No engineers have responded to rebut
any of those comments.

The integrity of the tree you are tying to maintain in this situation
is the grain that runs from end to end in the tree. A tree trunk the
size of a post would have all of the grain intact. A tree four times
the size of the post split into four pieces would have the same
unbroken grain end to end, like a handfull of straws. The cross
section of the post is a secondary. So if you have two pieces of wood
from the same tree with no grain runout,one round and one square in
section and you assume that being the same size refers to cross
sectional area, I would think they would be the same strength. From
this point someone with a better knowledge of physics would have to
take over. I just know wood.