JME_V7_N3_RP2 Tom Page Gisli Thorsteinsson Journal on Mechanical Engineering 2249-0744 7 3 10 23 Structural Optimization, Timber Fibres, FEA All known species of tree are capable of adapting to the dynamic changes in load encountered in their environment. This is achieved through the growth of reaction wood, which differs considerably in microstructure from ordinary timber, and has many unique properties. However, the presence of reaction wood is considered to be detrimental for most industrial purposes due to its unpredictable nature. This study aims to compare the microstructure of reaction wood with that of ordinary wood fibres in order to discern which configuration is mechanically superior. Samples were idealised and modelled using Computer Aided Design software, and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was used to assess the performance of each respective microstructure. The results of the analysis showed that the reaction wood sample was deformed by 23% less during a cantilever beam test than the standard wood sample, and experienced significantly less Von Mises stress throughout its structure. However, it was concluded that these results were not representative of reaction wood samples across all species, and were lacking in reliability due to the restricted sample size and limited calibration data available. May - July 2017 Copyright © 2017 i-manager publications. All rights reserved. i-manager Publications http://www.imanagerpublications.com/Article.aspx?ArticleId=13577