Variation in log quality and prediction of sawing yield in oak wood (Quercus robur)

Context

The commercial feasibility of sawmilling depends on the expected volume and value of sawn planks. Models that predict the volume of sawn timber of a particular quality and produced from logs of known characteristics are therefore very useful.

Aims

The objectives were to study variation in sawing yield and to obtain models that predict lumber volume and grade recovery on the basis of easy-to-measure predictor variables of saw logs.

Methods

Forty-six oak trees growing in Galicia (NW Spain) were felled and cut into logs. The logs were visually graded and sawn mainly into quartersawn planks, which were dried, planed and visually graded for structural purposes.

Results

The total volumetric sawing yield was 47.6 %. The sawing yield for planks of structural dimensions (cross-section, 70?×?120 or 70?×?170 mm) was 43.4 %, but decreased to 8.4 % for structural sized and quality grade beams because of wane and biotic damage in many pieces. Log grade did not significantly affect sawing yield in the sample analysed, despite the wide range of diameter over bark at the smallest end in the sampled logs (22–77 cm). The sawing pattern affected total sawing yield (F?=?4.913; p value?=?0.001) and the sawing yield for structural planks (F?=?6.142; p value?=?0.0002); radial sawing with one cut and live sawing of half logs provided the highest yields. Three models were proposed for estimating sawn volume in timber products, with the small-end log diameter over bark as the predictor variable and R _adj ² between 0.31 and 0.78 (p value?<?0.01).

Conclusion

For the purpose of producing oak timber destined for structural use, the presence of bark and sapwood in planks must be reduced in the sawing process; this would decrease the total lumber recovery but increase the timber value yield. Air drying must be accelerated to reduce biotic damage in sawn planks. Geometric mean diameter over bark at the smallest end (d) outperforms other measures as a predictor variable for total or structural sawn timber volume.     

Stem modeling and simulation of conversion of cork oak stems for quality wood products

Recent research is underway to study cork oak (Quercus suber L.) wood potential for production of wood components. A total of 35 stems of young and mature cork oaks were sampled, live sawn into flitches, scanned using VTT’s WoodCIM^®, and the measured data computed by VTT’s PuuPilot software, allowing stem 3D reconstruction. Sawing simulations were run for 0.5 m and 1 m logs and the whole stem. Sawn products were (1) planks, (2) parquet, (3) lamparquet, and (4) external component of multilayer planks. Cork oak stems showed a moderate to small taper (mean 24 mm/m). Curviness varied between straight to significantly crooked stems (mean value 40 mm) Batch yields for the tested products ranged 25–43% and 37–50% for 0.5 m logs of young and mature trees, respectively; for 1 m logs, batch yields ranged 19–41% and 25–54%. When using the whole stem, batch yields were lower, ranging 11–38% and 15–50%. Higher yields were obtained for all log lengths and samples for production of lamparquet, parquet, and multilayer component.     

Physical properties of thinning wood in maritime pine (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus pinaster</Emphasis> Ait.): case study

Forty young trees from a stand of maritime pine in the southern mountains of Galicia, Spain (42°21′N: 8°01′W) were felled to obtain the material required for studying density and shrinkage in clear and small wood specimens. The wood ranged from light to moderately heavy, and the dimensions remained reasonably stable with varying moisture content. The results were consistent with those obtained in previous studies of adult trees, except for axial shrinkage, which was very high and variable in this study. The between-tree variation in wood properties was high considering that the sampled trees came from the same stand. However, the relationships between density and height in the stem were similar in all trees. A general model for the prediction of volumetric shrinkage was developed, with oven-dry density and ring width as predictor variables. The model is feasible for estimation of wood quality in living trees. It is applicable to tree selection for thinning and for genetic improvement of stock.     

Variation of indole acetic acid (IAA) amounts in cambial-region tissues in 7- and 24-year-old sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) trees

Recently, breeding programs have attempted to produce high growth rates for shorter rotation cycles in plantation trees. In these trees, the ratio of juvenile wood increases; thus, the juvenile wood properties should be improved for structural use. To this end, it is important to understand the influences on juvenile wood properties precisely. In this study, we report on the indole acetic acid (IAA) amounts of juvenile sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) trees in September and compare the IAA amounts to those in mature trees. The IAA amounts at the lower trunks in juvenile trees were significantly larger than those in mature trees and the IAA amounts decreased with tree height. In each stand, except a mature tree stand, there is no significant effect of IAA amounts on latewood width and MFA. However, put together all samples, the latewood width and MFA increased with IAA amounts in samples with IAA <200 ng/cm². The samples at lower trunk in juvenile trees had significantly larger IAA amounts, larger MFA and larger latewood width than the samples in mature trees (p < 0.01). The very large IAA amounts may have a certain relation with juvenile wood properties.     

Fire resistance of sugi covering materials for structural steel

Glued laminated timbers (glulam) or planks 50mm thick were added to structural steel columns and beams as covering materials. The wood used in the glulam was sugi (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) laminated with resorcinol resin adhesive between woods and epoxy resin adhesive between wood and steel. The 50mm thick planks of sugi around the steel were fixed with spirally threaded nails (screws), and 25mm long wood plugs were used to cover the tops of the nails. The 50mm thick glulam showed 1h of fire resistance. The temperatures of the flanges and webs of steel were 100°C at 1h and 200°C after 4h. The epoxy resin used to bond the wood and steel was an appropriate adhesive from a recycling perspective because it is easy to separate or peel from the steel.     

Radial variation in partial compression properties perpendicular to the grain of Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi)

This study investigated the densities, average width of annual rings, and partial compression stresses at 5 % strain perpendicular to the grain of air-dried wood specimens, which were continuous in the radial direction from the pith and were obtained from Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi) trees with different diameters at breast height in the same stand, to evaluate the radial variations in partial compression properties perpendicular to the grain. The air-dried densities of the wood increased with the distance from the pith. The average width of annual rings of the wood tended to decrease with increasing distance from the pith and those of medium- and large-diameter trees seemed to increase near the pith. The partial compression stresses at 5 % strain in the tangential loading direction tended to increase with the distance from the pith and with air-dried wood density. However, in the radial loading direction, this tendency was not observed. The partial compression stresses at 5 % strain in the radial loading direction tended to be low in wood with a small average width of annual rings. These results indicate that the factors affecting the radial variations in the partial compression stress at 5 % strain differ depending on the loading directions.     

Productivity and optimal management of the uneven-aged hardwood forests of Hyrcania

Hyrcania is a productive region near the southern coast of Caspian Sea. Her forests are mostly uneven-aged beach-dominated hardwood mixtures. There is increasing willingness to treat these forests without clear-felling, following the ideas of continuous cover management. However, lack of growth and yield models have delayed this endeavor, and no instructions for uneven-aged management have been issued so far. This study developed a set of models that enable the simulation of stand development in alternative management schedules. The models were used to optimize stand structure and the way in which various initial stands should be converted to the optimal uneven-aged structure. The model set consists of individual-tree diameter increment model, individual-tree height model, survival model, and a model for ingrowth. The models indicate that the sustainable yield of the forests ranges from 2.2 to 7 m³ ha^?1 a^?1 in uneven-aged management, depending on species composition. Better ingrowth would substantially enhance productivity. The optimal stand structure for maximum sustained yield has a wide descending diameter distribution, the largest trees of the post-cutting stand being 80–100 cm in dbh. If cuttings are conducted at 30- or 40-year intervals, they should remove 20–40 largest trees per hectare. Despite moderate growth rate, uneven-aged management produces high incomes, 850–1,000 UDS ha^?1a^?1, because the timber assortments that are obtained from the removed large trees have very high selling prices. Optimal conversion to uneven-aged structure showed that the steady-state stand structure depends on initial stand condition and discount rate when the length of the conversion period is fixed. Discount rates higher than 1 % lead to reduced wood production, heavy cuttings, and low basal areas of the steady-state forest.     

Estimating water use of a black locust plantation by the thermal dissipation probe method in the semiarid region of Loess Plateau, China

Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) is a major reforestation species in the semiarid region in the Loess Plateau of China. There has been increasing concern about the sustainability of the plantations because of their possible high water-use. This study was, accordingly, undertaken to quantify the stand-scale water use of a middle-aged black locust plantation in the region. The thermal dissipation probe method was applied to 27 trees to measure sap flux densities in an experimental plot during the growing season of 2008. The monoculture stand has a basal area of 23.3 m² ha^?1 and a maximum plant area index (PAI) of 2.89. Sapwood areas were estimated by use of a regressive relationship with the diameter at breast height (DBH) for scaling up of stand transpiration. The results showed that DBH could be a good predictor of sapwood area of individual trees. The diurnal cycles of average sap flux densities differed among DBH classes. Daily transpiration can be predicted from mean daily daytime vapor pressure deficit (VPD_m) using a fitted exponential saturation model. Model variables were different among seasons, probably owing to different soil water conditions and leaf phenology. By using the derived model for each month, stand canopy transpiration over the growing season was estimated to be 73.8 mm, with an average daily value of 0.41 mm day^?1 and a maximum of 0.89 mm day^?1. The relatively small estimates of stand transpiration might be attributed to low PAI and sap wood area of the middle-aged stand.     

The variation of microfibril angle in South African grown Pinus patula and its influence on the stiffness of structural lumber

Reduction in the rotation ages of softwood saw-log plantations in South Africa is causing increased proportions of low stiffness sawn lumber at final harvest. It has been shown for some species that the microfibril angle (MFA) of the S2 layer of tracheids is strongly related to the modulus of elasticity (MOE) of wood, even more so than wood density, especially in wood formed during juvenile growth. The objectives of this study were to describe the variation in MFA in young Pinus patula trees and to determine the relationship between MFA and the dynamic MOE of sawn P. patula lumber. Thirty 16- to 20-year-old trees from six compartments from the Mpumalanga escarpment were processed into discs and lumber. The MFA, density and ring width were measured at two height levels using Silviscan 3. The average annual ring MFA varied between 7° and 29°; the pattern of variation depended mainly on height level and the ring number from the pith. The MFA in P. patula followed the same within-tree variation trends as in New Zealand-grown Pinus radiata but the average MFA was lower in absolute terms and differences between height levels were less pronounced. The MFA and density exhibited highly significant Pearson correlations of 0.73 and 0.70, respectively, with board dynamic MOE. A multiple regression model, which included MFA, density and ring width, explained 71% of the variation in the dynamic MOE of boards. A sensitivity analysis on the model showed that MFA and density had approximately similar influences on predicting the dynamic MOE of Pinus patula boards.     

Effect of thinning on the development of compression wood in stems of Corsican pine

This study considered the effects of thinning on the development of compression wood in stems of 35-year-old stand of Corsican pine (Pinus nigra L.). Part of the stand had been thinned at 5-yearly intervals and part left unthinned. Twenty trees each from the thinned and unthinned stands were randomly selected and felled. Measurements were made on tree height, stem diameter, stem slenderness and canopy depth. Wood samples were removed from the central part of the main log and cross-sectional measurements made on ring width, basic density and compression wood content. Cross-sectional area of compression wood was found to be three time higher in stems from the unthinned trees in comparison with those from the thinned trees. No significant differences in mean radial ring width or basic density were found between treatments. Correlations indicated that, with increasing in stem diameter, compression wood content increased in the unthinned trees, while a decline in compression was observed in the thinned trees. Tree height was also positively correlated with compression wood content in unthinned trees, while no equivalent relationship was observed in thinned trees. Observations from this study, while not conclusive, suggest that phototropic stimulus may be producing stem inclinations in the unthinned stand as trees compete for space in the canopy, whereas crown competition has been largely eliminated in the thinned stand; and that this is responsible for compression wood levels recorded in this study.     

Pitch pockets in Picea abies: Variation in amount,number and size within trees and within a stand

The occurrence of pitch pockets in a stand of Picea abies [L.] Karst, was studied, focusing on variations in amount, number and size of pitch pockets within trees and between trees from the centre and the border part of a stand. Pitch pockets were more abundant in the border part, which had a lower site index and was also more exposed to the wind. The highest frequency of pitch pockets was noted for sawn faces near the pith of the tree from around the half tree height. The size of pitch pockets on sawn faces is described by two exponential functions. In both parts of the stand there was a similar increase of pitch pocket length with increasing distance from the pith, but generally trees in the border part had longer pitch pockets. In order to determine the relative amount of pitch pockets accurately at different distances from the pith and to explain the variation within and between trees, further analyses are necessary.     

Long-term growth and yield effects of respacing natural regeneration of Sitka spruce in Britain

Stands of Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.) originating from natural regeneration can be extremely dense with high mortality, poor growth form and low volume production. Although costly, respacing (pre-commercial thinning) can reduce resource competition for the remaining trees, altering the final crop produced. Three experiments were established to examine the effect of respacing 1–2 m tall trees to different target densities. The impact on stand growth and yield was measured 11–17 years after respacing, and the longer-term impact was modelled to year 50. Unrespaced control treatments self-thinned at a similar and constant rate at two sites. At the third, extremely high initial density resulted in a higher rate of self-thinning and lower density after 11 years. Wider respacing treatments resulted in larger mean tree diameter, but there was no significant effect of respacing on stand volume 11–17 years after respacing; greater diameter growth did not compensate for low tree number. Results indicate a volume penalty associated with delaying respacing until trees were 4 m tall, but this treatment was unreplicated. Modelled stand volume in year 50 was higher for the 2.6 m × 2.6 m respacing treatment than for the 1.8 m × 1.8 m, 2.1 m × 2.1 m or 3.3 m × 3.3 m treatments. However, open-grown conditions may reduce timber quality compared to closer spacing treatments. The results are presented using a stand density management diagram for Sitka spruce growing in Canada and support recent suggestions that British stands have a shallower size–density relationship than Canadian stands.     

Spectral image database for observing the quality of Nordic sawn timbers

In this study, a comprehensive spectral image database of Nordic sawn timbers for public use was measured. Economically significant Finnish wood species birch (Betula sp.), Norway spruce (Picea abies) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) were chosen for inclusion in the database. The total of samples was 107 containing heartwood, sapwood, decayed wood, blue stain, mold, resin, early wood, late wood, knots, cracks, pith, reaction wood and bark. Board and crosscut samples were measured in frozen, melted and room-dried conditions. The reflectance of samples was measured over a 300- to 2,500-nm wavelength range. Additionally, the photoluminescence of samples excited by an ultraviolet B light source was measured. The spot size used was 250 μm with an 80 mm \(\times \) 200 mm imaging area, and produced all in all 44 million spectra. In this paper, examples of the possibilities of this spectral image database as a means of detection of the spatial distribution of aromatic lignin and the moisture content (MC) of nonfrozen timber were introduced and provided. From the results, it was found that it was possible to detect the lignin distribution from spectral images, and simple and robust methods for wood MC estimations were also introduced.     

Stand characteristics of mixed oriental beech (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Fagus orientalis</Emphasis> Lipsky) stands in the stem exclusion phase,northern Iran

The structure of forest stands changes through developmental phases. This study is carried out in the unmanaged, oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) stands in the north of Iran. The aim of this research was to quantify structural characteristics of stands in the stem exclusion phase using common structural indices, which include mingling, tree–tree distance, stem diameter, and tree height differentiation. According to our measurements from three stands, naturally regenerated stands tend to be mixed in species composition have slightly heterogeneous diameter distributions and uniform tree height. The average distance between trees was 3.3 m. Stocking volume of the stands had an average of 540 m³ ha^?1 and 412 stem ha^?1. Dead wood volume was 24 m³ ha^?1, and as a standing volume, the most frequent species in dead wood pool was oriental beech (F. orientalis) (48 %). The common form of dead trees was snag (41 %). The mean value of mingling and tree-to-tree interval indices revealed that beech was mixed intensively with hornbeam and appears to be a more successful competitor for space and light compared with hornbeam; moreover, we found relatively high evidence of inter-species competition in this phase. A better understanding of stand characteristics in the stem exclusion phase as a critical part of the natural dynamics of forest ecosystems could facilitate predictions about the future changes within the stand.     

广东郁南尾巨桉人工林密度效应

采用随机区组试验设计在广东省郁南县西江林场设置了4种株行距(1.7 m×4 m,2.0 m×4 m,2.5 m×4 m,3.0 m×4 m)试验,分析不同造林密度(1470、1250、1000、833株 ·hm-2)对0.8~7.8 a生尾巨桉(Eucalyptus urophylla×E.grandis)人工林保存率、树高、胸径、单株材积和林分蓄积量的影响.结果表明:不同造林密度对林分的保存率、树高、胸径、单株材积和蓄积量均有显著的影响;除0.8 a生的林分保存率外,其它年龄的林分保存率均随着造林密度的增加而降低,1470株 ·hm-2与其它3种密度间的林分保存率存在显著差异;造林密度对林分平均高有一定的影响,但差异较小;随着造林密度的增加,林分平均胸径和单株材积逐步递减,1470、1250株 ·hm-2与其它两种密度间的平均胸径和单株材积在2.8~7.8 a生时均存在显著差异;在7.8 a生时,以1250株 ·hm-2为造林密度的林分蓄积量最大,达195.0 m3·hm-2,分别比造林密度为1470、1000、833株 ·hm-2的林分高16.28%、5.86%和14.37%.以获得较高的林分蓄积量为目标,初步推荐1000~1250株 ·hm-2的造林密度.     

Outdoor exposure of untreated Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] wood samples

Abstract

Untreated Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and Norway spruce (Picea abies) samples were exposed above ground in a durability test for 6 years. The samples consisted of three pieces of wood, 22×95×500 mm, screwed together; two pieces lengthwise with a third piece overlapping. Weight was measured, to calculate moisture content (MC), and samples checked regularly for cracks and fungal growth. Parameters investigated were heartwood/sapwood (pine), annual ring orientation (spruce), stand site, annual ring width and density. Stand site, annual ring width and density had no influence on MC or fungal growth for either pine or spruce. Spruce samples with vertical annual rings had fewer cracks than samples with horizontal annual rings. Pine sapwood samples had a high MC and a large amount of rot fungi, while heartwood had a lower MC and no rot. Most spruce samples were similar to pine heartwood, except from a few samples that had high MC and fungal growth. Those were all sawn from the outer part of the log. Therefore, it can be stated that spruce sawn from the inner part has almost the same properties as pine heartwood, while spruce from the outer part of the log has similar properties to pine sapwood.     

Timber Demand and Supply in Northwest Vietnam: The Roles of Natural Forests and Planted Trees

Households and wood processing businesses in the provinces of Son La, Dien Bien and Lai Chau in the Northwest of Vietnam were surveyed to determine patterns of local wood demand and supply, changes in species utilized over time, and whether timber from planted trees might substitute for species previously harvested from local natural forests. In each province, 5–6 sawmills and 4–6 villages representing 3 main ethnic groups were selected for investigation. Managers of selected sawmills and 3–4 randomly selected households in each village were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. There was high and uniform household demand for fuelwood in the surveyed villages, making fuelwood the dominant use, in terms of wood volume. Use of sawn timber for furniture, home repair and construction consumed less wood but required logs of acceptable species. Sawmills surveyed were small, with input capacity ranging from <15 to 500 m³ of logs per year, suggesting a total log requirement of about 30,000 m³/year for the 192 known wood processing businesses in the three provinces. Most sawmills still used wood from natural forests, sourced locally or imported from Laos. A trend of switching from prized timber species from natural forests, now effectively unavailable, to alternatives from natural and planted forests was reported by both sawmills and households. Some planted species grown on short-medium rotations appear able to substitute for local sawn timber requirements.     

Modeling the effects of growth rate on the intra-tree variation in basic density in hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa)

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of growth rate on intra-tree variation in basic density of hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) quantitatively using the statistical modeling technique. Nineteen sample trees were harvested from 50-year-old hinoki stand which consists of two different growth rate plots. Disks were cut from sample trees at height positions of 2, 4 m, and then 4 m intervals until 16 m position. Radial strips were cut from the disks, and ring widths and basic density were measured at 5-ring intervals. The basic density decreased with age at any height positions. The linear mixed model was fitted to the age trend data having two nested grouping levels, i.e., tree and position within tree. Models having various mean and covariance structures were tested in devising an appropriate wood density model. The model, consisting of the mean structure with quadratic function of cambial age was able to describe the intra-tree variation in basic density. The model containing the random effects which consist of effect of the tree level and vertical stem position level explained the density variation adequately. The growth rate did not show the significant effect on the basic density variation within the stem.     

Spatial variation of local stand structure in an Abies forest, 45 years after a large disturbance by the Isewan typhoon

Heterogeneity of forest stand structure often results from repeated small disturbances, but structural variation also arises in a stand that has regenerated after a single large stand-replacing disturbance. We explored the structural variation within a subalpine Abies forest in Japan that regenerated after a large typhoon in 1959. In 2004, four 50 × 50 m plots were established at two sites in the regenerated forest. To characterize local stand structure within each plot, we determined the stem density, stand basal area, mean diameter at breast height (DBH), and coefficient of variation (CV) of DBH in 10 × 10 m subplots. We analyzed the spatial distribution pattern of the trees in each subplot using the L(t) function and categorized the distributions as clumped or non-clumped. The analysis revealed marked variation among subplots in the stand’s structural characteristics. Although the spatial distribution patterns of the trees in all plots were clumped, 11 of 50 subplots at one site and 39 of 50 subplots at the other site were non-clumped. Subplots with a clumped distribution pattern generally had a smaller basal area, smaller mean DBH, and greater CV of DBH than subplots with the same density but a non-clumped pattern. These results illustrated the spatial heterogeneity of forest structure that can arise in Abies forest that has experienced a large disturbance, probably because of the different densities and distribution of saplings surviving the disturbance and the different forest growth dynamics that result.     

Development of a stand density management diagram for even-aged pedunculate oak stands and its use in designing thinning schedules

Density management is the usual method used by silviculturiststo achieve a desired future stand condition, and one of themost effective methods of design, display and evaluation ofalternative density management regimes in even-aged stands isthe use of stand density management diagrams. In the presentstudy, we describe a method for developing thinning schedulesfor even-aged pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) stands in Galicia(north-western Spain), using a density management diagram. Thediagram integrates the relationships among stand density, dominantheight, quadratic mean diameter and stand volume in a singlegraph. The data used in its construction were obtained from172 sample plots located throughout Galicia. The diagram isbasically composed of two equations: the first relates the quadraticmean diameter to the stand density and dominant height; thesecond relates the stand volume to the quadratic mean diameter,stand density and dominant height. These equations were fittedsimultaneously using full information maximum likelihood. Therelative spacing index is used to characterize the growing stockand the diagram provides isolines for dominant height, numberof trees per hectare, quadratic mean diameter and stand volume.Dominant height isolines together with the site index curvesallow specification of the timing of thinnings while intermediateand final harvest volumes are calculated using the stand volumesisolines.