Customer adapted grading of Scots pine sawn timber using a multivariate method

To define new grading rules, or to customize the ones in use in a rule-based automatic grading (RBAG) system of boards, is a time-consuming job for a sawmill engineer. This has the effect that changes are rarely made. The objective of this study was to continue the development of a method that replaces the calibration of grading rule settings by a holistic-subjective automatic grading, using multivariate models. The objective was also to investigate if this approach can improve sawmill profitability and at the same time have a satisfied customer. For the study, 323 Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) boards were manually graded according to the preferences of an important customer. That is, a customer that regularly purchases significant volumes of sawn timber. This manual grading was seen as reference grading in this work. The same boards were also scanned and graded by a RBAG system, calibrated for the same customer. Multivariate models for prediction of board grade based on aggregated knot variables, obtained from the scanning, were calibrated using partial least squares regression. The results show that prediction of board grades by the multivariate models were more correct, with respect to the manual grading, than the grading by the RBAG system. The prediction of board grades based on multivariate models resulted in 76–87% of the boards graded correctly, according to the manual grading, while the corresponding number was 63% for the RBAG system.     

片石砂上发展用材林、经济林效益调查分析

片石破土上发展用材林、经济林，在适地适树、集约经营的条件下，湿地松、杉木用材林每公顷年均产值在３０００元以上，柑桔、板栗等经济林木在７５００元以上；在同一立地条件上，用材树种的生长效益排列顺序是：国外松、木荷、马尾松，杉木只能在土层深厚的山坞、山脚小面积造林，经济林必需实行高标准、高投入，才能取得好效益，树种以柑桔、板栗、枇杷、桃形李等为主。     

毛竹笋,材加工剩余物的饲用价值

对毛竹笋、材加工剩余物作为反刍动物饲料的营养价值进行研究表明，竹笋加工剩余物营养价值较高，可直接或经适当处理后用作饲料，竹材加工剩余物因蛋白质含量低，木质素含量高，直接作为饲料的营养价值不及作物秸秆。由于竹材加工剩余物中含有３／４的碳水化合物，故具有作为反刍动物饲料的潜在价值。对竹材加工剩余物进行氨化处理，可明显提高粗蛋白含量，并使质地变得松软，而竹材加工过程中的高温蒸煮、切削加工和烘干处理等，可破坏其细胞壁，使碎料膨松柔软，降低了粗纤维含量，作为食物纤维素定量的ＮＤＦ、ＡＤＦ和木质素值均有不同程度下降。     

Effects of high drying temperatures and restraint on twist of larch (Larix)

During drying, timber changes its shape, mainly as a result of specific properties such as shrinkage anisotropy, radial differences in longitudinal shrinkage and spiral grain. The distortion, causing severe downgrading, can be reduced by restraining the timber and by using special drying schemes. The research described here is related to a project on the improvement of shape stability of Norway spruce. In the present part, different larch species from three stands were dried at high temperatures (80, 120 and 170°C). The effects of restraint during presteaming, drying and steaming on short-term twist reduction were investigated. The permanency of drying distortions was investigated in subsequent moisture cycling. Results showed a clear dependency of twist on the distance to pith. Restrained specimens sawn close to pith experienced reduced twist. This twist reduction was permanent during subsequent moisture variations. Drying temperature did not significantly influence twist and twist amplitude in moisture cycling.     

Evaluation of the fire endurance of mechanically graded timber in bending

AbstractThis study examined the performance of mechanically graded timber in bending when exposed to fire at various load ratios. The test specimens were 150 pieces, each with the dimensions of 60 × 120 × 3500mm. The modulus of elasticity (MOE) of 150 specimens was measured, and 60 among them were selected to formulate the prediction equation for MOE and modulus of rupture (MOR), which was used to predict the remaining 90 specimens. These were tested under fire exposure in bending using three-point loading at 11.1%, 16.7%, 33.3%, 66.7%, and 83.3% of the ultimate load. Using mechanically graded timber, which means acknowledging the actual strength of the bending member, permits fairly precise application to the targeted design load. This research confirmed that mechanically graded timber under fire exposure has the following tendencies: under the same load ratio, time to failure is independent of strength class, and, at any load ratio, the critical strength is dependent on the timber strength class. The obtained design bending strength under fire exposure using the reduced cross section method and the reduced strength method conformed to those calculated based on Eurocode 5. Following those findings, mechanically graded timber can be applied to obtain the design bending strength when taking into account the fire attack.     

竹材热压干燥过程中的水分扩散研究

采用非稳态法测定龙竹竹材热压干燥过程中的水分扩散系数,并探讨了温度对水分扩散系数的影响.结果表明:干燥温度越高,干燥各阶段水分扩散系数及平均水分扩散系数也越大;初始高含水率阶段,随含水率逐渐降低,水分扩散系数呈逐步增加趋势,在纤维饱和点附近时达最大值;随后,随含水率逐渐降低呈逐步减少趋势.     

Experiences of a Forest Owners’ Cooperative in using FSC forest certification as an environmental strategy

Yusuhara Forest Owners’ Cooperative (YFOC) in Kochi Prefecture in Japan received its forest management certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) in 2000. YFOC is recognised as the resource manager of its members’ forests, and they were the first organisation to gain such certification in Japan. With the continuous efforts of selling FSC certified wood in the domestic housing construction market, YFOC has substantially increased their timber sales in recent years. It is a noteworthy event in Japanese small-scale forestry, which has been struggling with declining economic performance for many years. This paper analyses the detail of forestry activities and changes which occurred in YFOC after certification by FSC. An interesting effect of increasing economic performance is found to have come from an unexpected direction. It is concluded that the FSC certification system is a possible tool to revitalise Japanese small-scale forestry as well as obtain favourable environmental outcomes.     

Leaf-water potential and soil-water depletion of walnut mulched with polyethylene and intercropped with alfalfa in Central Italy

In Italy, new agroforestry cultural models could play an important role in the diffusion of plantation forestry timber species. We studied the stem growth rates and leaf water potentials () of common walnut (Juglans regia L.), and gravimetric soil moisture (_DW) depletion during the third and fourth growing seasons in an agroforestry trial in central Italy. Since the establishment of experimental plots in 1992, walnut was intercropped with alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), with or without polyethylene (PE) mulching along tree rows. By the end of the study period, the unmulched-intercropped walnut was almost 68% smaller in stem diameter and height than the sole-unmulched control, demonstrating walnuts sensitivity to alfalfa competition. The competitive effect of alfalfa on walnut stem growth was effectively controlled/reduced by PE mulching. Stem growth rates of mulched-intercropped walnut were always lower than the control, but much higher (ca. 235% in stem diameter and height) than those of unmulched-intercropped walnut. The higher field performance of mulched-intercropped walnut compared to the un- mulched-intercropped treatment was associated with higher soil moisture and predawn and midday values during the summers driest periods. The presence of PE mulching was also associated with lower levels of soil moisture during the early and late growing season, but this did not negatively affect walnut and growth rates. These results suggest that in the climatic conditions of central Italy, competition for soil moisture between young common walnut trees and alfalfa can be substantially lowered, but not completely eliminated, by PE mulching.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

浙江省国有林场改制中的弱势群体保障问题研究

国有林场改制是利益关系的调整,必须重视对弱势群体的保护。本文在对浙江省国有林场职工利益现状调查的基础上,剖析国有林场社会保障方面存在问题,并提出相关建议。     

Richards林木生长模型及其适用性

该文简述了Ｒｉｃｈａｒｄｓ生长方程的可塑性，以毛白杨、华北落叶松、刺槐与斑克松的生长资料，讨论了描述林木生长过程的适用性。