Twelve Elastic Constants of Betula platyphylla Suk.

Wood elastic constants are needed to describe the elastic behaviors of wood and be taken as an important design parameter for wood-based composite materials and structural materials. This paper clarified the relationships between compliance coefficients and engineering elastic constants combined with orthotropic properties of wood, and twelve elastic constants of Betula platyphylla Suk. were measured by electrical strain gauges. Spreading the adhesive quantity cannot be excessive or too little when the strain flakes were glued. If excessive, the glue layer was too thick which would influence the strain flakes?performance, and if too little, glues plastered were not firm, which could not accurately transmit the strain. Wood as an orthotropic material, its modulus of elasticity and poissons ratios are related by two formulas:μij /Ei =μji /Ej and μij < (Ei /Ej)1/2. The results showed that the elastic constants of Betula platyphylla Suk. measured by electrical strain gauges were accurate and reliable. The results of shear elastic modulus GTL and GLR show a high linear regression correlation coefficient (> 0.95) between the reciprocal of elastic modulus MOE-1 and the square of the ratio of depth to length (h/l)2, which indicate that shear modulus values measured were reliable by three point bending experiment.     

Determination of Young’s and shear moduli of common yew and Norway spruce by means of ultrasonic waves

Despite the exceptional position of yew among the gymnosperms concerning its elastomechanical properties, no reference values for its elastic constants apart from the longitudinal Young’s modulus have been available from literature so far. Hence, this study’s objective was to determine the Young’s moduli E _L, E _R and E _T and the shear moduli G _LR, G _LT and G _RT of yew wood. For that purpose, we measured the ultrasound velocities of longitudinal and transversal waves applied to small cubic specimens and derived the elastic constants from the results. The tests were carried out at varying wood moisture contents and were applied to spruce specimens as well in order to put the results into perspective. Results indicate that E _L is in the same order of magnitude for both species, which means that a high-density wood species like yew does not inevitably have to have a high longitudinal Young’s modulus. For the transverse Young’s moduli of yew, however, we obtained 1.5–2 times, for the shear moduli even 3–6 times higher values compared to spruce. The variation of moisture content primarily revealed differences between both species concerning the shear modulus of the RT plane. We concluded that anatomical features such as the microfibril angle, the high ray percentage and presumably the large amount of extractives must fulfil important functions for the extraordinary elastomechanical behaviour of yew wood which still has to be investigated in subsequent micromechanical studies.     

Endophytic foliar fungi in Betula spp. and their F1 hybrids

We examined foliar endophyte frequencies in two native (Betula pendula and Betula pubescens) and three exotic (Betula ermanii, Betula platyphylla and Betula resinifera) birch species and their hybrids in Punkaharju, Finland. The most frequently isolated endophytic fungi in the experimental trees were Fusicladium betulae and Gnomonia setacea making up 80–90% of all endophyte infections. Total endophyte infection levels varied from 0.5 colony forming units (CFU)/cm² in B. platyphylla to 8.6 CFU/cm² in B. pubescens that had highest total infection levels of both examined endophyte species. The resistance of hybrids was generally very close to the more resistant parent (the only exception being Fusicladium in B. platyphylla × B. pendula hybrid) supporting the hypothesis that the resistance of birch hybrids to these fungi is genetically based and caused by dominant inheritance of resistance traits.     

白桦光合特性的研究

测定了3年生白桦的光合与呼吸作用对温度,湿度以及CO2浓度的响应;还测定了光补偿点,光饱和点和CO2补偿点。结果表明:在目前的空气CO2浓度下,光合和呼吸作用的最适温度分别是24℃和30℃;当相对湿度是80%时,白桦能维持较强的光合作用;呼吸作用与相对湿度无明显的相关性;光补偿点和光饱和点分别是25 molm-2s-1和1375 祄olm-2s-1;CO2补偿点是180 礚L-1;白桦在CO2浓度为2400 礚L-1时仍有吸收潜力。图4参19。     

Influence of heating and drying history on micropores in dry wood

To investigate the influence of heating and drying history on the microstructure of dry wood, in addition to the dynamic viscoelastic properties, CO₂ adsorption onto dry wood at ice.water temperature (273 K) was measured, and the micropore size distribution was obtained using the Horvath-Kawazoe (HK) method. Micropores smaller than 0.6 nm exist in the microstructures of dry wood, and they decreased with elevating out-gassing temperature and increased again after rewetting and drying. Dry wood subjected to higher temperatures showed larger dynamic elastic modulus (E′) and smaller loss modulus (E″). This is interpreted as the result of the modification at higher temperature of the instability caused by drying. Drying history influenced the number of micropores smaller than 0.6 nm in dry wood not subjected to high temperature, although the difference in the number of micropores resulting from the drying history decreased with increasing out-gassing temperature. A larger number of micropores smaller than 0.6 nm exist in the microstructure of dry wood in more unstable states, corresponding to smaller E′ and larger E″ than in the stable state. Consequently, unstable states are considered to result from the existence of temporary micropores in the microstructures of dry wood, probably in lignin. Part of this report was presented at the 55th Annual Meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Kyoto, March 2005, and at the 56th Annual Meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Akita, August 2006     

Growth and wood quality of sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) planted in Akita prefecture (II). Juvenile/mature wood determination of aged trees

Variations of certain anatomical and mechanical indices within tree stems of aged sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) trees planted in Akita prefecture were studied. The determination of the juvenile/mature wood boundary was also discussed, and the effects of wood structure on mechanical properties were investigated. On the basis of radial and vertical variation of the anatomical and mechanical indices, modulus of elasticity (MOE)/ shear modulus (G) was chosen as the index for determining the juvenile/mature wood boundary. The increase rates of MOE/G at the points of 1%, 2%, and 3% were discussed. It was found that for aged trees, all three points were thought to be effective for dividing juvenile and mature wood. However, for younger trees, the point of 2% was recommended, which was mostly consistent with the result obtained by the increase rate of 1% for tracheid length (TL). Among mechanical properties, the MOE showed more significant juvenile/mature wood differences than did modulus of rupture (MOR) and . By correlation analysis, it was suggested that microfibril angle largely contributed to the indices of MOE and G, and specific gravity largely contributed to the indices of MOR and .Part of this report was presented at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Fukuoka, March 2003     

Enzymatic saccharification of spent wood-meal media made of 5 different tree species after cultivation of edible mushroom <Emphasis Type="Italic">Auricularia polytricha</Emphasis>

The chemical characteristics and the suitability for enzymatic saccharification in the spent culture media (SCM) of Auricularia polytricha were examined in order to investigate the utilization of the SCM as a biomass resource for alternative energy production. Wood meals from 3 hardwood species (Quercus serrata, Betula platyphylla var. japonica, and Alnus japonica) and 2 softwood species (Pinus densiflora and Cryptomeria japonica) were used as basal culture media. Dry weight of fruiting bodies were higher in the cultural media made of B. platphylla var. japonica and A. japonica. Amount of weight loss in media showed almost the same value among the cultural media made of 5 species, except for media made of C. japonica. The amounts of the main chemical components (Klason lignin, holocellulose, and α-cellulose) in SCM showed lower values than those in wood meals (WM) and fresh media (FM). After saccharification of the media by Meiselase for 48 h, the hydrolysis weight decrease dramatically increased in SCM. The amount of glucose in SCM ranged from 10.9 to 19.2 g/100 g dry biomass. The highest amount of glucose was obtained in the SCM from B. platyphylla var. japonica. These results indicate that SCM of A. polytricha is a suitable biomass material to produce fermentable sugars for bio-ethanol production.     

Behavior of piezoelectric, dielectric, and elastic constants of wood during about 40 repeated measurements between 100°C and 220°C

This study investigated the behavior of piezoelectric, dielectric, and elastic constants and the crystallinity in wood cellulose by repeated measurements (n = 42) between 100°C and 220°C. There was an insignificant change in the piezoelectric constant during repeated measurements in this temperature range. On the other hand, thermal decomposition of the amorphous region contributed to the decreasing trend of dielectric and elastic constants, although only a small increase in the elastic constant was found at the time of the initial measurements. The increase in the repeated measurements in this temperature range resulted in an increase in the piezoelectric loss modulus constantd ₂₅, which is closely related to energy loss. Thed ₂₅ peak shifted to a higher temperature with increasing measurements, which might be due not to the increase in rigidity of the wood specimen but to the increase in total peak area, which was observed during the later measurements. At the same time, variations of piezoelectric loss modulusd ₂₅ ande ₂₅ at advanced stages of the measurements suggested damage and structural changes in the wood.     

A numerical study of the shape stability of sawn timber subjected to moisture variation Part 1: Theory

A three-dimensional theory for the numerical simulation of deformations and stresses in wood during moisture variation is described. The constitutive model employed, assumes the total strain rate to be the sum of the elastic strain rate, the moisture-induced strain rate and the mechano-sorption strain rate. Wood is assumed to be an orthotropic material with large differences between the longitudinal, radial and tangential directions in the properties found. The influence of the growth rings, the spiral grain and the conical shape of the log on the orthotropic directions in the wood is taken account of in the model. A finite element formulation is used to describe the deformation process and the stress development during drying.The research presented in this paper is a part of the national research programme in Sweden concerning wood physics and drying. It was financially supported by the Research Foundation of Swedish Sawmills and the Swedish Council for Forestry and Agricultural Research.     

Genetics of wood quality attributes in Western Larch

Context

Wood quality traits are important to balance the negative decline of wood quality associated with selection for growth attributes in gymnosperm breeding programs. Obtaining wood quality estimates quickly is crucial for successful incorporation in breeding programs.

Aims

The aims of this paper are to: (1) Estimate genetic and phenotypic correlations between growth and wood quality attributes, (2) Estimate heritability of the studied traits, and (3) Assess the accuracy of in situ non-destructive tools as a representative of actual wood density.

Methods

Wood density (X-ray densitometry), tree height, diameter, volume, resistance drilling, acoustic velocity, and dynamic modulus of elasticity were estimated, along with their genetic parameters, for 1,200, 20-year-old trees from 25 open-pollinated families.

Results

Individual tree level heritabilities for non-destructive evaluation attributes were moderate ( $ {\widehat{h}}_i^2=0.37-0.42 $ ), wood density and growth traits were lower ( $ {\widehat{h}}_i^2=0.23-0.35 $ ). Favorable genetic and phenotypic correlations between growth traits, wood density, and non-destructive evaluation traits were observed. A perfect genetic correlation was found between resistance drilling and wood density (r _G ?=?1.00?±?0.07), while acoustic velocity and dynamic modulus of elasticity showed weaker genetic correlations with wood density (r _G ?=?0.25?±?0.24;?0.46?±?0.21, respectively).

Conclusion

This study confirmed that resistance drilling is a reliable predictor of wood density in western larch, while the weak genetic correlations displayed by acoustic velocity and dynamic modulus of elasticity suggest limited dependability for their use as fast in situ wood density assessment methods in this species.     

The pulping and papermaking characteristics of youngL.gmelini andB.platyphylla

5, 10, 15, and 20 year oldLarix gmelini andBetula platyphylla were used as pulping raw material in the research. The examination of youngL. gmelini andB. Platyphylla fibrous structures showed that the fiber length and ratio of length to width of 5 years oldL. gmelini noticeably differed from that of matureL. gmelini. but that of 5 year oldB. platyphylla were nearby equal to that of matureB. platyphylla. The research results indicated that 15 years oldB. platyphylla and 20 year oldL. gmelini were best suited to pulping among the eight experimental raw materials; 10 years oldB. platyphylla and 15 year oldL. gmelini were optimal to the ratio of beating degree increment and corresponding beating time. The pulp characteristics of 15 year old B. platyphylla and 20 year oldL. gmelini were similar to those of mature wood, and it was feasible to consider 15 years toB. platyphylla and 20 years toL. gmelini as their rotation period; 10 years and 15 years as their thinning cycles for the papermaking forest base.     

Comparative study on measurement of elastic constants of wood-based panels using modal testing: choice of boundary conditions and calculation methods

Modal testing based on the theory of transverse vibration of orthotropic plate has shown great potentials in measuring elastic constants of panel products. Boundary condition (BC) and corresponding calculation method are key in affecting its practical application in terms of setup implementation, frequency identification, accuracy and calculation efforts. To evaluate different BCs for non-destructive testing of wood-based panels, three BCs with corresponding calculation methods were investigated for measuring their elastic constants, namely in-plane elastic moduli (E _x , E _y ) and shear modulus (G _xy ). As a demonstration of the concept, the products used in this study were oriented strand board (OSB) and medium density fiberboard (MDF). The BCs and corresponding calculated methods investigated were, (a) all sides free (FFFF) with one-term Rayleigh frequency equation and finite element modeling, (b) one side simply supported and the other three free (SFFF) with one-term Rayleigh frequency equation, (c) a pair of opposite sides along minor strength direction simply supported and the other pair along major strength direction free (SFSF) with improved three-term Rayleigh frequency equation. Differences between modal and static results for different BCs were analyzed for each case. Results showed that all three modal testing approaches could be applied for evaluation of the elastic constants of wood-based panels with different accuracy levels compared with standard static test methods. Modal testing on full-size panels is recommended for developing design properties of structural panels as it can provide global properties.     

Radial variations of wood properties of an endangered species, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus armandii</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">amamiana</Emphasis>

A dead tree of Pinus armandii Franch. var. amamiana (Koidz.) Hatusima (abbreviated to PAAm) was obtained from a natural habitat on Tanega-shima Island and various properties of its wood were investigated. Grain angle was measured and soft X-ray analysis was undertaken to obtain the density in each annual ring. Unit shrinkage and dynamic properties were measured by shrinkage, bending, and compression tests. Variations of wood properties in the radial direction, relationships of wood properties to density, and annual ring width were examined. Roughly speaking, variations in the radial direction of the grain angle, twist angle by drying, Young’s modulus and strength in static bending, absorbed energy in impact bending, compressive Young’s modulus, compressive strength, and compressive proportional limit corresponded to the variation of annual ring width. As a result, it was determined that if PAAm is afforested artificially for the purposes of lumber production and conservation, the annual rings of logs should not be too widely spaced. Wood properties of PAAm were similar to those of Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii Parl.), which is another representative pine on Tanegashima Island. This study was presented in part at the 56th Annual Meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Hiroshima, August 2007     

Identification of anisotropic vibrational properties of Padauk wood with interlocked grain

Grain deviations and high extractives content are common features of many tropical woods. This study aimed at clarifying their respective impact on vibrational properties, referring to African Padauk (Pterocarpus soyauxii Taub.), a species selected for its interlocked grain, high extractives content and uses in xylophones. Specimens were cut parallel to the trunk axis (L), and local variations in grain angle (GA), microfibril angle (MFA), specific Young’s modulus (E′ _L /ρ, where ρ stands for the density) and damping coefficient (tanδ_L) were measured. GA dependence was analysed by a mechanical model which allowed to identify the specific Young’s modulus (E′₃/ρ) and shear modulus (G′/ρ) along the grain (3) as well as their corresponding damping coefficients (tanδ₃, tanδ_G). This analysis was done for native and then for extracted wood. Interlocked grain resulted in 0–25° GA and in variations of a factor 2 in E′_L/ρ and tanδ_L. Along the grain, Padauk wood was characterized, when compared to typical hardwoods, by a somewhat lower E′₃/ρ and elastic anisotropy (E′/G′), due to a wide microfibril angle plus a small weight effect of extracts, and a very low tanδ₃ and moderate damping anisotropy (tanδ_G/tanδ₃). Extraction affected mechanical parameters in the order: tanδ₃ ≈ tanδ_G > G′/ρ > > E′₃/ρ. That is, extractives’ effects were nearly isotropic on damping but clearly anisotropic on storage moduli.     

The effect of fire disturbance on short-term soil respiration in typical forest of Greater Xing’an Range,China

We investigated the effect of fire disturbance on short-term soil respiration in birch （Betula platyphylla Suk.） and larch （Larix gmelinii Rupr.） forests in Greater Xing’an range, northeastern China for further understanding of its effect on the carbon cycle in ecosystems. Our study show that post-fire soil respiration rates in B. platyphylla and L. gmelinii forests were reduced by 14%and 10%, respectively. In contrast, the soil heterotrophic respiration rates in the two types of forest were similar in post-fire and control plots. After fire, the contribution of root respiration to total soil respiration was dramatically reduced. Variation in soil respiration rates was explained by soil moisture （W） and soil tem-perature （T） at a depth of 5 cm. Exponential regression fitted T and W models explained Rs rates in B. platyphylla control and post-fire plots （83.1% and 86.2%） and L. gmelinii control and post-fire plots （83.7%and 88.7%）. In addition, the short-term temperature coefficients in B.     

The effect of shear and poisson's ratio in the static bending of wood beams

Summary New displacement equations for the static bending of six common types of simple, finite anisotropic or orthotropic beams are presented. The effect of shear and Poisson's ratios in the determination of Young's modulus by static bending is discussed.Notations S _ij Elastic compliances - K _i Real function of the elastic compliances - F=F(x, y) Stress function - _ij Stress - l Length of the beam - h Half thickness of the beam - b Width of the beam - q, w Loads - (x, y) Cartesian coordinates - u Longitudinal displacement - v Vertical displacement - E ₁₁ Young's modulus along the grain (in the beam axis) - E ₂₂ Young's modulus across the grain - G ₁₂ Shear modulus in the 1...2 references - v ₁₂ Poisson's ratio in the 1...2 references - ₁₁ Strain along the beam axis The investigation reported in this paper (No. 71-8-91) is in connection with a project of the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station and is published with the approval of the Director. Funds for this research were made available under the provision of the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The author is indebted to this agency and the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station for their support in this project.     

A phytosociological study onBetula platyphylla forests in Daxing’an Mountains of China

For the first time in this paper the forests ofBetula platyphylla in Daxing’an Mountains are subdivided by phytosociological methods. Three community types ofB. platyphylla forest have been differentiated, e.g.,Rhododendron dahuricum-Betula platyphylla community,Corylus heterophylla-Betula platyphylla community andArtemisia stolonifera-Betula platyphylla community. The distributed elevation, stand height, differential species, major composition species of tree layer, shrub layer and herb layer for each community were detail described Yang Yongfu, male, born in Sept., 1961; Senior engineer of Central Nursery of Xinlin Forestry Bureau, Daxinganling, P. R. China Responsible editor: Chai Ruihai     

Variability of fracture toughness by the crack tip position in an annual ring of coniferous wood

The effects of the location of the crack tip in an annual ring and the direction of crack propagation on the fracture toughness of the TR crack propagation system of coniferous wood (T, direction normal to the notch plane; R, propagation direction) were analyzed by the finite element method in regard of the changes in elastic modulus and strength within an annual ring. The critical point of the fracture was defined as the state where the stress of a square element (0.125 × 0.125 mm) in contact with the crack tip equals the tensile strength. The distribution of specific gravity was measured by soft X-ray densitometry. The elastic moduli in the T and R directions were estimated by the sound velocity. The tensile strengths in the T and R directions were measured by the tensile test using small specimens of l mm span length. Regarding the variability of fracture toughness (K _IC), the experimental and calculated results had the same tendency. Therefore, it was concluded that the variability ofK _IC is caused by the (1) heterogeneity of the elastic modulus and strength within an annual ring; and (2) changes in the degree of stress concentration at the crack tips, according to the direction of crack propagation.Part of this work was presented at the 40th annual meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Tsukuba, April 1990 and at the 6th International Conference on Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Kyoto, July 1991     

Use of acoustic testing to detect decay and sort western juniper for modulus of elasticity and modulus of rupture

While wood has numerous attributes that make it an excellent material for many uses, its properties can also vary widely according to wood species and even within the same species. Wood used in structural applications is categorized into classes. For many wood products, these classes or grades are based upon visual assessments that account for grain characteristics along with natural defects such as knots or splits. These approaches are simple, but also limit the potential for identifying products based upon actual material properties. One alternative is to use acoustic tests to estimate modulus of elasticity and then correlate these values to actual material properties. The potential for using acoustic tests to estimate wood properties was assessed with a prototype acoustic device (Metriguard Model 242) on western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) posts that were then tested using a destructive bending test. These tests could allow the identification of decayed areas within a post if they were directly in the tested area, but predicted modulus of elasticity was poorly correlated with actual modulus of rupture (r^2?=?0.23). The correlation was improved by only considering those samples where the acoustic test was made through the same area where the test load was applied, but the relationship was still weak (r^2?=?0.33). Acoustic testing did appear to be able to identify unacceptably weak samples with minimal rejection of acceptable samples, suggesting that acoustic testing might be a useful sorting tool to improve the reliability of timbers.     

Effects of decomposed leaf litter mixtures from Platycladus orientalis and broadleaf tree species on soil properties

Determining the effects of decomposed leaf litter mixtures, consisting of litter from different tree species, on the properties of soil is important for evaluating nutrient cycling and interspecific relationships. In this study, leaf litter mixtures consisting of Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco combined individually with eight broadleaf plant species were ground and mixed with soil to analyze the effects of their decomposition on the quantity of soil microbes, the activities of soil enzymes, and the soil chemical properties and to determine the interactions between the different types of litter within a mixture during decomposition. In terms of soil properties as a whole, we found that when P. orientalis litter was mixed separately with litter from Amorpha fruticosa L., Caragana microphylla Lam., Betula platyphylla Suk., or Hippophae rhamnoides L., the resulting litter mixtures showed synergistic interaction effects on soil, but when P. orientalis litter was mixed with litter from Populus simonii Carr., Ulmus pumila L., Robinia pseudoacacia L., or Quercus liaotungensis Koidz. showed antagonistic interaction effects.