End grain water absorption and redistribution in slow-grown and fast-grown Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) heartwood and sapwood

Abstract

Wood is susceptible to decay by rot fungi if it is exposed to high-moisture contents during long periods of time and it is therefore important to limit the duration of such periods. Critical points in outdoor wood structures are, for example, end grain surfaces in joints where water can get trapped after a rain. It is therefore of interest to study both absorption and redistribution of moisture in wood. This paper presents moisture content profiles during end grain water absorption and redistribution in Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) measured by computed tomography with the specimens in individual climate boxes. Heartwood and sapwood of two provenances (slow-grown and fast-grown wood) were included. No major differences were seen between the water uptake of the slow-grown and the fast-grown wood since the densities were similar despite of the large difference in growth ring width. However, for the sapwood specimens, the moisture content was higher further into the specimens than for the heartwood specimens in agreement with previous studies. For the slow-grown wood, the redistribution was also generally more rapid for the sapwood specimens than for the heartwood specimens.     

Some factors influencing susceptibility to discoloring fungi and water uptake of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), Norway spruce (Picea abies) and Oriental spruce (Picea orientalis)

Abstract

The heartwood and sapwood from Scots pine (PS), Norway spruce (PA), and Oriental spruce (PO) were tested for susceptibility to discoloring fungi and water uptake. In addition, annual ring width and density were measured. The methods used were Mycologg for testing growth of fungi and a modified version of EN 927-5 to investigate water uptake. For pine, the heartwood showed a lower water uptake and no discoloring fungi growing in the tests. The heartwood had a significantly higher density and smaller annual ring width than the sapwood. In PA the heartwood had significantly lower discoloration than sapwood. The total water uptake in g/m² was significantly higher in sapwood, but not the calculated moisture content. As for wood properties, the density was significantly higher in sapwood compared to heartwood, although there were no differences in annual ring width. Regarding PO, differences in water uptake could be seen between sapwood and heartwood although the densities were similar. These results show that susceptibility to discoloring fungi and water uptake is hard to correlate to a single inherent property when looking at different wood species.     

Separating Norway spruce heartwood and sapwood in dried condition with near-infrared spectroscopy and multivariate data analysis

Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] heartwood and sapwood have differing wood properties, but are similar in appearance. An investigation was made to see whether near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) could be used with multivariate statistics for separation between heartwood and sapwood in dry state on tangential longitudinal surfaces. For classification of wood into sapwood and heartwood, partial least square (PLS) regression was used. Orthogonal signal correction (OSC) filtering was used on the spectra. This study shows that a separation of sapwood and heartwood of spruce is possible with NIR spectra measured in a laboratory environment. The visible-wavelength spectra have significant influence on the predictive power of separation models between sapwood and heartwood of spruce. All 44 specimens in the calibration set were correctly classified into heartwood and sapwood. Validation of the model was done with a prediction set of 16 specimens, of which one was classified incorrectly.     

3种不同处理方法对木材渗透性影响的研究

本文通过对长白鱼鳞云杉和臭冷杉生材分别进行普通气干处理和酒精置换处理以及对其气干材进行水浸处理,研究了这３种不同处理方法对木材气渗透性的影响及其影响机理。研究结果表明,长白鱼鳞云杉边材、心材和臭冷杉心村的生材经普通气干处理后,其气体渗透性较低,分别约为０．１１４、０．０４５和０．１１１ｄａｒｃｙ;长白鱼鳞云杉边材、心材和臭冷杉心材的生材经酒精置换处理后,其气体渗透性分别约为１１．７１３、０．０７４和０．１４４ｄａｒｃｙ,比普通气干处理对照组试样的平均渗透性分别增加约１０１．５倍、６２％和３０％,ｔ检验表明,前者差异非常显著,但后两者差异不显著;已气干１８个月的长白鱼鳞云杉边材、心材和臭冷杉心材经水浸处理后,其平均气体浸透性较处理前分别增加约８５％、４９％、６５．５％,ｔ检验表明差异均显著。长白鱼鳞云杉生材边材经     

Effect of different drying methods on liquid penetration of Chinese fir plantation wood

Chinese fir plantation sapwood and heartwood boards were treated by three drying methods: radio frequency-vacuum drying (RFVD), conventional kiln drying (KD) and high temperature drying (HTD). The maximum amount of dyeing solution uptake by the capillary rising method was used to evaluate the liquid penetration of the treated wood. The pit aspiration ratio was determined by a semithin section method. Changes in wood microstructure were investigated using scanning electron microscopy. The results show that liquid penetration of Chinese fir sapwood after RFVD is significantly higher than that after KD and HTD. Liquid penetration of Chinese fir heartwood after RFVD is higher than that after HTD. Liquid penetration of Chinese fir sapwood is significantly higher than that of heartwood after three drying treatments. Low pit aspiration ratio and cracks of some bordered pits are the main reasons for the increase in liquid penetration after RFVD treatment. __________ Translated from Scientia Silvae Sinicae, 2006, 42(10): 85–90 [译自: 林业科学]     

微生物对长白鱼鳞云杉木材渗透性的影响

本文利用水池贮存处理木材研究了细菌对改善长白鱼鳞云杉木材渗透性的有效性。渗透性的测定采用水上升置换气流法。试验结果表明,水池贮存处理长白鱼鳞云杉气干材10周,不仅可以非常显著地增加其边材的渗透性(渗透性平均增加29倍),而且其心材渗透性亦有明显改善(平均渗透性增加1.52倍)。但心材试样渗透性增加不均匀,仅有50％的心材试样在水池贮存处理后渗透性得到了增加。渗透性增加的原因主要是由于边材和部分心材试样受到短芽孢杆菌(Bacillus brevis)等细菌的侵蚀,据电镜观察,边材大多数具缘纹孔的纹孔塞被细菌降解后形成空洞,心材的管胞内壁及具缘纹孔的纹孔缘上有细菌存在。     

Application of percolation modelling on end-grain water absorption in aspen (Populus tremula L.)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to improve our understanding of the capillary uptake of water in aspen sapwood and heartwood, which may help to explain the variable performance of aspen used outdoors. The study uses a percolation model developed for softwoods to examine capillary liquid absorption in aspen and compares predicted results with ones obtained experimentally using computed tomographic scanning. The study shows that there is an equilibrium saturation level where new flow paths are being found at the same rate as old ones are being blocked. This is seen as a plateau where the water content maintains a relatively constant height within the material. This makes it possible to model the capillary behaviour of aspen sapwood. In heartwood, however, the uptake of moisture seems to be mainly restricted to bound water, except for a short region in the sample wet end. This absorption is thus governed mainly by bound water diffusion. This improved understanding of the capillary behaviour of aspen may contribute to a future market expansion where aspen may be utilized to a greater extent outdoors and above ground.     

Proton magnetic resonance techniques for characterization of water in wood: application to white spruce

Summary Two new proton magnetic resonance techniques, relaxation spectra and relaxation selective imaging, have been used to investigate the distribution of water in samples of normal white spruce sapwood, heartwood, and juvenile wood as well as two rehydrated heartwood samples containing incipient decay and compression wood respectively. It is demonstrated that the spin-spin (T₂) relaxation behavior in wood is best presented as a continuous spectrum of relaxation times. Spectra of T₂ for white spruce show separate peaks corresponding to the different water environments. Bound water gives a peak with an T₂ time of about 1 ms and lumen water gives a distribution of T₂ times in the range of 10 to 100 ms. The lumen water T₂ time is a function of the wood cell radius. Consequently, the different cell lumen radii distributions for spruce sapwood, juvenile wood, and compression wood are readily distinguishable by the shape of their T₂ spectra. Water environments which are separable on a T₂ spectrum may be imaged separately. Imaging has been carried out in one dimension for bound water and lumen water of a spruce sapwood sample at four different moisture contents ranging from 100% to 17%. For the first time, we demonstrate that above the fibre saturation point the moisture density profile of the bound water is largely independent of moisture content. The feasibility and utility of using these techniques for internal scanning of logs and lumber is discussed. These techniques should provide new insights into the wood drying process.We would like to thank Michael Weiss of the Biological Science Electron Microscopy Facility at the University of British Columbia for his assistance with the microscopy and image analysis. This research was supported by grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Canadian Forestry Service     

杉木冷冻干燥材和气干材液体浸注性的比较研究

A comparative study was conducted on liquid penetration of the freeze-drying and air-drying sapwood and heartwood lumber of plantation Chinese fir （Cunninghamia lanceolata）. The maximum amount of dyeing solution uptake by the capillary rise method was used to evaluate the liquid penetration properties of the treated wood. The pit aspiration ratio was determined by semithin section method. Changes in wood microstructure were investigated using scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that compared with air drying, the freeze drying had a significant effect on liquid penetration of sapwood and heartwood of Chinese fir. The liquid penetration of sapwood is significantly higher than that of the heartwood for both drying treatments. Low pit aspiration ratio and cracks of pits membrane of some bordered pits are the main reasons for increasing liquid penetration after freeze drying treatment.     

Durability of thermally modified sapwood and heartwood of Scots pine and Norway spruce in the modified double layer test

In the present study, durability of untreated and thermally modified sapwood and heartwood of Scots pine and Norway spruce was examined using a modified double layer test. Base layer samples were partly on contact with ground where exposure conditions were harder than that in a double layer test above the ground. The base layer on ground contact gave results already after one year of exposure in Finnish climate, but the top layer of a double layer test element simulated more the situation of decking exposure.

Significant differences in durability and moisture content (MC) between the wood materials were detected after six years of exposure in the field. Thermally modified pine heartwood performed very well in all layers of the test element and only minor signs of decay were found in some of the base samples. Both sapwood and heartwood of thermally modified spruce were suffering only slight amounts of decay while thermally modified pine sapwood was slightly or moderately decayed. Untreated sapwood samples of pine and spruce were severely decayed or reached failure rating after six years in the field. Untreated heartwood samples performed clearly better. The highest MCs were measured from untreated and thermally modified pine samples. Thermal modification increased significantly the durability and decreased the MC values of all wood materials.     

Identification of selected internal wood characteristics in computed tomography images of black spruce: a comparison study

The feasibility of identifying internal wood characteristics in computed tomography (CT) images of black spruce was investigated using two promising classifiers: the maximum likelihood classifier (MLC) and the back propagation (BP) artificial neural network (ANN) classifier. Nine image features including one spectral feature (gray level values), a distance feature, and seven textural features were employed to develop the classifiers. The selected internal wood characteristics to be identified included heartwood, sapwood, bark, and knots. Twenty cross-sectional CT images of a black spruce log were randomly selected to develop the two classifiers. The results suggest that both classifiers produced high classification accuracy. Compared with the MLC classifier (80.9% overall accuracy), the BP ANN classifier had better classification performance (97.6% overall accuracy). Moreover, statistical analysis reveals that the heartwood of the black spruce log used in this study is the easiest to identify by either classifier compared with the other three log features. The results also suggest that the separability of one wood characteristic from the other wood characteristics in black spruce CT images is mainly related to moisture content.     

Study of the transverse liquid flow paths in pine and spruce using scanning electron microscopy

Samples of pine (Pinus sylvestris) and spruce (Picea abies) were impregnated with a low-viscous epoxy resin using a vacuum process. The epoxy was cured in situ and the specimens sectioned. Deposits of the cured epoxy was then observed in the wood cavities using a scanning electron microscope. The investigation concentrated on tracing the transverse movements of a viscous liquid in the wood, and special attention was therefore given to the cross-field area between ray cells and longitudinal tracheids. A damage hypothesis is proposed based on the results obtained in the present investigation in combination with those from earlier studies on linseed oil-impregnated pine: In addition to the morphology of the bordered pits, viscous liquid flow in wood is dependent on damage that occurs during the impregnation procedure. For pine sapwood, liquid flow is enabled through disrupted window pit membranes, which divide the longitudinal tracheids and the ray parenchyma cells. A mechanism accounting for the reduced permeability of pine heartwood is believed to be deposits of higher-molecular-weight substances (extractives) in the ray parenchyma cells and on the cell walls. In spruce the thicker ray cells in combination with the smaller pits, which are connected to the longitudinal tracheids, reduce permeability considerably.     

Moisture content gradient in a softwood board during drying: simulation from a 2-D model and measurement

Summary A 2-D mathematical model was developed to simulate moisture movement and heat transfer in width and thickness directions within a softwood board during drying. The model is based on wood physiological features and behaviour observed during drying. In sapwood, liquid water movement is assumed to be a consequence of capillary action between liquid and gas phases inside the cell lumens. However, liquid flow does not occur in wood close to the exposed surfaces because at timber surfaces the wood cells are damaged during the sawing process and consequently the liquid column is broken. In heartwood, liquid flow is negligible since the pits are normally aspirated during the formation of heartwood in the growing tree. Water vapour moves under a partial vapour pressure gradient while bound water diffuses within the wood material due to differences in chemical potential. The model was solved numerically to predict moisture-content profiles. Experiments were undertaken to measure the moisturecontent gradient. Samples were removed from a tunnel dryer at intervals throughout drying, frozen overnight and then cut into slices for moisture-content determination. The experimental results were used to verify the model.This work is supported by the New Zealand Foundation of Research, Science and Technology under contract CO4415     

Dissolution and dispersion of spruce wood components into hot water

Summary The dissolution and dispersion of components from Norway spruce (Picea abies) wood were examined in laboratory experiments to determine the factors influencing variations in dissolved and colloidal substances in mechanical pulp suspensions. Finely ground, fresh spruce wood was suspended in water at 90 °C and was agitated intensively for up to 12 h, after which the concentrations of dissolved and dispersed lipophilic extractives, lignans, carbohydrates and lignins were determined. Sapwood and heartwood were studied separately. Effects of pH and added electrolytes on the dissolution and dispersion of wood components were also investigated.Higher amounts of lipophilic extractives, and especially of triglycerides, were dispersed from sapwood than from heartwood. The release of lipophilic extractives continued for up to 3 h, after which the concentrations in the suspensions leveled off. At this stage the composition of the dissolved and dispersed lipophilic extractives equaled that of the wood. The amount of lipophilic extractives in the suspensions increased with increased pH, in the range of 4.5–6.7, but was lower in the presence of electrolytes. The dissolution of carbohydrates continued even beyond 3 h of agitation. The high water temperature induced hydrolytic reactions, thereby releasing especially arabinose. The release of arabinose through the hydrolytic cleavage from polysaccharides was more extensive at pH 4.5 than at pH 5.5 and 6.7. More polysaccharides containing galacturonic acid units (pectins) were dissolved at a higher pH. Much more polysaccharides containing glucose, most probably starch, were present in the sapwood suspensions. The dissolution of lignins also continued throughout the 12 h experiment. The measured UV-absorption, after extraction of lignans, was roughly the same for sapwood and heartwood suspensions. Slightly less lignins were released in the presence of electrolytes. Lignans were released only from heartwood.     

不同干燥方法对杉木人工林木材浸注性的影响

采用高频真空干燥、常规窑干和高温干燥3种方法对杉木人工林木材的心、边板材进行干燥处理,用毛细管上升法评价干燥后试样的浸注性能,用半薄切片法测定干燥试样具缘纹孔的闭塞率,最后用扫描电子显微镜观察干燥试样微观构造的变化,比较分析3种干燥方法对杉木人工林木材浸注性的影响机理.结果表明:对于杉木边材,经高频真空干燥后试样的浸注性显著高于常规干燥和高温干燥后试样的浸注性,后2种干燥方法对试样浸注性影响的差异并不显著;对于杉木心材,高频真空干燥与高温干燥后试样的浸注性存在显著差异,而高频真空干燥与常规干燥之间、高温干燥与常规干燥之间对试样浸注性的影响差异均不显著;3种干燥方法处理后,杉木边材的浸注性均显著高于心材的浸注性;具缘纹孔的闭塞率较低以及部分具缘纹孔周缘破裂是高频真空干燥后木材浸注性提高的主要原因.     

Combined application of computer tomography and light microscopy for analysis of conductive xylem area in coarse roots of European beech and Norway spruce

Axial water transport in trees is mainly determined by the gradient of negative water pressure and the structure of conductive xylem elements (i.e. conduits) connecting the fine roots with the foliage. There is still an essential lack of knowledge concerning the relationship between wood structure and hydraulic properties, especially of coarse roots. To this end, the study aimed (1) to work out a novel approach, based on the combination of computer tomography (CT) and light microscopy (LM), for determining the cumulative cross-sectional lumen area of conduits involved in the water transport of coarse roots in European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and Norway spruce (Picea abies) and (2) to demonstrate its adequacy in quantifying the functional relationship between sapwood anatomy and ascending water mass flow in the xylem. The cross-sectional sapwood area of coarse roots was assessed through CT. The cumulative cross-sectional lumen area of conduits in the sapwood (i.e. the lumen area of conductive conduits) was measured by LM in combination with interactive image analysis. The new approach was developed with coarse roots of both the tree species growing in a 60-year-old mixed forest in Bavaria, Germany. The combination of the two methods unveiled spruce to possess a distinct sapwood/heartwood boundary in small-diameter roots, whereas such roots of beech reflected a gradual transition zone; only large-diameter roots displayed a distinct boundary in beech. Additionally, the cumulative lumen area of conductive conduits was found to be approximately 12% of the total coarse root cross-sectional area in both the tree species. The new approach of measuring the conductive lumen area of coarse-root conduits yielded levels of specific sap flow (i.e. axial conductivity) that substantially differed from those derived from commonly applied methods, which were based on sap flow per unit of total cross-sectional root area or xylem cross-sectional area of individual roots. The combination of CT and LM will facilitate functional comparisons of woody roots differing in diameter and of tree species of different anatomical xylem structure.     

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.     

Degradation of Norway spruce (Picea abies) heartwood and sapwood during 5.5 years’ above-ground exposure

Abstract

Differences in durability between heartwood and sapwood of Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] were investigated to determine wood qualities most favourable for use in outdoor constructions above ground. Trees grown on sites with either good or poor access to water were used. Seventy-eight specimens measuring 20 × 50 × 300?mm³ separated into heartwood and sapwood, half untreated, half painted, were exposed horizontally outdoors above ground for 5.5?years with the pith side up and the bark side down. Crack length and crack number were measured. Fungus growth and surface changes were visually estimated. Fungus type was determined by microscopic analysis. The main finding was that spruce heartwood had fewer and shorter cracks and less surface-discolouring fungus growth than sapwood. This was valid for both painted and untreated wood. After 2?years’ exposure, the cracks in sapwood (upper surface) were more than three times longer and about five times more numerous than in heartwood for both painted and untreated boards. Microscopic study showed that surface discoloration was due mainly to Aureobasidium pullulans, together with a few other discolouring fungi. After 5.5?years, initial decay was established on the surface and in the end grain of four untreated test objects.     

Relations Between Permeability and Structure of Wood

The permeability and the structure of heartwood and sapwood of the solvent-exchange dried and the air-dried green-wood of Chinese-fir(Cunninghamia lanceolata(Lamb.)Hook.)and masson pine(Pinus massoniana Lamb.) were measured in order to study the relations between the permeability and the structure.The results showed that the permeability of sapwood of both the air-dried and the solvent-exchange dried wood was higher than that of heartwood,and the permeability of the solvent-exchanged a bigger number of flow path per unit area of the wood perpendicular to the flow direction resulted from a bigger number of unaspirated pits per unit area and a bigger number of effective pit openings per membrane,and on the other hand,a smaller number of tracheid in series connection per unit length parallel to flow direction resulted from a longer tracheid longth and an effective tracheid length for permeability.     

马尾松木材横向液体渗透性的研究

分析和讨论了影响马尾松木材横向液体渗透性及其各向异性的机理.对马尾松木材的径向液体渗透性和弦向液体渗透性进行了测量.结果表明,马尾松木材的径向液体渗透性大于弦向液体渗透性,并且,马尾松木材的径向液体渗透性和弦向液体渗透性都是从边材向心材逐渐减小,并随着含水率的下降而升高.其原因是径向液体流动的主要通道是木射线和水平树脂道,弦向主要是管胞壁和交叉场上的纹孔.