Properties of curved laminated veneer lumber made from fast-growing species with radiofrequency heating for use in furniture

Curved laminated veneer lumber (LVL) is manufactured from glue-coated pieces of rotary-cut veneers assembled and pressed between molds. In this study, curved LVLs were produced from two fast-growing wood species such as massion pine (Pinus massoniana Lamb.) and poplar (Populus euramericana CV. I.) for use in furniture. In addition to the applicability of the two wood species used, the optimum technological conditions of curved LVL production with radiofrequency (RF) heating and the physical and mechanical properties of curved LVL were investigated. The results are as follows: (1) Curved LVL made from massion pine and fast-growing poplar shows excellent mechanical properties. These fast-growing wood species are suitable for curved LVL being used as furniture structural members. (2) The mechanical properties of curved LVL are affected by frequency, voltage, RF application time, and moisture content, with the RF application time and moisture content having more important effects on the mechanical properties than the frequency and the voltage. (3) The mechanical properties of curved LVL increase with a linear increase in the density of curved LVL.The abstract of this study was presented at the 9th Annual Meeting of the Chugoku Shikoku Branch of the Japan Wood Research Society, Tottori, October 4, 1997     

Calculation models of pressure and position of curved laminated veneer lumber in molds during pressing

Curved laminated veneer lumber (LVL) for use in furniture-making was produced from glue-coated pieces of rotary-cut veneers that were assembled and pressed between molds. Pressure was applied until glue-lines were set and finally held in an assembly of the desired curvature. Pressure was an important factor during pressing of curved LVL. In this study we deduced some equations for designing the shape of molds and calculating the total pressure from the mechanics. The results are summarized as follows: (1) The position angle of every section of curved LVL assembly in molds on the horizontal and the total pressure during pressing can be calculated in relation to the shapes and dimensions of the curved LVL. (2) The pressure distributions in the glue-line measured using pressure-sensitive film were in good agreement with the glue-line unit pressure provided for the experiment and calculation. Therefore, the equations deduced in this study were suitable for calculating the position angle and pressure of curved LVL in molds. (3) The total pressure on curved LVL was greater than the pressure on straight LVL. The total pressure consisted of the pressure on the glue-lines of straight LVL with the same length and width as curved LVL plus the supplementary pressure needed to bend the veneers. (4) The total pressures and position angles of curved LVL in molds were affected by the shape, bent angle, and length of each section of curved LVL.The outline of this study was presented at the 48th annual meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Shizuoka, April 3, 1998     

Fracture behaviour of laminated veneer lumber under Mode I and III loading

Mode I and Mode III loading experiments were performed on side grooved CT specimens of two types of Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL). Steady state crack propagation was maintained in order to detect complete load displacement diagrams. Fracture behaviour and influence of fiber orientation were studied and all important fracture mechanical values (stiffness/compliance, microstructural damage, crack initiation energy, specific fracture energy etc) were determined. Much higher crack initiation energies and specific fracture energies resulted in mode III loading than in mode I loading for both material types. Under external mode III loading, crack initiation occurs in mode III and crack propagation however takes place under mode I owing to crack surface interference. The influence of fiber orientation on fracture mechanical properties of LVL was discussed. Received 15 September 1999     

Dimensional stabilization of compressed laminated veneer lumber by hot pressing in an airtight frame

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the dimensional stability and strength properties of compressed laminated veneer lumber (LVL) produced using a closed hot pressing system. LVL specimens were produced with varying number of veneers using either diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) or a water-soluble phenol formaldehyde (PF) resin at varying temperatures (160–200°C), pressures (0.5–3 MPa) and hot-pressing times (2–16 min). Results show that the heating process decreases the recovery of compressive deformation in the veneers when subjected to cyclic moisture and heat conditions. Thickness swelling was approximately 5% after a drying, wetting and boiling cyclic test for LVL using the MDI resin and hot pressed at 200°C for 8 min. Modulus of elasticity and rupture increased for samples produced in both an open press and the closed press with an increase in the number of veneers and density, as did the absorbed energy in impact bending.     

Long-term material properties of circular hollow laminated veneer lumber sections under water saturation and cement alkaline attack

ABSTRACT

Innovative beech laminated veneer lumber (LVL) circular hollow sections for the use as temporary geotechnical soil nailing systems are currently being developed. Due to the permanent subsoil cement embedment, combined with high water saturation and permanent loading, the timber sections will lose strength and stiffness over time to a degree currently unknown. This paper presents the tensile and bending material properties of flat and curved beech LVL under various periods of immersion in a water–cement grout solution aiming at inducing both water saturation and long-term alkaline attack of the timber. In total, 824 and 279 samples were tested in tension and bending, respectively. Results show that samples manufactured from 3?mm thick veneers result in tensile strength and stiffness 17% and 24% higher, respectively, than samples manufactured from 2?mm thick veneers. A reduction in the initial bending and tensile strength of up to 70% was found after 90 days of water saturation and cement contact. Taking into account a duration of load factor for permanent loading of two years, it is recommended to reduce the short-term tensile and bending strength of beech circular hollow sections to be used as geotechnical anchors by 80%.     

Properties of red maple laminated veneer lumber impregnated with waterborne micronized and two soluble copper formulations

ABSTRACT

Certain important quality parameters of red maple (Acer rubrum) laminated veneer lumber (LVL) impregnated with three waterborne formulations: copper azole (CA-B), micronized copper azole (MicroCA or MCA) and alkaline copper quaternary (ACQ-D) bonded with phenol formaldehyde or cross-linked polyvinyl acetate (XPVAc) adhesives were evaluated. Pre-dipping of veneers before LVL production and two post-manufacturing procedures, viz., vacuum-pressure and post-dipping of LVL, were applied. Maximum copper retention in pre-dip-treated, vacuum-pressure and post-dip-treated LVL was 1.4, 9.7 and 1.7?kg/m³, respectively. Copper retention in MCA-treated LVL was relatively lower than soluble formulations. Various physical, mechanical and bonding properties of treated LVL such as density, water absorption, swelling, flexural properties, hardness, tensile shear strength, delamination and wood failure (%) were studied and compared with untreated LVL. Little to negligible deleterious effect was observed on properties of LVL due to these chemical treatments. Analysis of variance results showed that most of properties of red maple LVL were not significantly different compared with those of untreated LVL. Therefore, vacuum-pressure impregnation process can be used to treat the red maple LVL with novel micronized copper formulations for increasing the service life of such products against biodegradation without affecting techno-mechanical quality parameters.     

Development of LVL frame structures using glued metal plate joints II: strength properties and failure behavior under lateral loading

In past years high priority was given to developing a seismic design for wood structures, including research on the response of wood structures to earthquakes. In this study a new type of portal frame with relatively large span was developed for the traditional Japanese wooden houses with large openings at the front to strengthen the structure. Stainless steel plates coated with zinc and glued with epoxy adhesives on laminated veneer lumber (LVL) members, composed of Douglas fir veneer and bonded with phenolformaldehyde resin, were used. The connection between the frame's beam and columns and between the columns and groundsills was mechanical, with bolts. The subject of this research was to analyze strength properties and failure behavior of glued LVL metal joints used as structural components and to evaluate the response of LVL portal frames under cyclic lateral loading. The results show that portal frames using glued LVL metal plates have a good multiplier for the shear walls and may be applied to traditional Japanese structures. The equivalent viscous damping provided good energy dissipation in the frames. The joints displayed good mechanical behavior during tests; moreover, the structures demonstrated high strength, stiffness, and ductility, which are necessary for a seismic design.Part of this paper was presented at the 47th annual meeting of the Japan Wood Research Society, Kouchi, April 1997; and at the 5th world conference on timber engineering. Montreux, Switzerland, August 1998     

海南琼海沿海农村自然植被的物种组成及植被类型分析

选择海南省琼海市东线高速公路以东的沿海农村周边自然植被作为调查对象,采用路线调查和样方调查相结合的野外植被调查方法,研究该地区自然植被的物种组成及其植被类型的情况,结果显示:该地区自然植被物种比较丰富,共记录维管植物有426种,隶属108科,311属,其中双子叶植物占绝对优势。另外,对该地区的不同生境下的自然植被聚类结果显示,总体植被类型可分为3个植被型,10个群丛。     

亚热带几种森林类型下土壤的理化性质

在福建省邵武市卫闽林场，在本底条件一致的同龄杉木林、马尾松林、天然阔叶林及杉阔混交林林下土壤进行了野外调查和室内分析，结果表明，土壤容量重为天然阔叶林〈杉阔混交林〈马尾松林〈杉木林；总孔隙度和最大含水量为天然阔叶林〉杉阔混交林〉杉木林〉马尾松林；〈０．００１细微颗粒百分含量为阔叶林〈杉阔混交林〈杉木林〈马尾林；土壤ＰＨ伙阔叶林〉杉阔混交林〉马尾松林〉杉木林，速效Ｐ，速率Ｋ，全Ｎ和有机质含量均为阔叶     

生态恢复后的千烟洲植物群落种类组成及结构特征

江西省千烟洲地处亚热带,水量充足,具有典型亚热带季风气候特征,属常绿阔叶林地带.由于长期的不合理利用,小流域治理前的千烟洲森林植被早已破坏殆尽,以草丛为主,伴有小面积灌丛[1].1983年,中科院南方考察队在这里进行红壤丘陵综合开发治理试验研究,包括人工造林和生态系统水资源合理利用等,并建立了试验站.20 a后,千烟洲生态环境明显改善,主要表现在:森林覆盖率不断上升,水土流失得到控制,生物生产量与生物多样性快速增长.其中最明显的变化是,植被类型由原来的荒草坡变成茂密的森林.1999年统计结果显示林地面积已达190.56 hm2,占千烟洲试验站总面积93.3%.植物群落结构也有很大变化.     

大兴安岭主要森林类型林分空间结构及最优树种组成

以2011—2012年大兴安岭的44块固定样地调查数据为基础,以常用的林分空间结构参数(角尺度、大小比、混交度、林分空间结构指数和林分空间结构距离)为切入点,对大兴安岭主要森林类型的林分空间结构特征及最优树种组成进行研究。结果表明:天然落叶松林、针叶混交林以及针阔混交林的林木水平分布格局均表现为随机分布,而白桦林则为明显的聚集分布;4种林型中树木的生长整体处于中庸状态,落叶松处于明显优势地位,其他伴生树种则处于不同程度受压状态;落叶松混交程度随着其优势程度的增加而降低,其他伴生树种则具有较高的混交度,整体上天然落叶松林、白桦林的树种空间隔离程度较低,而针叶混交林、针阔混交林的林分平均混交度相对较高;大兴安岭4种主要森林类型林分空间结构的优劣表现为针阔混交林针叶混交林天然落叶松林天然白桦林;天然落叶松林最优的树种组成为8落,其次为7落。