Factors affecting the usability of aspen (Populus tremula) wood dried at different temperature levels

In this dissertation the main aim was to study the usability of aspen wood in the mechanical wood processes, especially the factors that affect the usability of aspen wood, which is dried at different temperature levels. The problematic of varying temperatures from level to another seem to have significant effects on distortions. According to the studies conducted, many practical solutions for drying of aspen timber can be made. European aspen sawn timber should be dried in relatively narrow widths, short lengths, edged and sawn pith free. The results achieved give an interesting view for the distortions of aspen wood between HT drying and heat treatment. The most significant result is that cupping seems to decrease when increasing temperature level from HT drying to heat treatment phase. The difference is significant. Other very obvious result is that bow and crook are increasing between these two temperature levels, bow significantly. Also the modelling gives a good background for this result since cupping is reduced by higher temperatures. It can also be assumed that these distortions can be affected for example by sorting out the timber used to different moisture levels before drying. This could be a very simple solution for practical purposes. From practical point of view, it was also noted during the drying tests performed that the discoloration seem to be no problem for aspen boards dried in temperatures under 150 °C. Altogether, this dissertation covers many interesting points of view of factors affecting distortions of wood in different temperature stages. Aspen as species in use of mechanical wood industries seems to be a species suitable for component production. According to the results, the best yield from aspen timber can be achieved in industry that can utilize relatively short components of sawn wood. Results achieved give a significant indication about the factors affecting distortions of wood at different temperature stages of drying, especially considering European aspen.

State of the art of industrial wood protection in Portugal

This work intended to give a perspective of industrial wood protection in Portugal. A survey was made of the companies treating wood mainly for use classes 3 and 4 such as autoclave treatments with biocides and wood modification procedures. Currently there are 23 companies with 33 production plants with an autoclave installed for wood preservation by impregnation. There are also two companies producing modified wood by thermal treatment. Most of the plants are located in the central and northern regions of Portugal. The leading preservation chemicals used in Portugal are Tanalith E and Celcure brands. The main wood species used in all companies is Pinus pinaster from local producers. The products commercialized by the treating companies are diverse: pre-fabricated houses, garden furniture and playgrounds, decks, poles, stakes, and sawn wood. Modified wood producers sell mostly decks and cladding. Considerable changes are expected in the next few years due to the requirements of European Directives and the typical constraints of the Portuguese market.

Mekaanisen puunjalostuksen markkinakartoitus: Koivusahatavaran ja -puolijalosteiden markkinat Euroopassa

Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli kartoittaa koivusahatavaran ja -puolijalosteiden potentiaalisia vientikohdemaita EU-maissa ja Norjassa. Tarkastelun kohteena olivat koivutuotteiden markkinapotentiaali ja kysyntä sekä puutuotteiden markkinointikanavavaihtoehdot Euroopan puutuotemarkkinoilla. Tutkimuksen teoreettisena lähtökohtana oli tarkastella, kuinka markkinointitutkimuksen avulla kartoitetaan tuotantohyödykemarkkinoita, miten määritetään tuotantohyödykkeen markkinapotentiaali ja kysyntä sekä mitä markkinointikanavavaihtoehtoja puutuotteita valmistavalla yrityksellä on vientimarkkinoille lähdettäessä. Empiirisessä osassa selvitettiin sekä kvantitatiivista että kvalitatiivista tietoa Euroopan puutuotemarkkinoista. Lehtipuu- ja koivusahatavaran vienti-, tuonti- ja tuotantotilastojen pohjalta tarkasteltiin koivun suurimpia vientikohdemaita ja arvioitiin kysyntää tulevaisuudessa. Tämän lisäksi puutuotteiden toimialaorganisaatioiden, asiantuntijoiden, puutuotteita valmistavien yritysten ja maahantuojien haastattelujen avulla muodostettiin kokonaiskuva koivusahatavaran ja -puolijalosteiden markkinapotentiaalista ja koivutuotteiden asemasta Euroopan puutuotemarkkinoilla. Koivu koettiin Euroopan puutuotemarkkinoilla kiinnostavana puulajina ja koivutuotteiden kysyntä onkin ollut viime vuosien aikana nousujohteista. Tämä johtuu suurimmaksi osaksi tällä hetkellä vallitsevasta vaaleiden puulajien trendistä. Markkinoilla menestyminen riippuu kuitenkin siitä, kuinka hyvin koivun tarjoaja pystyy vastaamaan asiakkaiden tuotteelle asettamiin vaatimuksiin.

EVALUATION OF TECHNOLOGICAL INTENSITY OF EXPORTS IN THE FORESTRY SECTOR

ABSTRACT One of the fastest growing sectors in the domestic industry is the forestry, which has contributed significantly to economic development, job creation, income taxes, putting Brazil in a prominent position in the world market. This paper analyzes the evolution of the technological intensity of 12 main products exported by the sector, from 2000 to 2011. For that, utilizes an indicator called PRODY, which allows classifying different products according to their technological intensity or income content and considers the GDP per capita of exporting countries of each product, weighted by its revealed comparative advantage. It can be seen by the results, a continuous growth in all products' technology indicators and their decomposition into income effects, comparative advantage and joint effects, allowed to verify the main causes of this growth. Products with lower PRODY values are those that presented a higher evolution during the period studied. Products of higher processing, and those from pulp and paper industry, had greater technological advances, thanks to a joint effect, while the ones of lower processing, had a technological improvement due to the increase in GDP per capita in exporting countries. Sawn wood was the standout product, being the only one who proved to be dependent of comparative advantage effect, confirming that this industry has been reinventing itself and incorporating, in fact, more technology. This study revealed the importance of technological intensification to generate comparative advantage and be able to stand against international competition.

Comportamento de adesão da madeira de um híbrido clonal de Eucalyptus urophylla x Eucalyptus grandis proveniente de três condições de manejo

This study aimed to evaluate the adhesion ability of eucalyptus lumber from three tillage systems, using adhesives: resorcinol formaldehyde and two adhesives in water emulsion based on vinyl poly-acetate. The management systems were characterized by three strata, the stratum one (E1) characterized by wood from coppice and 70 months of age, the stratum two (E2) characterized by wood and retirement age of 166 months and stratum three (E3), also characterized by retirement at 70 months of age. The wood was derived from a random mixture of the first two sawn logs, each three feet from the base, which comprised three treatments on the adhesive used. We evaluated the shear strength by compression tests and the percentage of wood failure in the glue line. Based on the results obtained, it can be said that the adhesion had satisfactory performance with all the resins used, and the average values of shear strength of the glue line were shown to be equivalent to the shear strength of solid wood only for the samples which adhered with 'Wonderbond' adhesive and also provide higher values for wood failure (97.64%). The highest density present in the wood of the second stratum (E2) influenced only sticking with the resorcinol formaldehyde resin. For polyvinyl acetate (Cascorez 2590), shear values decreased in the third management condition (E3).

Classification of lumber of Eucalyptus using non-destructive tests

Classification and standardization of the sawn wood is a usual activity, developed by countries that come as great consumers of this material. Brazil does not practice the classification of sawn wood. This work had the main objective of evaluating the sensibility of most common non-destructive tests in the classification of dimension lumber from fast grown Eucalyptus plantation. Wood was obtained from genetic material cultivated at Minas Gerais State, Brazil. 296 beams of structural dimensions (6 cm × 12 cm × 280 cm) from 10 different clones of Eucalyptus were sampled. Beams were non-destructively (stress wave, ultrasound and transverse vibration) and destructively (static bending and compression parallel to grain) tested. Non-destructive results showed sensibility in the classification of structural dimension lumber, being possible to establish wave velocity intervals that attend to the main strength classes reported by Wooden Structures Brazilian Code.

Estimativa do tempo de vaporização das toras e sua implicação no desdobro e na secagem da madeira de Eucalyptus grandis

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Influência das características dos anéis de crescimento na densidade, resistência e rigidez da madeira de Pinus taeda L

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Energia na Agricultura) - FCA

Desenvolvimento de uma base de dados de imagens digitais de madeira serrada de coníferas

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Energia na Agricultura) - FCA

Classificação de peças de madeira serrada de dimensões estruturais de Eucalyptus sp com uso de ensaios não-destrutivo

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Energia na Agricultura) - FCA

Processamento de imagens digitais para detecção e quantificação de defeitos na madeira serrada de coníferas de reflorestamento de uso não estrutural

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Energia na Agricultura) - FCA

Classificação de tábuas de madeira usando processamento de imagens digitais e aprendizado de máquina

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Energia na Agricultura) - FCA

Development of an in situ penetration test for the uptake of preservatives in applied wood

This paper concerns the study of biocides application in old timber structures of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ail.), previously impregnated with other products. A method was developed in laboratory to determine in situ the penetration depth of a product applied superficially. As initial treatment, three traditional products for sawn timber for buildings were used and, for new treatments, two newer, more environmentally benign products were used. Their ability to penetrate the pre-treated surfaces was evaluated after 1, 2 and 3 applications at 24 hours intervals and the results obtained are presented. Finally, the applicability of the developed test to the in-situ evaluation of timber structures is also discussed.

Determination of fiber length and juvenile and mature wood zones from Hevea brasiliensis trees grown in Brazil

The aim of this study was to verify the average fiber length and the juvenile and mature wood zones from Hevea brasiliensis proveniences from a reforestation area in São Paulo, Brazil. For this purpose, five Hevea brasiliensis trees were randomly collected from a 50-year-old plantation, located in Balsamo, São Paulo, Brazil. The trees were cut and five flat sawn boards were obtained. The juvenile and mature wood zones were determined by fiber length measurement from the pith to the bark. The results showed that: (a) the juvenile wood of this species occurred approx. between 40 and 55 mm, from the pith, and from this point forward, the mature wood zone was found; (b) there was a significant difference between the average fiber length of juvenile wood (1.26 mm) and mature wood (1.51 mm).

Evaluation of the influence of visual parameters on wave transmission velocity in sawn chestnut timber

Non-destructive, visual evaluation and mechanical testing techniques were used to assess the structural properties of 374 samples of chestnut (Castanea sativa). The principal components method was applied to establish and interpret correlations between variables obtained of modulus of elasticity, bending strength and density. The static modulus of elasticity presented higher correlation values than those obtained using non-destructive methods. Bending strength presented low correlations with the non-destructive parameters, but there was some relation to the different knot ratios defined. The relationship was stronger with the most widely used ratio, CKDR. No significant correlations were observed between any of the variables and density.