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Prediction of MOE of eucalypt wood from microfibril angle and density

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Abstract

Small clear specimens of 30×30×450 mm were prepared from plantation-grown Eucalyptus globulus, E. nitens and E. regnans that were between 15 and 31 years of age. Their modulus of elasticity (MOE) and modulus of rupture (MOR) were determined using static central-point-loading bending tests. Their microfibril angle (MFA) and density were determined using SilviScan on strip samples removed from the intact portion of the specimens after the bending tests. It was found that MFA alone accounted for 87 percent of the variation in MOE, while density alone accounted for 81 percent. Together, MFA and density (as Density/MFA) accounted for 92 percent of the variation in MOE. The MFA “impact diminishing” pointFootnote 1 appears to be 16 degrees for the wood material of three eucalypt species in this study. Density alone accounted for 80 percent of the variation in MOR, whereas MFA had little independent influence on MOR.

Zusammenfassung

Kleine fehlerfreie Proben (30×30×450 mm) wurden aus 15 bis 33 Jahre alten Eucalyptus globulus, E. nitens und E. regnans aus Plantagenanbau geschnitten. Deren MOE und MOR wurden unter statischer zentraler Belastung im Biegetest bestimmt. Außerdem wurden der Mikrofibrillenwinkel (MFA) und die Dichte bestimmt, und zwar mittels SilviScan an Probestreifen, die nach dem Biegetest aus intakten Probeteilen geschnitten wurden. Es zeigte sich, daß allein der Mikrofibrillenwinkel zu 87 Prozent für die Variation des MOE verantwortlich ist, die Dichte für sich allein nur für 81 Prozent. MFA und Dichte zusammen (als Quotient Dichte/MFA) erklären 92 Prozent der Variation des MOE. Die Grenze des negativen Einflusses des Mikrofibrillenwinkels scheint für das vorliegende Probenmaterial bei 16 Grad zu liegen. Im Falle des MOR ist die Dichte allein für 80 Prozent der Variation verantwortlich, wogegen der MFA nur einen geringen unabhängigen Einfluß auf den MOR hat.

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Notes

  1. A MFA value beyond which an increase in MFA results in little further decrease in MOE.

  2. Other forms of equations, e.g. polynomial and log relationships, could also well predict measured MOE as found in this study.

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Acknowledgement

We thank Mrs S Molenaar for the static bending tests, Mr. J Ilic and Mr. G Freischmidt of CSIRO for their valuable comments on this manuscript prior to submission to the journal.

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  1. CSIRO Forestry and Forest Products, Private Bag 10, 3169, Clayton South, Victoria, Australia

    J. L. Yang & R. Evans

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  1. J. L. Yang
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  2. R. Evans
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Correspondence to J. L. Yang.

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Yang, J.L., Evans, R. Prediction of MOE of eucalypt wood from microfibril angle and density. Holz Roh Werkst 61, 449–452 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-003-0424-3

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