BioMatNet Item: FAIR-CT96-1915 - Improved spruce timber utilisation (STUD)

FAIR-CT96-1915
Improved spruce timber utilisation (STUD)

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FAIR Area 1.3 - Forestry-Wood Chain : Solid Wood Products : Wood (Lignocellulose)

	Type of Project	Shared Cost
	Contract No	FAIR-CT96-1915
	Total Cost	2,967,000 ECU
	EC Contribution	2,350,000 ECU
	Start Date	01/01/1997
	Duration	36 months

Improved spruce timber utilisation (STUD)

Objectives

The overall objectives are:

to allocate the right raw material to the right industry
when a certain raw material is specified, to produce the optimal mix of products which fulfil the end user requirements

to improve the quality of solid timber products in terms of mechanical properties and moisture-related straightness

The whole project is divided into two sub-projects, A and B, where the output and conclusions of sub-project B will be integrated at the end into the output of sub-project A.

Technical Approach

The main objectives of sub-project A are as follows:

on the basis of stand characteristics and measurements on individual trees, predict the interior properties of trees and the quality of potential products in relation to the end-user requirements, thereby facilitating improved utilisation in terms of value recovery
to provide integrated models and conversion simulation tools and to demonstrate how these can be implemented in industrial planning systems
to evaluate the potential benefits from modifications in conversion processes in the whole forestry-wood chain as a result of such implementation

The main objectives of sub-project B are as follows:

to increase our knowledge of the mechanisms which cause distortion in timber with a view to linking round log parameters to end-product performance, i.e. propensity to distortion due to drying and wetting (simulating the real conditions), and thereby to develop and verify models for the mechanisms of moisture-induced distortion based on measurements of wood properties and other raw material parameters including some industrially-relevant parameters
to provide a scientific basis for the future development of improved drying regimens or other modification techniques in order to improve (in the longer term) the production of straight and moisture-stable timber products
to provide a new basis for grading trees, logs and battens in green conditions by using models which can predict the yield of acceptable straight dried timber based on parameters measured on-line in a sawmill

24 Norway spruce stands were chosen to represent typical growth conditions and applied
silviculture. 6 trees were sampled in each stand, a fairly typical sample tree is here portrayed
with a stem diameter fo ~25cm and a total height of ~23m.

Sampling, measurement and marking of logs had to be done with care to enable later reconstruction of the tree stem of each selected tree.

The Siemens SOM-ART used to produce computerized tompgraphy images of the internal stem structure of each log. Based on these images the internal knot structure is represented as a parameter file to be used in the construction of tree models.

The software "Saw Timber Optimisation" (SOPT) is being developed within the frame of this project. Tree models derived in the project are used as input to SOPT enabling more efficient planning and production of sawn timber.

Contacts

EC Scientific Officer

Alexandros ARABATZIS / European Commission DG Research Theme 1 Key Action 5.3 / BELGIUM

Participant