Strength Properties of Juvenile and Mature Wood in Black Locust (<i>Robinia Pseudoacacia</i> L.)
Keywords:
Black locust, juvenile wood, mature wood, static bending, dynamic strength, compression, toughnessAbstract
This study was undertaken to investigate the strength properties of juvenile and mature wood in black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.). Wood specimens were prepared from various stem heights, up to 9 m, of five naturally-grown black locust trees, 21-37 years old. Mechanical properties tested included moduli of rupture (MOR) and elasticity (MOE), and pure modulus of elasticity (PMOE) in static bending, stress wave modulus of elasticity (SWMOE) in dynamic strength, axial compression, and toughness. Comparisons between juvenile and mature wood specimens of similar densities (0.667-0.894 g/cm3 and 0.682-0.892 g/cm3, respectively) showed that juvenile wood had a statistically significant lower mean MOR (138.78 N/mm2), MOE (13,936 N/mm2), PMOE (18,125 N/mm2), SWMOE (16,813 N/mm2) and toughness strength (155.25 KJ/m2) than the mature wood (148.29 N/mm2, 14,747 N/mm2, 19,498 N/mm2, 17,635 N/mm2 and 181.27 KJ/m2, respectively). On the contrary, no statistically significant differences were found for the mean strength in axial compression among juvenile (63.75 N/mm2) and mature wood (66.65 N/mm2). Fractured surfaces of juvenile and mature wood specimens in static bending and toughness were classified into the "splintering tension" type of failure, while compression failures were of the "shearing type" according to ASTM D 143-83 standards. Lower strength of juvenile wood in most of the properties examined may be attributed to anatomical and chemical properties rather than density of wood specimens. The adverse influence of juvenile wood on strength properties should be considered for effective management (e.g. longer rotation age and other genetic and forest or plantation management measures that reduce juvenile wood content) and utilization of the species.References
Adamopoulos, S., and E. Voulgaridis. 2002. Within-tree variation in growth rate and cell dimensions in the wood of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia). IAWA J.23(2): 191-199.nAdamopoulos, S., E. Voulgaridis., and C. Passialis. 2005. Variation of certain chemical properties within the stemwood of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.). Holz Roh-Werkst.63(5):327-333.nAhn, W. Y. 1985. Strength properties and chemical composition of black locust, Robinia pseudoacacia. Mogjae-Conghak13(6):3-8.nArabatzis, G. 2005. European Union, Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the afforestation of agricultural land in Greece. New Medit4:48-54.nAmerican Society for Testing Materials. (ASTM) 1988. ASTM D 143-83. Standard methods of testing small clear specimens of timber. The ASTM Book of Standards, Philadelphia, PA.nBao, F. C., Z. H. Jiang, X. M. Jiang, X. X. Lu, X. Q. Luo, and S. Y. Zhang. 2001. Differences in wood properties between juvenile wood and mature wood in 10 species grown in China. Wood Sci. Technol.35(4):363-375.nBarrett, R. P., T. Mebrahtu, and J. W. Hanover. 1990. Black locust: A multi-purpose tree species for temperate climates. Pages 278-283 in J. Janick and J. E. Simon, eds. Advances in new crops. Timber Press, Portland, OR.nBendsten, B. A. 1978. Properties of wood from improved and intensively managed trees. Forest Prod. J.28(10): 61-72.nBendsten, B. A., and J. F. Senft. 1986. Mechanical and anatomical properties in individual growth rings of plantation-grown eastern cottonwood and loblolly pine. Wood Fiber Sci.18(1):23-38.nBoutelje, J. B. 1968. Juvenile wood with particular reference to northern spruce. Sven. Pepperstidn.71:581-585.nDeutsches Institut für Normung. 1992. DIN 52186. Prüfung von Holz: Biegeversuch. DIN-Taschenbuch 31, Beuth.nBoutelje, J. B. 1992. DIN 52189. Prüfung von Holz: Schlagbiegeversuch, Bestimmung der Bruchschlagarbeit. DIN-Taschenbuch 31, Beuth.nEvans II, J. W., J. F. Senft, and D. W. Green. 2000. Juvenile wood effect in red alder: Analysis of physical and mechanical data to delineate juvenile and mature wood zones. Forest Prod. J.50(7/8):75-87.nFAO. 2001. Global forest resources assessment 2000—main report. FAO Forestry Paper No. 140. Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations, Rome, Italy.nForest Products Laboratory. 1987. Wood handbook: Wood as an engineering material. USDA Agric. Handb. 72, Washington, DC. 466 pp.nGerhards, C. C. 1975. Stress wave speed and MOE of sweetgum ranging from 150 to 15 percent MC. Forest Prod. J.25(4):51-57.nHeliñska-Raczkowska, L. 1994. Variation of earlywood vessel lumen diameter in radial direction as an indication of juvenile wood growth in oak (Quercus patraea Liebl.). Ann. Sci. For.51(3):283-290.nHeliñska-Raczkowska, L., and E. Fabisiak. 1999. Radial variation of vessel lumen diameter as an indicator of the juvenile growth period in ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.). Holz Roh-Werkst.57(4):283-286.nISO. 1976. ISO Standard 3787. Wood—Tests methods—Determination of ultimate stress in compression parallel to grain. International Organization for Standardization, Geneva, Switzerland.nKeresztesi, B. 1981. The black locust. Unasylva32:23-33.nKeresztesi, B. 1988. The black locust. H. Stillman Publishers, Inc. Akademiai Kiado, Budapest, Hungary. 197 pp.nKopitovič, Š., B. Klašnja, and V. Guzina. 1989. Importance of structural, physical and chemical properties of Robinia wood (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) for its mechanical characteristics. Drevarsky Vyskum122:13-30.nLarson, P. R., D. E. Kretschmann, A. Clark III, and J. G. Isebrands. 2001. Formation and properties of juvenile wood in southern pines. USDA, Forest Products Laboratory, General Technical Report, FPL-GTR-129. 42 pp.nMolnar, S. 1995. Wood properties and utilization of black locust in Hungary. Drevarsky Vyskum1:27-33.nNepveu, G. 1981. Prédiction juvénile de la qualité du bois de Hêtre. Ann. Sci. For.38(3):425-448.nOliver, C. D. 1986. Silviculture and juvenile wood. Pages 29-34 in Proc. Technical Workshop: Juvenile wood—What does it mean to forest management and forest products? Forest Products Research Society, Madison, WI.nPanshin, A. J., and C. DeZeeuw. 1980. Textbook of wood technology, 4rd ed. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY.nPassialis, C., and A. Kiriazakos. 2004. Juvenile and mature wood properties of naturally-grown fir trees. Holz Roh-Werkst.62(6):476-478.nPearson, R. G., and R. C. Gilmore. 1971. Characterization of the strength of juvenile wood of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). Forest Prod. J.21:23-30.nRendle, B. J. 1960. Juvenile and adult wood. J. Inst. Wood Sci.5:58-61.nRendle, B. J. 1972. World Timbers. Volume 1. Europe and Africa. E. Benn Ltd., London.nRockwood, D. L., J. R. Saucier, and A. Clark III. 1997. Culture and genetic variation influence juvenile wood properties of Pinus elliotii and Pinus taeda in Florida. Proc. 24th South. For. Tree Improvement Conf. Orlando, FL. Pp. 299-308.nRoos, K. D, J. E. Shottafer, and R. K. Shepard. 1990. The relationship between selected mechanical properties and age in quaking aspen. Forest Prod. J.40(7/8):54-56.nSaucier, J. R. 1987. Management practices and juvenile wood. 41st Annual FPRS Meeting, Louisville, KY.nSauter, U. H., R. Mutz, and B. D. Munro. 1999. Determining juvenile-mature wood transition in scots pine using latewood density. Wood Fiber Sci.31(4):416-425.nSenft, J. F., B. A. Bendtsen, and W. L. Galligan. 1985. Weak wood: Fast grown trees make problem in lumber. J. Forestry83(7):476-482.nShukla, N. K., K. R. Singh, and R. S. Singh. 1986. A note on the physical and mechanical properties of Robinia pseudoacacia, Fraxinus spp. and Ailanthus spp. from Srinagar (J&K). Indian Forester112(2):139-151.nSo, W. T., S. J. Park, J.K. Kim, K. Shim, K.Y. Lee, J.W. Hyun, H.S. Lee, S.K. Kang, and J. M. Jo. 1980. On wood properties of imported (introduced) species grown in Korea. Wood properties of Pinus stobus, Pinus silvestris, Pinus banksiana, Picea abies and Robinia pseudoacacia.Res. Rep. For. Res. Inst. S. Korea27:7-31nStringer, J. W. 1992. Wood properties of black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.): Physical, mechanical, and quantitative chemical variability. Pages 197-207 in Proc. International Conf. on Black Locust: Biology, Culture and Cultivation. Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI.nThomas, R. J. 1984. The characteristics of juvenile wood. Proc. of the Symposium on Utilization Changes in Wood Research in the Southern U.S. North Carolina State Univ. Raleigh, North Carolina. Pp. 40-52.nWangaard, F. F. 1964. Elastic deflection of wood-fiberglass composite beams. Forest Prod. J.14(6):256-260.nZhang, S. Y., G. Nepveu, and R. Eyondo Owoundi. 1994. Intratree and intertree variation in selected wood quality characteristics of European oak (Quercus petraea and Quercus robur). Can. J. For. Res.24:1818-1823.nZobel, B. J., and J. R. Sprague. 1998. Juvenile wood in forest trees. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.nZobel, B. J., and J. T. Talbert. 1984. Applied forest tree improvement. John Wiley and Sons, New York, NY.nZobel, B. J., and J. P. van Buijtenen. 1989. Wood variation—its causes and control. Springer, Berlin, Germany. 363 pp.n
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
The copyright of an article published in Wood and Fiber Science is transferred to the Society of Wood Science and Technology (for U. S. Government employees: to the extent transferable), effective if and when the article is accepted for publication. This transfer grants the Society of Wood Science and Technology permission to republish all or any part of the article in any form, e.g., reprints for sale, microfiche, proceedings, etc. However, the authors reserve the following as set forth in the Copyright Law:
1. All proprietary rights other than copyright, such as patent rights.
2. The right to grant or refuse permission to third parties to republish all or part of the article or translations thereof. In the case of whole articles, such third parties must obtain Society of Wood Science and Technology written permission as well. However, the Society may grant rights with respect to Journal issues as a whole.
3. The right to use all or part of this article in future works of their own, such as lectures, press releases, reviews, text books, or reprint books.
