bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Comparison of Geometry Effect on Tensile Testing of Wood Strands
Authors: Kohan Neil , Via Brian K. , Taylor Steven 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
There is currently no ASTM standard for testing the tensile mechanical properties of strands used in wood-strand–based composites. In this study we compared the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) parallel to grain and tensile modulus of elasticity (MOE) for southern pine (Pinus spp.) wood strands from an oriented strand board plant in which one treatment consisted of rectangle-shaped specimens and the other treatment consisted of samples milled into a tapered (“dog-bone”) shape. For bone-shaped samples, the measurements observed were 16 and 27 percent higher for MOE and UTS, respectively, than for the rectangular samples, and this was attributed to the generally accepted fact that dog-bone–shaped geometry yields measurements that are closer to true population parameters. Variation in mechanical properties was not statistically different for the two test methods. This study quantified that tensile testing of the rectangular strands will underestimate the true strength and MOE of the southern pine material. Because both methods resulted in similar levels of variability in test results, in-plant testing, using the traditional rectangular sample, may be acceptable for quality control as long as there is a recognition that the UTS and MOE values will be substantially more underestimated than those of smaller, dog-bone–shaped samples. As such, for future standards development, consideration should be given to the geometry of the strand when determining mechanical properties. Given the large amount of studies that use rectangular strands, there may be a need for a methodology to relate test results for rectangular and bone-shaped specimens.
Effects of Outdoor Exposure Angle on the Deterioration of Wood-Based Board Properties
Authors: Korai Hideaki , Sekino Noboru , Saotome Hiroshi 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
Wood-based boards were exposed to an outdoor environment at angles of 90° and 45° to the ground surface in order to investigate the effect of exposure angle on board properties. In a study on 5-year outdoor exposure, the effects of the exposure angle varied depending on the type of board. Particleboard (PB) and oriented strand board (OSB) deteriorated faster when exposed at 45° compared with 90°, and the difference was more apparent with longer exposure. Five years of exposure at 45° lowered the retention of the modulus of rupture and internal bond of phenolic resin–bonded PB to 15 and 4 percent, respectively. In contrast, medium-density fiberboard (MDF) showed no difference in deterioration between both exposure angles. After 5 years of exposure, the retention of the modulus of rupture was 70 to 80 percent in MDF, while that of internal bond was 81 to 97 percent, thereby showing that the internal bond was better retained than the modulus of rupture. The high durability of MDF was attributable partly to its smoother surface compared with the other boards, which prevented residual rainwater on the surface from infiltrating into the board. Conversely, PB and OSB were prone to surface weathering, which led to the ingress of rainwater. The resultant swelling resulted in the collapse of bonding points, followed by the formation of voids inside the boards. Residual moisture in the voids then caused decay as well as a further reduction in strength (biodegradation).
China's Wood Furniture Manufacturing Industry: Industrial Cluster and Export Competitiveness
Authors: Hongqiang Yang , Ji Chunyi , Nie Ying , Yinxing Hong 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
China is the largest furniture exporter in the world. Its wood furniture industry has become an important part of the country's forestry economic development. Hence, investigating China's furniture industry cluster and export competitiveness would benefit the sustainable development of China's forestry industry. Our study indicates that, under the export-oriented strategy of China's reform and opened economy, the country's furniture industry has developed in three large areas over the last 30 years, namely, the Eastern Pearl River Delta, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Bohai Rim Region. As the strategy shifts from an export orientation to a focus on domestic demand, the country's midwestern area will take over China's industrial production. At present, China's furniture products have an important position in the world market. In 2010, furniture exports accounted for 27 percent of the world's total exports, with wood furniture accounting for US$10.6 billion worth of exports, or 58 percent of China's total exports of furniture. Among the main export markets, the United States accounted for 39 percent of China's total exports. In terms of international furniture trade, an important mutual relationship exists between China and the United States. China's office furniture and kitchen furniture have price advantages, whereas the bedroom furniture lacks price advantages. In particular, the production and export of mahogany furniture may be hampered by raw material shortage because of the protection of tropical forest resources. This challenge puts China's furniture industry in future competition with emerging countries such as Malaysia.
Stem Sinuosity Changes in Young and Merchantable Stands of Pinus taeda
Authors: Jones P. David , Fox Thomas R. 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
A survey of stem sinuosity severity and occurrence was conducted on six sites in North Carolina and South Carolina (USA) in Pinus taeda stands approximately 2 years after establishment. Approximately 1,400 trees on each site were measured for height, diameter, and degree of sinuosity in the stem at the beginning of the growing season and again after the completion of the growing season. Fifty-two percent of the trees increased in sinuosity over the growing season. Using stand records and observations by local foresters, two mature stands of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) were located in the Atlantic Coastal Plain, where excessive stem sinuosity was reported to be present at ages 1 to 3 years. Seven trees were felled from each site. The 2.4-m butt logs were removed from each tree along with a 0.61-m bolt from the remaining felled tree. Slices were then cut through the log progressing through the pith. A single veneer containing the pith from each log was then selected for calculation of log volume, juvenile wood volume, and the volume of sinuous growth. Seven trees at the two sites were found to have had severe sinuosity earlier in their lives. Of the seven sinuous trees, three trees took only 1 year to correct the sinuous growth and return to a normal growth pattern. Two trees took an additional year to return to cylindrical growth, one tree returned to normal growth after the third year, and a single tree returned to a straight appearance by the end of the fifth year after the initiation of sinuous growth. Therefore, the sinuous portions of all seven trees were entirely contained within the juvenile core of the tree. Clear static bending specimens were machined and tested. Trees that were found to be nonsinuous produced mature wood that was significantly stiffer than the sinuous trees.
Environmental Impact Assessment of Wood Pulp from a Eucalyptus Plantation in South China by Using Life-Cycle Analysis
Authors: Xu Wei , Becker Gero 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
This exploratory study evaluated the environmental impacts associated with Bleached Eucalyptus Kraft Pulp supplied from a eucalyptus plantation in South China by applying the life-cycle analysis approach. The system boundary was defined by a “cradle-to-gate” perspective including the forest subsystem and the pulp mill subsystem. Key processes were investigated and site-specific data were collected during 2009 and 2010 through field trips to a leading plantation operator and a representative pulp mill in China. Umberto 5.5 software was used to conduct a life-cycle inventory, which compiled all the inputs and outputs of the examined system. Hot-spot processes with high environmental burdens were identified with regard to selected impact categories of global warming, acidification, eutrophication, nonrenewable resources depletion, and human toxicity.
According to the findings of this study, the forest subsystem showed significant contributions to the total environmentaltable4 burdens in almost all impact categories, mainly due to the application of fertilizers in eucalyptus plantation management. The study discovered that while the pulp mill subsystem was the primary contributor to global warming impacts, the upstream processes of raw materials and energy production accounted for more than half of the impacts of acidification, human toxicity, and resources depletion. Therefore, eucalyptus plantation management and the supply of raw materials and energy in pulp mills in China are concluded to be concerns for future development. These findings may help the Chinese forest industry and pulp industry achieve better environmental performance toward sustainable development.
Vacuum–Steam Phytosanitation of Hardwood Pallets and Pallet Stringers
Authors: Chen Zhangjing , White Marshall , Wu Yiqiang 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
The vacuum–steam treatment of pallets and pallet parts for compliance with the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 regulation was evaluated. Vacuum–steam treatment consists of four steps: (1) vacuum, (2) heating, (3) holding at an increased temperature for a period of time, and (4) cooling. The system produces steam and maintains the saturation or superheated state in a flexible container. Hardwood dry and green pallets (122 by 101.6 cm) and notched stringers (122 cm long) were treated. After the vacuum was drawn, steam was injected into the container to heat the pallets through condensation. The steam was turned off when the center of the pallets or stringers reached 56°C. The stringer parts were treated in three stacking patterns: deadpacked piles of 12, 2, and 5 layers in a stack. Vacuum–steam treatment is significantly faster than conventional convective hot air treatment. The pallets were treated in less than 65 minutes, which included a vacuum time of 5 minutes and a holding time of 30 minutes. The average treatment times of dry pallets were 7.1 and 10.4 percent faster than green pallets at 400 and 665 mbar, respectively. Wood species affected the treatment time. The average treatment time of dry yellow-poplar pallets was 15.9 percent faster than that of dry red oak pallets at 400 mbar. Pressure also affected the treatment duration. The stringers could be successfully treated even when they were arranged in various stacking patterns. The moisture content increased after the treatment, but the change was less than 3 percent for both green and dry pallets.
An Investigation of Drying Technologies for Small Masson Pine Logs
Authors: Cai Jiabin , Ding Tao , Li Tao , Wang Chuangui , Zhang Shuangyang 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
Small-diameter Masson pine (Pinus massoniana) logs with a length of 800 mm and a diameter ranging from 108 to 132 mm were dried with a mild schedule in a laboratory dryer. The drying experiments were done using logs with or without bark and with or without a longitudinal cut. The reduction in moisture content over time was monitored by a resistance-type moisture meter. The results indicated that small-diameter Masson pine logs can be dried by the proposed schedule successfully. Debarking reduced drying times; however, more checks on the log surfaces were detected. Making a longitudinal cut in logs helped to increase the drying rate and reduce drying stresses.
The Development of Wood Floor Construction in Finland
Authors: Vahtikari Katja , Silvo Jonna , Metsälä Harri , Paajanen Olli 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
Traditionally, wood has been widely used for construction in Finland and other Scandinavian countries and has been the dominant floor material in Finland. Solid wood floors that were installed more than 100 years ago are still in service. In Finland, however, the current attitude toward using wood floorings differs from that in the past.
This review evaluates how current wood floor constructions differ from those used in the past. The review covers the period from the early 19th century, when stone-based floor construction became common in Finland, to the present. The review includes only solid wood floors.
The largest change in floor construction occurred when insulation was added below the whole boarded floor. The wood species used for the floor boards have remained unchanged, but the dimensions have decreased and become consistent and uniform over time. The insulation materials have developed from dry clay and moss to the current mineral wool. Availability of coatings has also increased remarkably. Examples of old buildings show that properly built solid wood floors provide a useful service life of more than 100 years.
Properties of Medium-Density Fiberboards from Bagasse Digested with Different Retention Times
Authors: Adam Abdel-Baset A. , Basta Altaf H. , El-Saied Houssni 
Published: October 2013

The present work deals with studying the influence of different steam digestion retention times on properties of finished medium-density fiberboard (MDF). It aims to operate the defibration process with the minimum deterioration of stored bagasse-fiber strength. In this respect the wet-stored bagasse (WSB) samples were studied, parallel to dry-stored bagasse (DSB) samples, at different digestion retention times. Regression equations of quadratic order were used to optimize the independent variables (retention time and storage period).
The results obtained show that a relatively higher digestion time (353 s) reduced the hollocellulose and hemicellulose contents of WSB. In the case of DSB, the changes in chemical constituents as a function of retention time were not very significant because the mechanical properties of MDF (static bending, internal bond, and screw holding) produced from applying a higher digestion time do not fulfill the standard requirements of ANSI A208.2. However, digestion at a shorter retention time (253 s) is recommended for stored bagasse in order to produce a board that complies with the European standards on MDF. DSB fibers at all the examined retention times are recommended for comparison. The advantage of applying a shorter retention time is evident from preserving, to some extent, the chemical constituents of WSB fibers.
Study on Urea-Formaldehyde Prepolymer and Hot-Press Treatment of Italian Poplar Wood
Authors: Wu Guofeng , Jiang Yifei , Qu Ping , Song Shuping , Pu Junwen 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
The purpose of this study was to modify Italian poplar (Populus euramevicana cv. ‘I-214’) wood with urea-formaldehyde prepolymer followed by hot pressing. The timbers were impregnated with urea-formaldehyde prepolymer using a pulsed-dipping machine and cured in a hot press. The results showed that the timbers could be easily compressed and cured at temperatures between 90°C and 120°C. The characteristics and quality of the modified wood were up to A grade according to Chinese Standard GB/T 6491‐1999. The air-dried density of modified wood was improved by 58 percent, and the hardness in the transverse, tangential, and radial directions was increased by 67, 210, and 160 percent, respectively. The bending strength was improved by 78 percent; the bend elastic modulus was improved by 66 percent. The water absorption of treated wood decreased relative to that of the untreated timbers. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of the modified wood showed a significant reduction in the C=O absorbance at 1,750 cm−1. The peak at 1,645 cm−1 was found to increase as a result of treatment with the prepolymer.
Binderless Particleboard Resistance to Termite Attack
Authors: Suhasman S. , Hadi Y. S. , Massijaya M. Y. , Santoso A 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
Three particleboard types, including urea-formaldehyde (UF), melamine-formaldehyde (MF), and binderless, were made from three wood species, sengon (Paraserianthes falcataria), gmelina (Gmelina arborea), and mindi (Melia azedarach). Wood particle sizes of 10 to 20 mesh were manufactured for the 30 by 30 by 0.7-cm (length by width by thickness) boards, with 0.75 g/cm3 as the density target. Binderless particleboards were made through particle activation with hydrogen peroxide and ferrous sulfate as the catalyst, and the boards were hot pressed at 180°C for 12 minutes. For the purpose of comparison, conventional particleboards were made with UF and MF, with the resin level at 10 percent and the boards hot pressed at 120°C for 7 minutes. All particleboards were conditioned for 8 months prior to testing against the subterranean termite (Coptotermes curvignathus Holmgren) in laboratory and field tests, and against the dry wood termite (Cryptotermes cynocephalus Light) in laboratory tests. Results showed that wood species affected particleboard resistance in both of the subterranean termite tests and that the type of particleboard affected board resistance in field tests. Particleboard from sengon wood had the lowest resistance in both tests, followed by from gmelina and mindi woods, and particleboards with UF and MF resins had better resistance than binderless particleboard in field tests. Particleboard type and wood species did not affect board resistance to dry wood termite attack.
Twenty-Year Performance of Decking with Two Levels of Preservative Penetration
Authors: Morris Paul Ian , Ingram Janet Kathleen 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACT
In 1991 a field test was established at two locations in Canada to assess the longevity of deck boards that were either untreated or pressure treated with two levels of preservative penetration. These penetration levels were (1) single incised with 80 percent ≥ 5 mm and (2) unincised. Minidecks were prepared from each species/treatment variable and visually inspected for decay after 5, 9, 15, and 20 years of exposure. After 9 years the treated boards were virtually free of fungal attack, regardless of the preservative penetration, while decay of the untreated boards was moderate to severe. After 15 years there was still almost no decay in the treated boards, while decay in untreated boards had progressed significantly. At the 20-year inspection all untreated decks, with the exception of western red cedar (Thuja plicata), would have had to be replaced due to decay of multiple boards, while all chromated copper arsenate–treated decks remained serviceable regardless of preservative penetration. Based on published work showing how shell treatments with copper-containing preservatives protect decking even with checks penetrating the treated zone, these data are expected to be also relevant to newer preservatives with low levels of mobile copper.
A Study of the Visual Physical Characteristics and Psychological Images of Select Taiwanese Hardwoods
Authors: Chen Tien-li 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
This study investigated the relationship between visual images of wood color and wood grains of wood products manufactured from select Taiwanese commercial hardwoods. The Taiwan Forestry Research Institute provided samples for 23 species of commercially available woods, each with tangential and radial sections (46 samples total). Wood color parameters were measured, followed by a survey using a Semantic Differential scaling method to discern the consumers' mental perception toward the wood products. Finally, factors involved in constructing different images underwent statistical analysis to offer designers and consumers a reference for designing a product or wood product selections. Among Taiwan's commercial woods, Swietenia mahogoni was perceived to be advanced, elegant, and exquisite in the tangential section and warm, soft, and possessive of a natural image in the radial section. The tangential section of Paulownia taiwaniana was perceived to possess a common image; meretricious and rough images were associated with the tangential section of Cassia siamea. Cold and hard images were associated with the tangential and radial sections of Actinodaphne nantoensis, and Cyclobalanopsis longinux was perceived to possess an artificial image. In terms of color (Commission Internationale d'Eclairage L*a*b*), the relative images of advanced and common, elegant and meretricious, and warm and cold were closely related to L* and a*; the relative images of exquisite and rough and of soft and hard were related to a*. In terms of grains, the relative images of soft and hard and of natural and artificial are closely related to thickness of the wood lines.
Evaluation of Strategic Software Investments for the Canadian Cabinet Industry
Authors: Hewitt Richard , Sowlati Taraneh , Paradi Joseph C. 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACT
Software investments are increasingly important to remain competitive in modern manufacturing. However, wood product industries generally make minimal information technology (IT) investments and are slow adopters. This study determines the types of software that could contribute the most to the future competitiveness of the Canadian cabinet industry using industry and IT expert input into an Analytic Network Process model. Findings include the following. The Quality strategy is the most crucial for the industry's future competitiveness, with a normalized weight of 0.332, and the Delivery strategy is the least important (0.111). For software, Operations & Engineering and Enterprise Resource Management applications are the most important, having final priorities of 0.227 and 0.222, respectively. Content applications are relatively unimportant (0.087). The sensitivity analysis indicates that the results are robust for varying weights of all strategies except Customer Service. A higher emphasis on the Customer Service strategy increases the priority of the Customer Relationship Management and Collaboration applications to the first and the second-highest priority, respectively.
Properties of Rubberwood Medium-Density Fiberboard Bonded with Starch and Urea-Formaldehyde
Authors: Jarusombuti Songklod , Bauchongkol Piyawade , Hiziroglu Salim , Fueangvivat Vallayuth 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate some of the properties of experimental medium-density fiberboard panels made from rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) using a combination of cassava (Manihot utilissima) starch and a low percentage of urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin as a binder. Experimental panels with density levels of 0.65 and 0.80 g/cm3 were made using 10 percent starch, 10 percent starch and 3 percent UF, and 10 percent UF for the control samples. The panels manufactured with 10 percent starch did not have satisfactory physical and mechanical properties based on Japanese Industrial Standards. However, average modulus of elasticity, modulus of rupture, and thickness swelling values of the sample types E and F manufactured using a combination of starch and UF were 2,044 MPa, 22.49 MPa, and 35.50 percent, respectively, which met required limits listed in Japanese Industrial Standard A-5908. The results of this study indicated that starch can be used as a viable alternative binder with limited addition of UF resin without having any significant adverse influence of bending properties of the samples. Based on formaldehyde emission tests, specimens made with 3 percent UF had an average value of 18.5 mg/100 g, while control samples having 10 percent UF resulted in 38.5 mg/100 g.