Mats Ekevad

Local water vapor diffusion coefficient when drying Norway spruce sapwood

In this article, a one-dimensional and a two-dimensional approach to the evaluation of local diffusion coefficients for Norway spruce sapwood from measured moisture content (MC) values are presented. A studied wood sample was dried from the initial green condition to about 15% mean MC, but here only the diffusive part of the drying process between approximately 25% and 15% mean MC was treated. Measured local MC values were based on nondestructive X-ray computed tomography data. Finite element calculations were performed with two alternative diffusion coefficients to test the appropriateness of the diffusion coefficients that were evaluated from the measured MC values. The evaluated diffusion coefficients show interesting dependence on MC and distance from the evaporation surface. The advantage of using the methods presented is that the diffusion coefficient is calculated on a local level without having to define a function for the diffusion coefficient’s dependency on other parameters.

Method to compute fiber directions in wood from computed tomography images

This paper describes a new method, called the CT-direction method, in which the fiber directions in wood in three-dimensional space are calculated from the pixel information on a series of two-dimensional computed tomography images. Local fiber directions are calculated from the principal directions of inertia of measurement spheres distributed throughout the body of the wood object. The calculated fiber directions are probably due to density streaks in the material, such as fiber bundles, which are directed in the fiber direction, and not the density of individual fibers, which are too small to be detected. The fiber directions vary locally, and density streaks from knots, growth rings, and compression wood influence the results, which adds spread to the results. The fiber directions are presented as spiral grain angles and conical angles and are compared with spiral grain angles measured with the tracheid-effect method. The comparisons show that the CT-direction method is a nondestructive way to measure fiber directions locally and in the interior of the body of a piece of wood.

Main cutting force models for two species of tropical wood

Abstract The aim of the study was to evaluate the main cutting force for two species of tropical Mozambican wood and to develop predictive models. Cutting these hardwoods is difficult. Determination of cutting parameters is required to optimize cutting processes, machines and tools in the cutting operations. This determination would enable the forestry and wood sector to achieve higher financial results. Samples of a lesser-known wood species Pseudolachnostylis maprounaefolia (ntholo) and a well-known wood species Swartzia madagascariensis (ironwood) were machined in a test apparatus. A standard single saw tooth mounted on a piezoelectric load cell was used to evaluate the main cutting force. Data were captured using an A/D converter integrated with National Instruments LabVIEW software. The measured signals were recorded at a sampling frequency of 25 kHz. The experimental set-up used response surface methodology for developing predictive models. The experimental clearly determined the relationship between the main cutting force and edge radius, wood density, rake angle, chip thickness, moisture content (MC) and cutting direction (CD). Among the studied variables, chip thickness and CD had the highest effect on the main cutting force level while wood density, MC and rake angle had the lowest effect.

Twist of wood studs: dependence on spiral grain gradient

Distortions due to moisture changes during drying or in service are a major problem for construction timber. Twist, caused mainly by the cylindrical geometry, the orthotropic nature of the wood material, and the tendency of the wood fibers to grow in a spiral around the stem, is often regarded as the most detrimental distortion of sawn timber. There is a need for a basic mechanical understanding of how the twist distortion arises and also a need for a simple formula to predict the amount of twist distortion. In this article such a formula is proposed, and theory and experimental data that indicate the validity of the formula are shown. The first term in the formula is a modification of a traditional expression which is proportional to the mean value of the spiral grain angle in the cross section in question. The second term in the formula is new and is proportional to the gradient of the spiral grain angle, and this term normally counteracts the first term so that a stud with a left-handed spiral grain might achieve a right-handed twist. Linear elastic finite element method (FEM) results and comparisons with experimental data show that the formula works well and that linear FEM calculations exaggerate the twist, which is probably partly due to nonlinear effects. The formula could be used to predict the twist of sawn timber from measured spiral grain angles on the log surface.

Tool wear for lesser known tropical wood species

Abstract This study investigated the relationship between tool wear and some chemical and physical properties for four different Mozambican lesser known tropical species,: Pseudolachnostylis maprounaefolia (ntholo), Sterculia appendiculata (metil), Acacia nigrescens (namuno) and Pericopsis angolensis (muanga). Tool wear is an important aspect for sawmilling and for the woodworking industry. For Mozambique, the utilization of available lesser known wood species will help to increase domestic industry and the economic usage viability of sustainable forest management. A set of experiments was performed on a shaper with a mechanical feed mechanism. Tools of a cemented carbide grade for woodworking were used, and the cutting parameters were fixed. Edge recession and tool wear radius were measured for monitoring tool wear. The wear mechanism was investigated using a scanning electron microscope. The experimental results showed that the chemical properties of the wood species have a great effect on tool wear. Wood silica content was the most important factor affecting tool wear. Wood density and extractives had a low influence on tool wear. The highest tool wear was observed in ntholo, which also had the highest ash and silica contents. A single parameter for evaluation of tool wear was not sufficient to describe the amount of total tool wear.

Modelling of adequate pretwist for obtaining straight timber

Abstract Wood in general and wooden studs in particular are often distorted owing to uneven shrinkage during the drying process in the sawmill. Twist is often the most detrimental of all types of distortion, and it is caused by spiral grain in combination with variations in moisture content. For sawmills, the objective is to produce dried, straight boards, and one method of dealing with boards with excessive spiral grain is to sort them out and then dry them in a pretwisted position to obtain straight boards after drying. A model using the finite element (FE) method for the simulation of drying twist distortions was first calibrated against laboratory experiments in which boards were dried with and without restraints and pretwists. After the calibration, the FE results were compared with industrial test results for boards that were dried without restraints or with restraints with zero pretwist, i.e. straight restraints. The FE model used an elastic–ideally plastic material model to obtain permanent deformations. The calibration was to set the yield stresses so that there was a good match between FE results and results from the laboratory experiments. The comparison between the industrial test results and the FE results showed that the FE model is capable of realistic simulations of drying boards with and without restraints and presumably also pretwists.

Crack influence on load-bearing capacity of glued laminated timber using extended finite element modelling

Abstract Most of the cracks are caused by changes in temperature and relative humidity which lead to shrinkage and swelling of the wood and thereby induce stresses in the structure. How these cracks influence the strength of the wooden structure, especially the shear strength, is not well understood. However, it is reasonable to expect that cracks have an impact on the shear strength as they preferably run along the beams in the direction of grain and bond lines. The purpose of this study was to investigate the load-bearing capacity of cracked glulam beams and to find a model that could predict the failure load of the beams due to the cracks. Three-point bending tests were used on glulam beams of different sizes with pre-manufactured cracks. An orthotropic elastic model and extended finite element method was used to model the behaviour of the cracked beams and to estimate the load-bearing capacity. The conclusions were validated by numerical simulations of the mechanical behaviour of three-point bending of glulam beams with different crack locations. The crack initiation load was recorded as the failure load and compared to the experimental failure load. The results of the compaction simulations agree well with the experimental results.

Wood-chip formation in circular saw blades studied by high-speed photography

Abstract Films of wood-chip formation were captured with a high-speed camera during rip sawing of wood with a circular saw blade. The saw blade diameter was 400 mm and the rotational speed was 3250 rpm. The saw blade had four teeth with rake angles of 0°, 10°, 20° and 30° to ascertain the influence of different rake angles. Wooden boards were cut along the side so that the camera could record the cutting sequence without any interference from material between the cutting teeth and the camera. Tests were made for green, dry and frozen green pine boards, for both counter-cutting and climb-cutting cases. In addition, some Mozambican wood species were cut. The films, recorded at 40,000 frames s−1, show the cutting sequence along the trajectory of the tooth in question and the creation of the wood chip. Details such as the compression of the wood chip in the gullet, the movement of the wood chip inwards and outwards in the gullet and finally the exit from the gullet are visible. The chip size and chip movement depend strongly on the rake angle and on whether the wood is green, dry, frozen or unfrozen.

Drying shrinkage of sawn timber of Norway spruce (Picea abies): Industrial measurements and finite element simulations

Abstract Industrial measurements of green and dry cross-section dimensions were performed for 189 Norway spruce (Picea abies) centre-yield boards with dry dimensions 51 × 149 mm. Two, three or four boards were sawn from each log, depending on log size. Different approaches were used for simulations of cross-section shrinkage during drying. An analytical model, an elastic, an elastic– mechanosorptive and an elastic– plastic finite element simulation model were tested. Thickness and width shrinkage and deformation were simulated. Shrinkage results were compared with each other and with the experimental results. All simulation models gave roughly the same degree of agreement with experimental results except for the centre board from the three-board sawing pattern. For the other boards, the analytical model was not generally better or worse than the results from the finite element models. Shrinkage deformations in finite element models that included mechanosorption or plasticity were nearly the same as for the elastic finite element model except for the centre board of the three-board sawing pattern. The mechanosorptive model was the best model for the shrinkage of the centre board of this sawing pattern except for mid-thickness shrinkage. Comparison between the different finite element simulation models of stresses in the centre board revealed large differences.

Wear of teeth of circular saw blades

Abstract Measured wear data is presented for three different carbide grades. The data were collected during rip sawing wood with a double arbour saw. The purpose of the test was to determine the suitability of different grades for sawing frozen timber. A set of circular saw blades of diameter 350 mm was equipped with teeth comprised of three different cemented carbide grades, denoted A, B and C. The double arbour saw was equipped with six saw blades for cutting two centre boards and two side boards. The six saw blades with different teeth were mounted in a mixed manner on the arbours, and after sawing a number of logs the wear of teeth was measured. The thickness of boards was also measured and the standard deviation was calculated. The results showed that grade A had the highest wear and grades B and C the lowest wear. There was no significant edge damage during the tests. Grade C did not suffer problems of chipping from cutting edges and was found to be suitable for sawing frozen timber. The thickness standard deviations were constant at about 0.2 mm, and not a function of the number of logs sawn.