Objective The overall objective of the project is to assess the quality of the sawn timber products based on parameters (site class and silvicultural treatment) to be measured on the standing trees, and to investigate the relation between silvicultural practices and wood quality.The objectives of the project was mainly to assess the quality of the sawn timber products (average and distribution) coming frompopulations of trees for which the following usual measurements are available: total height; diameter at breast height; age. Three species were considered: Norway Spruce Sitka Spruce and Douglas fir. Most complete results were acheived on Norway spruce.In this project, wood quality was mainly judged by the following criteria: position, size and type of knots, ring width, wood density and grain angle distribution in the plank. The project can be grouped into 3 distinct categories: establishing models which relate usual tree descriptions and internal structure of the corresponding trees; feeding an existing software (to improve) with such models, the simulation of various visual grading rules and wood density, and validation of the software; technological characteristics of products obtained from stands in which silvicultural treatment was known. Sampled trees total 300 from 40 stands. Twelve teams from eight countries were involved in the project (Belgium, Germany, Denmark, France, Italy, Ireland, Sweden and United Kingdom).The project will be focused on three species of major importance for the European wood industries: Norway spruce (Picea abies), Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) and Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga douglasii). In order to reach the objective, a central point of the project will be to establish quantitative models for the interpretation of the effects of silvicultural practices on wood quality. The established models will be included in software (called SIMQUA). Improvement of the software and the input of statistical and biological relationships which provide intensive descriptions of the tree constitute an essential part of the project. The project will also investigate the technological characteristics of products obtained from stands where the silvicultural treatment is known, in particular: Modelling Young's modulus in relation to age from the pith, ring width, wood density in clear specimens of Norway spruce. Modelling Young's modulus in commercial size boards of Norway spruce. Parameters to include in the modelling will be ring width, wood density and grain angle distribution, size and distribution of knots and Young's modulus on clear wood specimen. Effect of ring width on ability for rotary cutting in pruned Douglas fir and Norway spruce. Effect of juvenile wood and heartwood on properties of sawn products (Norway spruce). Formulation of quality requirements for wood products by the construction industry (Norway spruce). The execution of the project will be carried out through 12 tasks, which can be grouped in three parts. Searching and establishing models which relate given silviculture and internal structure of the corresponding trees: modelling wood density in the tree in relation to silvicultural treatment; modelling ring width variation in the tree in relation to silvicultural treatment; modelling spiral grain variation in the tree in relation to silvicultural treatment; modelling branching in the tree in relation to silvicultural treatment; modelling bark thickness in the tree in relation to silvicultural treatment. Feeding of the software SIMQUA with models found in Part 1. Simulation of various visual grading rules (plus wood density); validation of the software: improvement of the software SIMQUA; validation of the software SIMQUA. Technological characteristics of products obtained from stands where silvicultural treatment is known: influence of juvenile wood and heartwood on properties of sawn products; effect of ring width on the suitability for rotary cutting in pruned Douglas fir and Norway spruce; modelling Young's modulus in commercial size boards; modelling Young's modulus in clear specimens; formulation of quality requirements for wood products by the construction industry. Fields of science natural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwareagricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturegrains and oilseedsagricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesforestrysilviculture Programme(s) FP2-FOREST - Specific research and technological development programme (EEC) in the fields of raw materials and recycling - Renewable raw materials: Forestry and wood products (including cork) -, 1990-1992 Topic(s) Data not available Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator University Wales - Bangor EU contribution No data Address College Road LL57 2UW Bangor - Gwynedd United Kingdom See on map Total cost No data Participants (11) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all CHALMERS UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Sweden EU contribution No data Address 8,Sven Hultins Gata 8 412 96 GOETEBORG See on map Total cost No data Centre Technique du Bois et de l'Ameublement France EU contribution No data Address Avenue de Saint Mandé 10 75012 Paris See on map Total cost No data Centre de Recherches Agronomiques de l'Etat Belgium EU contribution No data Address 23,Rue Maréchal Juin 5030 Gembloux See on map Total cost No data Den Kongelige Veterinær- og Landbohøjskole Denmark EU contribution No data Address 13,Bülowsvej 1870 Frederiksberg C See on map Total cost No data ECOLE NATIONALE DU GENIE RURAL, DES EAUX ET FORETS France EU contribution No data Address Rue Girardet 14 54042 NANCY See on map Total cost No data Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Switzerland EU contribution No data Address GCH2,Ecublens 1015 Lausanne See on map Total cost No data Enterprise Ireland - Trading as Bioresearch Ireland Ireland EU contribution No data Address Ballymun Road - Glasnevin 9 Dublin See on map Total cost No data Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques de Gembloux Belgium EU contribution No data Address 2,Passage des Déportés 5030 Gembloux See on map Total cost No data GEORG-AUGUST-UNIVERSITY GOETTINGEN Germany EU contribution No data Address Büsgenweg 4 37077 Göttingen See on map Total cost No data Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) France EU contribution No data Address Centre de Recherche de Nancy Champenoux 54280 Seichamps See on map Total cost No data Università degli Studi di Firenze Italy EU contribution No data Address Via San Bonaventura 13 50145 Firenze See on map Total cost No data
