LIFE EcoTimberCell publishes the Guide to the supply and characterization of structural wood
Considering the high variability of the characteristics and singularities of the wood, there is the necessity to carry out a process of classification that allows its characterization like structural wood. The recently published “Guía de suministro y caracterización de madera estructural” details this process based on the application of current regulations for the calculation of characteristic values and the assignment of qualities and class resistance to wood.
Galicia is one of the most important forest powers in Europe, and the LIFE EcoTimberCell project is based on certified local wood in support of sustainable forest management that promotes economic, social and respectful use of our forests. The Guide reflects in data the relevance of this resource and the evolution of forest certification at both regional and national level.
The good use of this resource depends on the knowledge of its properties. For this reason, the Guide details the process of characterization of wood for structural use. This is carried out in the first instance by means of a visual classification of the wood by means of the study of its singularities, like knots or deformations, that allows a classification based on the classes of quality according to the species, continuing with a mechanical classification of the wood by means of non-destructive methods, acoustic mechanical methods, for the estimation of the resistant classes of the structural wood.
For the characterization of sawn wood for structural use are also destructive mechanical tests and it is possible to establish formulas to correlate their results and those of the sound wave propagation tests of non-destructive methods, ie, relate the dynamic modulus of elasticity obtained by non-destructive methods with the static modulus of elasticity of destructive testing.
The “Guía de suministro y caracterización de la madera estructural” is a publication that provides anyone in the forestry and timber construction sector with the tools to develop the characterisation of structural timber and an overview of the certification process for structural timber products; a comprehensive reference document with easy-to-understand explanations accompanied by extensive graphic material available on request.
