Development of Non-Destructive-Testing Based Selection and Grading Strategies for Plantation Eucalyptus nitens Sawn Boards

Stiffness is considered one of the most important structural properties for sawn timber used in buildings and laminated structures including mass elements. There great potential to use plantation Eucalyptus applications, successful development a supply chain products will depend on accurate selection grading resource. In this study we aimed investigate suitability non-destructive testing (NDT) improve boards sourced from young E. nitens plantation. We studied 268 traced tree through final processing stages. found high positive correlations between stiffness (measured as dynamic modulus elasticity) tested at each board stage acoustic wave velocity (AWV) static elasticity measured mechanical dressed boards. Position stem treatment significantly impacted elasticity, indicating that early logs would allow larger yield stiffer investigated traditional Australian Standards using visual-grading system AWV, finding classification error 82.5% 45.2%, respectively. developed linear model which was re-classify boards, obtaining smaller error, fewer being over-graded. Our results demonstrate AWV can be an method also employed satisfactorily grade building elements timber.