Abstract
We demonstrate how tree stem properties may be linked to the properties of sawn timber through simulation of the structural growth of the tree and of the sawing of the stem into pieces subjected to quality grading. In this context, the growth and development of individual Scots pines ( Pinus sylvestris L.) is presented in terms of the three-dimensional structure of the tree crown as determined by the influence of local light conditions on branch growth, with implications for the distribution of the properties of the stem and wood such as stem form and knots. The three-dimensional distribution of these properties allows one to saw the stem into logs and further into sawn pieces which can be graded based on quality. The part of the stem to be cut into logs is defined by the height of the stump (felling height) and the diameter of a stem fulfilling the minimum top diameter for a log acceptable for sawing. The stems are characterised by means of the number of logs obtainable for sawing, the length of the logs, the top and butt diameters of the logs, their volume and their taper. The wood is characterised for sawing mainly in terms of the occurrence of knots and their size and quality (sound, dead). The sawing algorithm checks the knots in terms of diameter and quality and calculates the grade and value of each piece. This procedure is repeated log by log, and a summary of the sawing is made covering the whole stand, with a report on the total yield and value of the sawn timber obtained from each stand. The performance of the sawing simulator was demonstrated with the example computations on sawing for Scots pine trees. As a result, the quality of sawn timber was found higher in an unthinned stand than in the thinned stands. On the other hand, the sawing yield from individual 100-year-old tree from the thinned stand was larger than from a tree of the same age in an unthinned stand, because of its larger size.
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