Model development for lumber volume recovery of natural balsam fir trees in Quebec, Canada

Abstract

To improve the precision of sawing simulations, 4 regression models were developed to predict simulated lumber volume recovery using tree size variables. Simulated lumber volume recoveries from natural balsam fir trees based on the sawing simulator Optitek were different from real lumber volume recoveries from a stud sawmill because the simulation method only takes wane into consideration. Therefore, 2 methods were developed to correct estimated lumber volume recoveries. The results indicate that the lumber volume correction models for stem deformations could adjust the predictions of lumber volume recovery from the simulation and directly from the sawing simulator to obtain more accurate estimates. With the correction models, the lumber volume recovery from natural balsam fir trees could be estimated directly using easily measured tree DBH and height from the forest resource inventory. Key words: balsam fir, stem deformation, product recovery, sawing simulation, correction models, regression model