Sawn-timber quality of six half-sib families of hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa (Siebold et Zucc.) Endl.)

Abstract

ABSTRACT To clarify sawn-timber quality and those among-family variations of hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa), modulus of elasticity (MOE) and modulus of rupture (MOR) were evaluated for 97 pieces of 38 by 89 mm sawn timber produced from half-sib families planted in a progeny test stand at Chiba, Japan. Correlations were evaluated on mechanical properties in standing trees and logs with MOE and MOR in the sawn timber. Elastic properties, such as dynamic Young’s modulus of logs and MOE, were affected by genetic factors compared with air-dry density and MOR. The 5% tolerance limits at a 75% confidence level (f 0.05) of MOE and MOR were 8.03 GPa and 39.4 MPa, respectively. The f 0.05 values of MOR exceeded the characteristic value of the sawn timber in visual grading class SS of Japanese Agricultural Standard for the JS-I. Visual grading of the sawn timber was effective for eliminating timber with lower MOE. Stress-wave velocity and dynamic Young’s modulus of log and timber were significantly correlated with MOE of sawn timber. Correlation coefficients were also significant between MOR of sawn timber and dynamic Young’s modulus or MOE.