Abstract
ABSTRACT Wood has a very high variability compared to other construction materials. Such variability may be more important in the Congo Basin forest, in which hundreds of species are regularly exploited for trading in international markets. Reducing such a variability in construction applications is a major challenge since the characteristic values of strength properties may have penalizing effects on wood. The main objective of this work was to specify the mechanical strength variability of tropical timber species from the Congo Basin. Eighty-nine timber species were considered. Their mechanical properties were derived from small and clear specimen. The first step of the study consisted in identifying the mechanical groups in which the timber species may be assigned, by using the principle of variance’s decomposition. In the second step, the Monte-Carlo simulations were used in order to quantify the variability of the strength properties for each species. We found that the strength of the timbers can be organized in six distinct groups. The variability analysis revealed with a more precise information, the potential of the timber species to be assigned simultaneously to several strength categories. Potential applications may concern reliable and interchangeable uses of tropical timber species and a more efficient processing and grading.
Published Version
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