An Easier Route for Strength Grading Hardwoods

Summary Description:

This three year Bursary project aims to improve strength grading options for home-grown hardwoods, allowing them to be used in construction, raising value, and meeting national objectives for more environmentally friendly buildings. Current options are limited, so the researcher will create the foundation for a more cost-effective route to establishing grading, and easier-to-apply visual grading rules for small producers. Properties of three, strategically chosen, home-grown hardwood species will be characterised by non-destructive methods and small clear testing. Models will be created for predicting full-size timber properties from these measurements. It will be explored how these models can be used for timber grading, and transferred to other hardwood species. Potential for working within the current framework of standards and regulations will be assessed. It is expected that some results will combine with related research in Europe, to directly influence the revision of key standards e.g. EN384.