Modelling radial and longitudinal variation in wood mechanical properties

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As the forest sector is currently shifting from commodity to value-added production, there is increasing concern about the likely effects of forest management on wood quality. This research program aims to develop models that predict the within-stem distribution of wood properties as functions of tree growth, for several commercially important tree species. Over the next five years, the general objective will be to develop improved predictions of the radial variation in wood mechanical properties in different species with different wood types. In order to achieve this, the program will pursue two specific objectives: 1) to test a new approach for modelling the distribution of clearwood properties within the stem as a function of crown morphology and development, and 2) to improve current wood properties models by including functions which take into account the biomechanical behaviour of the stem. Project 1 will provide an assessment of Larson's concept, which states that the pattern of gradually increasing wood properties with cambial age is mediated by crown processes. Project 2 will investigate the effect of wood mechanical properties on the biomechanical behaviour of the stem at different ages. Results from both projects will help include more biological plausibility in models that predict the likely effects on wood quality of user-defined silvicultural scenarios. These models will be integrated into a wood processing simulation system designed to make predictions of the properties of end-use products.