Influence of age and trunk positions on physicomechanical properties of Anthocleista grandiflora Gilg wood

ABSTRACT

Population growth and the high demand for the use of wood already consolidated on the market have caused a high demand for forestry resources. This factor motivated the search for other species with properties that satisfy everyday needs in industrial applications. The research aims to characterize the physical-mechanical properties of Anthocleista grandiflora wood. Samples were taken to determine the properties of the three trunks’ base, middle, and top regions at 38, 43, and 47-year-old. Physical (density, moisture content, and volumetric increase) and mechanical tests (flexural strength, elasticity resistance, shear strength, and Janka hardness) were used to characterize the material. The results confirmed that the lowest average moisture content was presented at the base of 38-year-old trees, with values varying from 12.2 to 13.3% in the heartwood and sapwood regions. For density, the base of 47-year-old trees obtained the highest values, with a variation of 434.3–477.3 kg m^–3 in the heartwood and sapwood regions. Mechanical flexural strength tests demonstrated that the highest value for the modulus of rupture was 63 MPa, indicated by samples taken from the heartwood of 43-year-old trees. The results show that A. Grandiflora wood can be used for various value-added purposes (construction, furniture, and other equipment).