Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

This study presents an innovative approach to wood mineralization through various pretreatments, focusing on the application of chemically treated sawdust as aggregates in fly ash-based geopolymer composites. Eucalyptus wood sawdust underwent five distinct treatments: cold water washing (CWW), hot water washing (HWW), sodium hydroxide washing (SHW), calcium hydroxide mineralization (CHM), and Portland cement mineralization (PCM). Comparative analyses revealed that the properties of these geopolymer composites were comparable to, or exceeded, those achieved with traditional sand aggregate. The incorporation of the pretreated wood aggregates resulted in geopolymer composites with comparable compressive strength values at 30 and 90 days, with further strength improvements after aging especially for composites treated with HWW or SHW. Additionally, these composites exhibit the formation of a mineral layer on the wood surface, confirming successful mineralization. This study concludes that HWW and SHW treatments significantly enhanced the compatibility between wood and the geopolymer matrix, paving the way for developing light weight geopolymer composites with promising applications in the sustainable building materials.

Chile plays a significant role in global sawn wood production, ranking 14th in total roundwood and 10th in coniferous sawn wood production in 2022, contributing significantly to the demand for wood products. In the same year, the country exported wood products worth a remarkable $US 6.682 million of, underscoring its importance in the global wood industry. Despite its prominence, the sector has faced significant including mega forest fires and the COVID-19 pandemic, which have adversely affected its performance.  One notable issue is the decline in the number of active sawmill units, with only 61 currently producing sawn wood with structural characteristics. The highlights the pressing need to quantify and optimize efficiency within the industry. To address this, Stochastic Frontier Analysis a valuable mathematical framework for evaluating industry efficiency, was employed. Using a dataset compiled by the Chilean Forestry Institute and applying the Stochastic Frontier Analysis methodology, this research assessed the average efficiency of the Chilean sawmill sector. The analysis, based on two different models, consistently revealed a decline in average efficiency during the pandemic. Furthermore, it identified a longitudinal gradient in the efficiency of sawn wood production, with technical inefficiency decreasing towards the southern regions of the country. However, the study did not find direct evidence of a correlation between productivity and the production scale of sawmills. Instead, cost factors, including raw materials, labor, and supplementary expenses, emerged as critical areas requiring careful attention to improve the overall efficiency of the industry.

This study investigated the potential use of Scots pine cones as an alternative  raw material to larch wood chips for particle board production. Due to the increasing scarcity of forest resources, exploring alternative raw material for the forest industry has gained importance in  in recent years. Particle boards were produced in laboratory conditions  by blending industrial wood chips with Scots pine cones in varying proportions (25 %, 50 %, 75 % and 100 %) and usingr urea formaldehyde glue. The adhesice mixture contained 55 % urea formaldehyde glue and 33 % ammonium chloride as a hardener. Te production parameters included a  press temperature of  150 °C, a press time was 7 minutes, and a press pressure of 2,4 MPa to 2,6 MPa. The resulting boards had a thickness of 16 mm and a density ranging from 730 kg/m3 to 740 kg/m3. Tests for thickness iswelling, water absorption, , bending strength, modulus of elasticity and tensile strength perpendicular to the surface were conducted. Results showed that the physical and mechanical properties of the  boards containing up to 25 % Scots pine cone met the required standards.

Glued laminated timber is an alternative gaining prominence in the Brazilian construction field. As a result, industries seek ways to improve the quality of their products, focusing on the wood used, the adhesive, and the manufacturing process. The aims of this study are to evaluate the effect of the preservative treatment chromated copper arsenate (CCA) as a preservative treatment on the gluing quality of Pinus elliottii (slash pine) glued laminated timber (Glulam) elements. For this purpose, Glulam was compared with and without CCA treatment, using Cascophen RS 216 -M, Jowat 686,60 and AG 101 adhesives to bond the laminated wood specimens. The glue quality was evaluated through delamination and shear strength tests of the glue lines based on the test method, following the European standard. The delamination results indicated that there were no significant differences between those obtained for the combinations of wood treated with CCA and wood in natura. The results of the shear tests on the glue lines revealed significant differences when comparing the performance of wood treated with CCA to that of untreated (in natura) wood. Specifically, when using Cascophen 216-M and polyurethane AG 101 adhesives, the treated wood demonstrated notably different shear strengths. This indicates that the preservative treatment with chromated copper arsenate alters the bonding effectiveness of these adhesives, highlighting the importance of selecting appropriate adhesive formulations for treated wood to ensure optimal bonding quality. The only species/adhesive combination that showed a delamination limit lower than 4 % was the one that considered natural wood glued with Cascophen 216-M adhesive. To confirm these results is essential a complementary study evaluating the viscosity of the resins used.

La búsqueda de soluciones constructivas sostenibles ha impulsado el uso de productos de madera masiva como alternativa a componentes estructurales de hormigón armado y acero.  En este contexto, el presente trabajo informa sobre el comportamiento estructural de productos de madera laminada construidos sin adhesivos y con madera de pino uruguayo (Pinus taeda) de rápido crecimiento. Para la fabricación, se utilizaron lamelas C14, unidas mediante tarugos de madera de 20 mm de diámetro, clavos de madera y clavos de acero colocados neumáticamente, de 5,3 y 3,2 mm de diámetro, respectivamente. Se evaluaron dos patrones de clavado, en línea recta horizontal y zigzag, y tres espaciamientos entre clavijas, 300 mm, 250 mm y 150 mm. Se realizaron ensayos de corte perpendicular a las fibras en conexiones de madera y ensayos de flexión en cuatro puntos en paneles de tamaño estructural, y se obtuvieron el módulo de deslizamiento y las propiedades de flexión, respectivamente. Las conexiones con clavos de madera presentaron valores de módulo de deslizamiento significativamente superiores (2,54 kN/mm) a las conexiones con tarugos de madera (1,47 kN/mm) y con clavos de acero (1,25 kN/mm). Los resultados de flexión indicaron que la resistencia (16,8–31,6 MPa) y la rigidez (6213–8103 MPa) de los paneles con tarugos de madera, clavos de madera y clavos de acero no mostraron diferencias significativas y son similares a los valores de las piezas individuales que los conforman. Los hallazgos encontrados sugieren que la madera laminada fabricada con pino de rápido crecimiento unida mediante clavijas de madera en configuraciones superficiales aparece como una solución estructural viable para entrepisos y techos en el contexto de sistemas constructivos sostenibles.

This study provides a preliminary mechanical characterization of minimally processed Acacia dealbata logs to assess their potential valorisation as a by-product of invasive species management. A total of 45 logs (90–143 mm diameter) from two harvest seasons groups, spring (17 logs, 2.0 m) and winter (28 logs, 2.4 m), were visually selected and evaluated for dynamic modulus of elasticity using longitudinal stress wave and transverse vibration tests. Testing was conducted in two moisture content states: air-dried (> 12%) and kiln-dried (≈ 12%). Significant differences between the two groups necessitated separate analyses and suggested a relationship between harvesting season and physical-mechanical properties. Although dynamic properties increased post-kiln drying, initial dynamic modulus of elasticity values were lower due to elevated initial moisture content. Visual characteristics exhibited weak correlations with dynamic properties, whereas high correlations were observed between adjusted dynamic modulus of elasticity values for both moisture states (r > 0,90 for longitudinal stress wave; r > 0,70 for transverse vibration). Adjusted dynamic modulus of elasticity values (18,29/14,00 GPa for longitudinal stress wave; 16,32/12,69 GPa for transverse vibration) were comparable to prior studies and support a potential classification of Acacia dealbata (mimosa) logs for structural applications.

Eucalyptus urophylla (ampupu) is one of the most commonly cultivated species in Brazil for industrial scale particleboard production. This study investigates the reuse of Eucalyptus urophylla sawmill waste as a raw material for particleboard manufacturing, addressing the growing need for sustainable material solutions. Without prior particle homogenization, two manufacturing approaches were tested: single-layer and three-layer boards. Using a castor-oil-based polyurethane resin (10 % for single-layer and 12 % for three-layer boards), the panels were pressed at 5 MPa for 10 minutes at 100 °C. Performance evaluation under standards revealed that multilayer panels demonstrated superior mechanical and physical properties, while single-layer boards did not meet classification standards, highlighting the benefits of optimizing wood waste in multilayer compositions.

Timber’s growing prominence in both new construction and heritage rehabilitation demands reliable methods to evaluate structural safety. However, most current load-testing protocols target concrete and overlook key timber-specific characteristics such as creep, delayed deflection, and service classes. This study addresses these gaps by investigating a 1:2 scale two-story timber prototype subjected to monotonic (UNE-EN 380) and cyclic (DAfStb) load tests. A comprehensive array of sensors captured time-dependent deflections and post-unloading recovery, revealing pronounced creep effects and highlighting the limits of existing standards to account for timber’s long-term deformation. Although cyclic tests can be completed more quickly, they do not adequately track delayed deflection behaviour crucial to timber structures; by contrast, the sustained-load protocols demanded by monotonic tests provide meaningful insights into creep and sostenibility considerations (such as water usage). These findings underscore the need to develop updated, consensus-based load-testing guidelines that better reflect timber’s unique mechanical response. Such standards would enable more accurate assessments of timber floors, roofs, and frames in both historic and contemporary contexts.  

La operación de rectificado permite obtener una órbita de corte única para todas las cuchillas instaladas en un cabezal rotativo. Durante este proceso, una piedra esmeril pasa sobre los filos de las cuchillas en movimiento, generando un bisel cuyo ancho varía dependiendo de la intensidad de la rectificación. Una adecuada selección del ancho de bisel es esencial para garantizar un corte homogéneo y de calidad en la superficie de la madera. Este estudio tuvo por objetivo evaluar como el ancho de bisel y el nivel de desgaste de las cuchillas (representado por la longitud de cepillado) influyen en el consumo de energía y en la calidad superficial de la madera de pino radiata. Para ello, se probaron cuatro anchos de bisel y cuatro niveles de desgaste de cuchillas, utilizando la resistencia al cizalle de uniones encoladas como indicador de la calidad de la superficie. Los resultados revelaron que tanto el ancho de bisel como la longitud de cepillado tienen una relación directa con el consumo de energía, mientras que presentan una relación inversa con la resistencia al cizalle. En función de estos hallazgos, se recomienda emplear un ancho bisel de 0,3 mm para el cepillado de madera de pino radiata, ya que presento menor consumo de energía y mayor resistencia al cizalle.

The quality of glued or coated wood largely depends on the strength of the bond between the adhesive or coating and the wood surface. The roughness of the surface plays a crucial role, as it significantly impacts both the wettability and the effectiveness of the bond. This study was carried out to provide information on the surface roughness of Abies alba (silver fir) planed after thermal modification, focusing on the anisotropic behavior of the material, particularly along the radial and tangential sections. Four groups of eight samples without defects were prepared. Half of the samples of each group presented clear tangential section while the other half presented clear radial ones. One group was used as control and the others were heated, applying three different temperatures 160 °C, 190 °C and 220 °C, at atmospheric pressure for 3 hours. The control and the three other heat-treated groups of samples were processed along the grain by a planer machine. 10 m/min feed speed was applied. Surface roughness measurements were performed with a stylus profilometer. A positive correlation was observed between the modification temperature and the roughness of the surface. It was noted that the radial section of natural wood presented greater roughness than the tangential one. For temperatures lower than 200 °C the roughness of both sections resulted almost equal, while above this temperature the roughness of the radial section increased over 20 % compared to the roughness of the tangential one. The information provided by this study is very important for the gluing and finishing processes that can be applied to thermally modified wood.