Analysis of determination methods for characteristic timber properties as related to growth area and grade yield

The origin of the raw material is a key aspect for strength grading of timber. Large grading areas are favored by the sawmilling industry as they require less effort in handling and documentation during the production process. However, large growth areas can also cause problems, as too high mechanical properties can be declared or yields may become uneconomical. The presented study presents a method that should allow for timber from different countries to be combined into a single grading area. Additionally, the influence on the yield for guaranteeing timber properties for differently defined populations is analysed. In this process, a number of available calculation methods for characteristic values for modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity, and density are considered as the determination method also influences the final yield. Non-destructive and destructive test data from 8487 spruce specimens from Europe tested in bending or tension are the basis for the presented study. Based on the grading results the presented method is able to simply identify countries that may be combined. The definition of pan-European grading areas seems problematic if characteristic timber properties need to be guaranteed separately for each individual country as it may result in a severe drop in yield. However, checking timber properties only for the European population is unsatisfying as calculated timber properties considerably vary depending on the origin. As for the calculation method, the preferred method itself seems to have less impact on bending class assignments then on tension class assignments.