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Machine strength grading of sawn timber is a sawmill process in which density, modulus of elasticity (MOE) and bending or tensile strength are predicted such that the timber can be assigned to strength classes. The predictions of these properties are performed using one or several so-called indicating properties (IPs), which represent a board property, or combination of board properties, measured non-destructively. A limitation of today’s strength grading is that the IPs applied in the industry for prediction of strength, in general, are based on rather weak statistical relationships between IPs and strength properties, which in turn results in poor material utilisation. It is well known that the strength of sawn timber is associated with the presence of knots and their surrounding fibre disorientations. Local fibre direction at surfaces of softwood can be determined by means of the light scattering that occur when a wood surface is illuminated by a dot-laser, i.e. by application of the so-called tracheid effect. Lately, IPs based on such measurements have been developed, and some of the suggested IPs have a strong statistical relationship to bending strength. The purposes of the research presented in this thesis are to contribute with knowledge of possibilities and limitations of the tracheid effect and of data of fibre directions in the vicinity of knots, to evaluate if information of fibre directions at surfaces of Norway spruce sawn timber can be used to achieve a better material utilisation of glulam lamellae and finger-jointed timber, and to provide insight regarding the grading regulations in Europe. Results presented herein show that knots and fibre direction within the interior of boards can be modelled on the basis of data obtained by means of the tracheid effect, but also that a previously proposed method to determine out-of-plane fibre angles gives poor accuracy. As regards grading of glulam lamellae, an IP based on fibre directions and dynamic MOE is pr

Local fiber direction is decisive for both strength and stiffness in timber. In-plane fiber direction on surfaces of timber can be determined using the so-called tracheid effect which is frequently used in both research and industry applications. However, a similar established method does not exist for measuring the out-of-plane angle, also known as diving angle. The purposes of this article were to evaluate if the tracheid effect can also be used to determine, with reasonable accuracy, the out-of-plane angle in Norway spruce and to verify an existing mathematical model used to calculate the fiber direction in the vicinity of knots. A newly developed laboratory laser scanner was applied for assessment of fiber directions in a single Norway spruce specimen containing a knot. It was assumed that the specimen had a plane of symmetry through the center of the knot, and by splitting the specimen through this plane into two parts, it was possible to make measurements on orthogonal planes. The results showed that the out-of-plane angle could not be determined with very high accuracy and the difficulties related to this objective were analyzed. Regarding the mathematical model of fiber direction in the vicinity of a knot, fiber directions calculated on the basis of this model agreed well with experimentally obtained fiber directions, but successful application of the model requires that the geometry of the knot is known in detail.

This paper addresses laser scanning and utilization of the tracheid effect for determination of local fibre orientation, which is decisive for strength and stiffness of timber. A newly developed laboratory laser scanner that can be used for high resolution and high precision scanning of wood surfaces is used for in-depth assessment of a single Norway spruce specimen that contains a knot. It is assumed that the specimen has a plane of symmetry, through the knot, and by splitting the specimen in two parts it is possible to determine fibre orientation on orthogonal planes. Hence, by relying on the assumption of symmetry, the fibre orientation in 3D space can also be determined. The results are used to evaluate the possibility of utilizing the tracheid effect for determination of the out-of-plane fibre angle of an investigated surface. Furthermore, the results are used for verification of a theoretical fibre orientation model that has often been used by researchers.