In situ CT-scanning for detection of internal checking and cell collapse during drying of hardwood species

During the drying of sawn timber, hydrostatic tension forces within the cell may exceed the compressive strength perpendicular to the grain of the thin cell wall and the cell then collapses. This phenomenon is common in hardwoods such as Sequoia sempervirens, Thuja plicata, Tsuga heterophylla, Juglans nigraand many species of eucalyptus and oak. Usually, this leads to severe surface deformation, and both surface and internal checking(honeycombing) may occur. The quality of the final product is lowered by these cracks and deformations. The aim of this study was to investigate, by CT-scanning samples throughout the drying process, whether it is possible to detect when and how cracking and deformation occurs and develops in specimens of Eucalyptus nitens. Based on this knowledge, better drying schedules can be developed to improve the yield and ensure a higher quality of the sawn timber. Three specimens, one specimen in each drying run, of Eucalyptus nitens were used for the tests. Their cross-sectional dimensions, prior to drying, were 105x23 mm2 and their length was 70 cm. A specially designed laboratory drying kiln that fits within the gantry of a Siemens Somatom Emotion medical CT-scanner was used (Fig. 1). With this equipment, it is possible to scan the inside of the kiln without interrupting the drying process.