1. SCOTT MILLER, PHD CANDIDATE
LAKEHEAD UNIVERSITY WOOD SCIENCE TESTING FACILITY

2. Goal
The broad goal: is to identify new market
opportunities for the region’s forest sector using
wood characteristics mapping.
The purpose: is to assess whether wood
characteristics mapping provides an opportunity to
optimize the value chain.
There is no change in wood properties with
changes in radial, axial, and
geographic positions (site).

4. The wood characteristics mapping of eastern larch involved
mapping the radial and axial changes in physical and
mechanical proprieties of twelve eastern larch trees from four
sites grown within the Thunder Bay District.

6. H0 : No change in relative density with changes in radial, axial, and
geographic positions (site).
Change in radial position: H0: rejected.
Change in axial position: H0: rejected.
Change in geographic position (site): H0: rejected.

7. H0 : No change in MOE (stiffness) with changes in radial, axial, and
geographic positions (site).
Change in radial position: H0: rejected.
Change in axial position: H0: rejected.
Change in geographic position (site): H0: rejected.

8. A set of wood characteristics = design criteria (sector specific)
National Lumber Grades Authority (NLGA) Machine Stress Rated for Lumber
MSR grades based on a series of mechanical properties at a given relative
density and visual defects especially knots..
Australian standard grading for seasonal structural timber
Minimum values for Strength Groups
Modulus of Maximum
Strength Modulus of
Elasticity Crushing
Group Rupture (Mpa)
(Mpa) Strength (Mpa)
SD1 10500 150 80
SD2 10500 130 70
SD3 10500 110 61
SD4 10500 94 54
SD5 10500 78 47
SD6 10500 65 41
SD7 9100 55 36
SD8 7900 45 30

9. H0 : No change in Strength Class with changes in radial, longitudinal, and
geographic positions (site).
Change in radial position: H0: accepted.
Change in axial position: H0: accepted.
Change in geographic position (site): H0: rejected.
Wood Properties Strength Classes
Subset 1 Subset 1
Slope
Subset 2 Slope
Subset 2
Subset 3
Moisture Moisture

12. Defects - KNOTS

13. Stand factors – site conditions, growth response, age.

15. • In all cases of statistical analysis, variance
between sites was significant.
• Axial and radial variance were significant
for all the selected wood properties tested.
• Wood characteristics mapping of eastern
larch was found to be possible.
• Using eastern larch wood characteristic
map in optimization software increased the
overall value of eastern larch by as much
as 31%.

16. THIS RESEARCH WAS COMPLETED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LAKEHEAD UNIVERSITY WOOD SCIENCE
TESTING FACILITY, FP INNOVATIONS AND ONTARIO MINISTRY OF NATURAL RESOURCES.
Addidtional support was received from AbitibiBowater, FedNor, and
Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation.
WE WOULD ESPECIALLY LIKE TO THANK
LAKEHEAD UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
DR. MATT LIETCH
DR. CHANDER SHAHI
DR. Dr. Reino Pulkki
PROOF READER
CINDY DAWN RETGUM