Initial investigation on panel manufacture from Sorghum stalk residue

This pilot study was conducted with the aim of carrying out an exploratory investigation into the possibility of using sorghum residue and a new adhesive technology to manufacture a fibre panel. Its purpose was to not only to initiate a protocol for manufacture but to also determine the properties of the panel, establishing any advantageous aspects and highlighting any shortcomings and deficiencies when assessed against current Australian standard specifications. It is our intention that this exploratory study will form the groundwork to allow us to determine which areas need further research to be able to manufacture a panel that could complement the current products available to the construction and furniture manufacturing industries. The manufacturing process and resulting panels highlighted the following: 1. Most of the properties of the panel were below standard specifications. This result could be directly attributed to the technical characteristics of the equipment used for the resination process. It is believed that the loss of both resin and fibre during this step resulted in a lower than expected outcomes for panel density, glue bond quality, MoE and MoR. Addressing this issue will give tighter control of the amount of resin applied with minimal fibre loss and better determination of the mechanical properties of the panel. 2. Fibre pre-treatment as required when using current formaldehyde based adhesives is not necessary with an eMDI adhesive. This adhesive doesn’t have the major inconvenient to release toxic emission of formaldehyde. 3. The waxy nature of sorghum results in a panel that meets Australian standard requirements for fibre swelling with minimal fibre processing. Currently all wood based fibre panels require the inclusion of a water repellent in the form of wax during the manufacturing process to achieve the percentage fibre swelling properties outlined in the Australian standards

A guide to manufacturing rotary veneer and products from small logs

This manual on the production of rotary wood veneer and associated manufacturing of veneer-based products draws on the results from completed ACIAR projects. It provides extensive information and guidance on the processing of small log resources into veneer, along with the description of manufacturing techniques to convert the veneer into high-value engineered wood products suitable for a range of appearance and structural applications

High value timber composite panels from hardwood plantation thinnings.

Identifying processing strategies and products that suit young plantation hardwoods has proved challenging with low product recoveries and/or unmarketable products being the outcome of many trials. The production of rotary veneer has been demonstrated as an effective method for converting plantation hardwood trees. Across nine processing studies that included six different plantation species (Dunn’s white gum, spotted gum, Gympie messmate, spotted gum hybrid, red mahogany and western white gum), simple spindleless lathe technology was used to process 914 veneer billets totally 37.4 m3

High value timber composite panels from hardwood plantation thinnings.

Identifying processing strategies and products that suit young plantation hardwoods has proved challenging with low product recoveries and/or unmarketable products being the outcome of many trials. The production of rotary veneer has been demonstrated as an effective method for converting plantation hardwood trees. Across nine processing studies that included six different plantation species (Dunn’s white gum, spotted gum, Gympie messmate, spotted gum hybrid, red mahogany and western white gum), simple spindleless lathe technology was used to process 914 veneer billets totally 37.4 m3

Processing small diameter logs from sub-tropical species

Small spindleless veneer lathe technology was used to produce veneer sheets as an alternative processing option to optimise the use of small log plantation resource. Thinned (300 spha) and unthinned control (1000 spha) plantings of 10.5-year-old Corymbia citriodora ssp. variegata (CCV) and E. dunnii (Dunn’s white gum) grown in two contrasting sites from climatic regions with large annual rainfall differences were studied. Overall veneer gross recoveries ranged from 50% to 70%, which were up to 3 times higher than typical sawn green-off saw recoveries from small plantation hardwood logs of similar diameter. Major limiting factors preventing veneer from meeting higher grades were the presence of kino defects and encased knots. Splits in E. dunnii veneer also contributed to reduced grade quality. Differences between two thinning treatments for veneer properties and grade recovery were generally small. There was significant evidence of site and species differences on veneer quality. The good quality site with higher rainfall in northern New South Wales produced denser and stiffer veneers with higher grade recoveries. CCV is a superior structural veneer species with high wood density and hardness as well as very good veneer stiffness exceeding 15,000 MPa but Dunn’s white gum has also demonstrated good potential as a useful structural plywood resource. Results indicate that relatively high veneer recoveries were achieved for the sub-tropical plantation hardwoods combined with very superior mechanical properties which suggest that veneer production have suitable attributes for a range of engineered wood products including plywood and laminated veneer lumber

Experimental approach of coconut peeling process

A substantial area of senile coconut palms exists within the Asia-Pacific region. Once coconut palms become over-mature and senile, their production of traditional products, such as coconuts, significantly decreases, resulting in profitability challenges for farmers. Presently, few profitable markets exist for over-mature, senile coconut palms. Using the coconut palm stem in composite or engineered wood products could, however, provide an attractive alternative. Coconut palm wood differs substantially from hardwood, softwood, and even the wood of other palms. Due to some of its unique characteristics, a processing system able to recover wood from the highdensity zone near the stem periphery is desirable. A series of rotary veneer laboratory trials were undertaken to establish fundamental benchmark lathe settings and veneering characteristics for coconut palm stems. Different pressure bar configurations, billet pre-treatment temperatures, and veneer thicknesses were tested and the resulting cutting forces and veneer quality were assessed.Xylomat Technical Platform from the Xylomat Scientific Network funded by ANR-10-EQPX-16 XYLOFORES

Capacity and reliability of LVL beams manufactured from juvenile hardwood plantation logs

This paper summarises parts of the research outcomes of a university-government collaborative project aiming at determining the capacity and reliability of veneer-based structural products manufactured from early to midrotation (juvenile) hardwood plantations logs. Two species planted for solid timber end-products (Eucalyptus cloeziana and Corymbia citriodora) and one species traditionally grown for pulpwood (Eucalyptus globulus) were studied for the manufacture of the new products. Focus of this paper is on LVL beams. To cost-effectively determine the nominal design bending strengths of the new beams, a numerical model was developed. The model was found to accurately predict the strength of LVL beams with an average predicted to experimental ratio of 1.00 with a low coefficient of variation of 0.10. Using an established probabilistic database of the material properties of the veneered resources as model input, Monte-Carlo simulations were then performed. The design strength of the new LVL beams was established and found to be comparable to, and in some cases up to 2.5 times higher than, the ones of commercially available softwood products. Recommendations are also made in the paper on the appropriate capacity factors to be used for various service categories of structures. The proposed capacity factors were found to be 5% to 12% lower than the ones currently used in Australia for beams manufactured from mature softwood logs

Movilidad en la gentrificación turística del centro de la ciudad de Puebla

"En esta tesis se analiza el centro histórico de Puebla desde sus antecedentes eminentemente comerciales, así como su paulatino despoblamiento y abandono, mismos que generaron áreas vulnerables. Se estudian los programas que las políticas públicas han implementado con acciones de rescate y puesta en valor de la zona de monumentos enfocadas en la turistificación, que junto con la inversión privada destinada al rescate de casas para el hospedaje de turistas, convierten a la ciudad en un patrimonio mercancía, generándose transformaciones socioterritoriales con un modelo de gentrificación turística. En este trabajo se desglosan cronológicamente los programas y planes que han fomentado el turismo para impulsar a través de él la economía del centro histórico de la ciudad, que seguidos de la inversión privada crean un negocio cuyo beneficio repercute solamente en los inversionistas y la imagen política de los gobernantes, segregando a la población dependiente que ocupaba los sitios revalorados.

Capacity and reliability of LVL beams manufactured from juvenile hardwood plantation logs

This paper summarises parts of the research outcomes of a university-government collaborative project aiming at determining the capacity and reliability of veneer-based structural products manufactured from early to midrotation (juvenile) hardwood plantations logs. Two species planted for solid timber end-products (Eucalyptus cloeziana and Corymbia citriodora) and one species traditionally grown for pulpwood (Eucalyptus globulus) were studied for the manufacture of the new products. Focus of this paper is on LVL beams. To cost-effectively determine the nominal design bending strengths of the new beams, a numerical model was developed. The model was found to accurately predict the strength of LVL beams with an average predicted to experimental ratio of 1.00 with a low coefficient of variation of 0.10. Using an established probabilistic database of the material properties of the veneered resources as model input, Monte-Carlo simulations were then performed. The design strength of the new LVL beams was established and found to be comparable to, and in some cases up to 2.5 times higher than, the ones of commercially available softwood products. Recommendations are also made in the paper on the appropriate capacity factors to be used for various service categories of structures. The proposed capacity factors were found to be 5% to 12% lower than the ones currently used in Australia for beams manufactured from mature softwood logs