Correlation between fibre length characteristics and mechanical properties of Tectona grandis wood

This study considered the relationship between fibre length characteristics and mechanical properties of Tectona grandis wood aged 15, 20 and 25-year. Six trees of even aged and similar class diameter were used for the study. Wood samples used for the study were systematically collected from three portions at 10, 50 and 90% of the tree height. The test samples were prepared along the radial positions from the pith to the bark. The relationship between fibre length and mechanical properties were examined using linear regression models and correlation coefficient. The results obtained from the correlation analysis carried out to examine the linear relationship between fibre length and mechanical properties of T. grandis wood were 0.924, 0.929 and 0.940 for MOR, MOE and CS parallel to grain. The relationship was highly significant (p < 0.05). Also the correlation coefficient (r) between fibre length and mechanical properties of T. grandis wood were highly significant (p < 0.001). Therefore, fibre length characteristics can be used as an index in predicting the mechanical properties of T. grandis wood

Dimensional stability and strength properties of wood plastic composites produced from sawdust of Cordia alliodora (Ruiz and Pav.)

This study evaluates the effects of densities and mixing ratio on the physical and mechanical properties of wood plastic composites boards at mixing ratio of 1:1 to 1:1.4 and nominal densities of 700kg/mm3 and 800kg/mm3. The quantity of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and saw dust used in the production of Wood Plastic Composites (WPCs) was weighed to a nominal density of 700kg/mm3 and 800kg/mm3. The materials were thoroughly mixed and fed into a neatly primed oil mould with a dimension of 300 x 300 x 10 mm. Test samples used for physical and mechanical properties determination were collected from each board produced from the mould. The results showed that WPCs board produced from mixing ratio 1:1 had the highest Modulus of Rupture (MOR) and Modulus of Elasticity (MOE) values of 6.52 mm N-2 and 564.95 mm N-2 respectively. Water absorption, thickness swelling and linear expansion of WPCs produced from wood/plastic ratio of 1:1.4 had the lowest mean values of 6.67, 0.83, 0.68% and 21.61, 1.33, 5.35% respectively after 2 hours and 24 hours of water immersion test. Analysis of variance carried out at 0.05% probability level showed that the effect of density and mixing ratio were significant on the physical and mechanical properties of wood plastic composites boards

Evaluation of forest policy in Nigeria: A case study of Edo State

The research was undertaken from 1997-2000 to investigate how forest policy has faired in meeting the set objectives in forestry contexts and development in study area. The result showed that deforestation and consolidation of forest reserves accounted for 73.64 and 3.10%, respectively. The result also revealed that there was significant difference in the participation of professional foresters and taskforce as well as regeneration and exploitation of forest resources (P<0.05). It also revealed that there were significant differences among the threats to forest protection (P<0.05) and further analysis with LSD identified trespass as the most dominant threats. The result also showed that the increase in employment, creation of man made forest and encouragement of private forestry accounted for 41.65, 19.85 and 10.19% respectively. It was observed that there was no significant difference among the various rates of decline of the forest estates under review

Effects of geometric particle sizes of wood flour on strength and dimensional properties of wood plastic composites

The effect of different wood flour sizes on strength and dimensional properties of wood-plastic composites were examined. Wood flour of different particle sizes viz; 1.00mm, 2.00mm and >2.00mm were compounded with recycled low-density polyethylene (LDPE) at different wood/plastic ratio of 1: 1, 2: 3 and 3: 2. The results obtained showed that wood flour size > 2.00mm has the highest MOR and MOE values of 1.206N mm-2 and 2484.72Nmm-2 while wood flour size of 1.00mm had the lowest MOR and MOE values of 0.505Nmm-2 and 2195.89Nmm-2 respectively. Also the results of the physical properties showed that wood flour size of 1.00mm had the lowest thickness swelling percentage with mean values of 0.28% and 2.08% while water absorption percentage has mean values of 0.91% and 10.58% after 2 hours and 24 hours of water immersion respectively. It was observed that wood flour size of 2.00mm and particle size >2.00mm had the highest thickness swelling and water absorption percentages. This showed that strength properties of wood plastic composites increased with increased particle sizes whereas its dimensional properties increased with decreased particle sizes. The results of analysis of variance carried out on mechanical and physical properties showed that particle sizes and wood/plastic ratio had a significant effect on the mechanical and physical properties of wood plastic composites (p 0.05)

Full Length Research Paper - Evaluation of forest policy in Nigeria: A case study of Edo state

The research was undertaken from 1997-2000 to investigate how forest policy has faired in meeting the set objectives in forestry contexts and development in study area. The result showed that deforestation and consolidation of forest reserves accounted for 73.64 and 3.10%, respectively. The result also revealed that there was significant difference in the participation of professional foresters and taskforce as well as regeneration and exploitation of forest resources (P<0.05). It also revealed that there were significant differences among the threats to forest protection (P<0.05) and further analysis with LSD identified trespass as the most dominant threats. The result also showed that the increase in employment, creation of man made forest and encouragement of private forestry accounted for 41.65, 19.85 and 10.19% respectively. It was observed that there was no significant difference among the various rates of decline of the forest estates under review