Wood Density Determination by Drilling Chips Extraction in Ten Softwood and Hardwood Species
Open accessAbstract
Research Highlights: The novelty of this study is the development of an accurate wood density estimation method based on a relatively brand new semi-destructive testing technique (drilling chips extraction). This method is especially crucial in the assessment of existing timber structures. Background and Objectives: Probing, drilling, and coring are non-destructive and semi-destructive techniques commonly used for timber density estimation in existing timber structures. Most of these techniques show poor or medium accuracy or are so expensive or destructive. This paper aims to obtain accurate estimation models for wood density in existing structures using the easy to use drilling chips extraction technique. Materials and Methods: 300 specimens (95 × 65 × 200 mm3) from ten softwood and hardwood species covering a wide range of density (from 350 to 980 kg·m−3) were tested after conditioning. The Wood Extractor device based on the drilling chips extraction technique was used in the radial and the tangential direction. Mass of the chips collected (drilling residue) from each drill was recorded. Results: Density obtained from drilling residue was not statistically significantly different between radial and tangential directions avoiding take into account direction when measuring. The density obtained in the whole specimens is slightly higher than the density obtained by drilling residue being this difference uniformly through the range of densities studied. Two different estimation models were presented with high determination coefficients (96% and 97%) and low standard errors. These results were similar to those obtained by other authors using core drilling but causing less damage. Conclusions: Drilling chips extractor is a simple, reliable and inexpensive method to estimate density in existing structures with accuracy.
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Some NDT techniques have been successfully used for density estimation, such as drilling chips extraction and drilling penetration resistance.
“Some NDT techniques have been successfully used for density estimation, such as Drilling chips extraction [37,38] and Drilling penetration resistance [39 -41].”
From Grading of recovered Norway spruce (Picea abies) timber for structural purposes (2023) · cites this paper as [38]
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- Authors
- Martínez, R. D., Balmori, J.-A., F. Llana, D., & Bobadilla, I.
- Affiliations
- Universidad de Valladolid (ES)
- Timber Engineering Research Group, NUI Galway, H91HX31 Galway, Ireland
- Timber Construction Research Group, UPM, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Corresponding author
- Martínez, Roberto D.
- Venue
- Forests
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2020-03-27
- Volume
- 11
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 383
- ISSN
- 1999-4907 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3014007270
- Cited by
- 16
- References
- 42
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 2
- FWCI
- 1.06
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- dx.doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Forests (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Hispana (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- University of Valladolid Documentary Repository (University of Valladolid) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Funders
- Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (BIA2014-55089-P)
- AITIM (Proyect AITIM-Fucovasa 2012–2013, Proyect AITIM Fucovasa 2014–2015)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Building and Construction › Wood Treatment and Properties
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Civil and Structural Engineering › Structural Engineering and Materials Analysis
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Atmospheric Science › Tree-ring climate responses
- Keywords
- wood density estimation, semi-destructive testing, softwood, hardwood, non-destructive testing
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