08.11.2024
The scientific journal Bois & Forêts des Tropiques has published its volume number 360.
In this latest issue of CIRAD's journal Bois et Forêts des Tropiques (BFT n°360) features an article by Cameroonian researchers and engineers in wood science and technology.
The article presents the results of a campaign to qualify the shear strength of 12 species from the Congo Basin, this reference property being indispensable in construction for all structural calculations relating to the design of products subjected to mechanical stress. The aim of this study is to propose permissible stress valus for the 12 species tested. It also shows an excellent correlation between shear strength and wood density, enabling a simple model to be used to estimate this mechanical characteristic for other species, based simply on knowledge of their density.
In addition, the editorial highlights several key points concerning the use of tropical woods in hydraulic and marine structures. The resilience and natural properties of certain tropical woods, such as Azobe, Angelim Vermelho and Greenheart, make them ideal candidates for marine structures. With the gradual abandonment of chemical treatments, due to their harmful effects on the environment and health, and the excessively high costs of wood modification technologies, the use of tropical woods is becoming crucial. However, current knowledge shows that with climate change, the durability of traditionally used woods is being called into question in this type of structure. The editorial therefore stresses the need for a better understanding of how and why marine woodborers attack wood. The use of LKTS (lesser-known timber species) needs to be validated in the laboratory in order to “make a positive contribution to the use of tropical woods in marine structures”.
