Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Mechanical properties of coppiced and non-coppiced Pterocarpus erinaceus boles and their industrial application

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Forestry Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Rosewood (Pterocarpus erinaceus Poir.) is valued for flooring, ornaments, musical instruments and furniture-making due to its durability, strength, beauty and acoustic properties. It coppices easily which could boost its continual supply. Compression parallel to grain, Modulus of Elasticity (MOE) and Modulus of Rupture (MOR) within coppiced and non-coppiced boles were determined. These properties decreased along both types of boles. Strength values for the heartwood were also greater than those for the sapwood of each type of bole. MOE, MOR and compression for non-coppiced stems were greater than those from the coppiced stems. The differences were significant (p < 0.05). Mechanical properties from the coppiced and non-coppiced boles are comparable. Both have strength properties comparable with those of species widely used for railway sleepers, structural supports, flooring, veneer, furniture, cabinetry, truss and mine props. Therefore, coppiced wood could supplement non-coppiced wood for industrial applications which require strength.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdul-Rahaman I, Kabanda J, Braima MM (2016) Desertification of the savanna: illega logging of rosewood, causes and effects on the people of Kabonwule, Northern Region. Saudi J Hum Soc Stud 1:48–54

    Google Scholar 

  • Ali CA (2011) Physical-mechanical properties and natural durability of lesser used wood species from Mozambique. Thesis (Ph.D.), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 60 pp

  • Ali AC, Uetimane E Jr, Råberg U, Terziev N (2011) Comparative natural durability of five wood species from Mozambique. Int Biodeterior Biodegrad 65(6):768–776

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alipon MA, Bondad EO (2011) Comparative strength and related properties of yemane (Gmelina arborea Roxb.) coppice and planted stand. Philipp J Sci 140(2):231–238

    Google Scholar 

  • Arunkumar AN, Joshi G (2014) Pterocarpus santalinus (Red Sanders) an endemic, endangered tree of India: current status, improvement and the future. J Trop For Environ 4(02):1–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Atar M, Ozcifci A, Altinok M, Celikel U (2009) Determination of diagonal compression and tension performances for case furniture corner joints constructed with wood biscuits. Mater Des 30:665–670

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bandoh WKN (2016) Tissue culture regeneration potential of African rosewood in Ghana: institutional variables and implications for sustainability. Masters Dissertation, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology—Kumasi, p 103

  • Bosu D (2013) Draft report on the dynamics of harvesting and trade in rosewood (Pterocarpus erinaceus) in Bole, Central, West and North Gonja Districts of the Northern Region, Ghana, 2013.3. National Academy of Sciences (NAS). Tropical legumes: Resources for the future. National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C; 1979

  • BS 373 (1957): Methods of testing small clear specimens of timber. British Standard Institution

  • Callister WD, Rethwisch GD (2012) Fundamentals of materials science and engineering: an integrated approach. Wiley, New York, p 910

    Google Scholar 

  • Coleman H (2014) Situation of global rosewood production and trade-ghana rosewood case study. Timber Industry Development Division, Forestry Commission, Takoradi

    Google Scholar 

  • Dickson WC (2000) Integrative plant anatomy. Academic Press, London. p, p 533

    Google Scholar 

  • Dinwoodie JM (2000) Timber: its nature and behaviour, 2nd edn. Taylor & Francis Group, London, p 272

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Dumenu WK, Bandoh WN (2014) Situational analysis of P. erinaceus (rosewood): evidence of unsustainable exploitation in Ghana? In: First national forestry conference 16–18 Sept 2014, Kumasi, Ghana

  • Duvall CS (2008) Pterocarpus erinaceus Poir. In: Louppe D, Oteng-Amoako AA, Brink M (eds) PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa/Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. Accessed 29 Mar 2017

  • Edwin P, Ozarska B (2015) Bending properties of hardwood timbers from secondary forest in Papua New Guinea. J Trop For Sci 27(4):456–461

    Google Scholar 

  • Forest Products Laboratory (1999) Wood handbook: wood as an engineering material. In: General technical report FPL–GTR–113, US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Madison, USA

  • Fuller RJ, Warren MS (1993) Coppiced woodlands: their management for wildlife. Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Britain G (eds) 2nd edn. Joint Nature Conservation Committee, Monkstone House, City, Peterborough, p 34. ISBN 1 873701 32 2

  • Gindl W, Teischinger A (2002) Axial compression strength of Norway spruce related to structural variability and lignin content. Compos A Appl Sci Manuf 33(12):1623–1628

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Green H (2007) Wood: craft, culture, history. Penguin, New York, p 464

    Google Scholar 

  • Haygreen JG, Bowyer JL (1996) Forest products and wood science. an introduction, 3rd edn. IOWA State University Press, Ames, p 484

    Google Scholar 

  • Hernandez ER (2007) Influence of accessory substances, wood density and interlocked grain on the compressive properties of hardwoods. Wood Sci Technol 41:249–265

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hoare A (2015) Tackling illegal logging and the related trade: what progress and where next?. Chatham House, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Hytönen J, Kaunisto S (1999) Effect of fertilization on the biomass production of coppiced mixed birch and willow stands on a cut-away peatland. Biomass Bioenergy 17:455–469

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Izekor DN, Fuwape JA (2011) Variations in the anatomical characteristics of plantation grown Tectona grandis wood in Edo State, Nigeria. Arch Appl Sci Res 3(1):83–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Izekor DN, Fuwape JA, Oluyege AO (2010) Effects of density on variations in the mechanical properties of plantation grown Tectona grandis wood. Arch Appl Sci Res 2(6):113–120

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalpakjian S, Schmid S (2006) Manufacturing, engineering and technology SI, 6th edn. Digital Designs, New Jersey

    Google Scholar 

  • Kémeuzé VA (2008) Entandrophragma cylindricum (Sprague). In: Louppe D, Oteng-Amoako AA, Brink M (eds) PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa/Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale). Wageningen, Netherlands. www.prota4u.org/search.asp. Accessed 16 Apr 2016

  • Kiaei M, Samariha A (2011) Fiber dimensions, physical and mechanical properties of five important hardwood plants. Indian J Sci Technol 4(11):1460–1463

    Google Scholar 

  • Lantican CB (1976) Quality control should start in the woods. Asian Forest Industries Yearbook, pp 2324–7374

  • Lemmens RHMJ (2008) Khaya ivorensis A. Chev. [Internet] Record from PROTA4U. In: Louppe D, Oteng-Amoako AA, Brink M (eds) PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa/Ressources végétales de l’Afrique tropicale), Wageningen, Netherlands. http://www.prota4u.org/search.asp. Accessed 18 Mar 2017

  • Lima IL, Longui EL, Freitas MLM, Zanatto ACS, Zanata M (2014) Physical-mechanical and anatomical characterization in 26-year-old Eucalyptus resinifera wood. Floresta e Ambiente 21(1):91–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meier E (2014) The wood database. http://www.wooddatabase.com/woodarticles/crushing-strength. Accessed 11 Oct 2016

  • Miller RB (1999) Characteristics and availability of commercially important woods. Wood handbook: wood as an engineering material. Madison, WI: USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory. General technical report FPL; GTR-113, pp 1.1–1.34

  • Orwa C, Mutua A, Kindt R, Jamnadass R, Anthony S (2009) Agroforesttree database: a tree reference and selection guide version 4.0. World Agroforestry Centre, Kenya. http://www.gbif.org/species/5349317. Accessed 21 Apr 2016

  • Postell J (2012) Furniture design. Wiley, New York, p 416

    Google Scholar 

  • Ratanawilai T, Chumthong T, Kirdkong S (2006) An investigation on the mechanical properties of trunks of palm oil trees for the furniture industry. J Oil Palm Res (special issue-April 2006): 114–121

  • Ribeiro RA, Ramos ACS, Filho JPDL, Lovato MB (2005) Genetic variation in remnant populations of Dalbergia nigra (Papilionoideae), an endangered tree from the Brazilian Atlantic forest. Ann Bot 95:1171–1177

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Rivers S, Umney N (2007) Conservation of furniture. Routledge, London, p 840

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Rowell MR, Ibach ER, McSweeny J, Nilsson T (2009) Understanding decay resistance, dimensional stability and strength changes in heat-treated and acetylated wood. Wood Mater Sci Eng 4(1–2):14–22

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schonau APG (1991) Growth yield and timber density of short rotation coppice stands of Eucalyptus grandis. S Afr For J 156:12–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Shrivastava MB (1997) Wood technology. Vikas Publishing House Pvt Ltd, New Delhi, p 181

    Google Scholar 

  • Smardzewski J, Majewski A (2013) Strength and durability of furniture drawers and doors. Mater Des 10(51):61–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tankut N (2007) The effect of adhesive type and bond line thickness on the strength of mortise and tenon joints. Int J Adhes Adhes 27:493–498

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Timings RL (1991) Engineering materials, vol 1. Longmann Scientific and Technical Limited, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Tsoumis G (1991) Science and technology of wood: structure, properties, utilization, vol 115. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Unsal O, Ayrilmis N (2005) Variations in compression strength and surface roughness of heat-treated Turkish river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) wood. J Wood Sci 51:405–409

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Varty N (1998) Dalbergia nigra. In: IUCN 2010. IUCN red list of threatened species. Version 2010, 2 pp

  • Whittock SP, Greaves BL, Apiolaza LA (2004) A cash flow model to compare coppice and genetically improved seedling options for Eucalyptus globulus pulpwood plantations. For Ecol Manag 191:267–274

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilcox W, Botsai EC, Kubel H (1991) Wood as a building material (a guide for designers and builders). Wiley, New York, p 61

    Google Scholar 

  • Zbonak A, Bush T, Grzeskowiak V (2007) Comparison of tree growth, wood density and anatomical properties between coppiced trees and parent crop of six Eucalyptus genotypes. In: IUFRO-improvement and culture of Eucalyptus, pp 1–10

Download references

Acknowledgements

We appreciate the staff of the Kumawu Forest District, Ashanti Region (Ghana) for the provision of wood samples. The authors also express their gratitude to the Forest Products, Trade and Marketing Division of the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana, CSIR, Fumesua, Kumasi for assisting in the assessment of the mechanical properties of the wood samples.

Funding

The Project was funded by the Authors.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

    Charles Antwi-Boasiako, Frederick Amin Anthonio & Kwasi Frimpong-Mensah

Authors
  1. Charles Antwi-Boasiako
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Frederick Amin Anthonio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kwasi Frimpong-Mensah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Charles Antwi-Boasiako.

Additional information

Project funding: The Project was funded by the Authors.

The online version is available at http://www.springerlink.com

Corresponding editor: Yu Lei.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Antwi-Boasiako, C., Anthonio, F.A. & Frimpong-Mensah, K. Mechanical properties of coppiced and non-coppiced Pterocarpus erinaceus boles and their industrial application. J. For. Res. 30, 1973–1980 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-018-0727-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-018-0727-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation