Modeling changes in strength and stiffness of loblolly pine wood

Many landowners manage their plantations using intensive treatments to accelerate tree growth rate. Forest industry and wood buyers realize that intensively grown pine produces large volumes of juvenile wood and, as a result, may reduce certain wood properties. In this study, two prediction models for bending strength, modulus of rupture (MOR), or bending stiffness, modulus of elasticity (MOE) were developed to describe how these two important mechanical properties of wood change in individual trees. MOR and MOE are modeled as a function of specific gravity, wood type, height, number of rings, the product of number of rings per inch and diameter at breast height, and physiographic region. The ability to predict these MOR and MOE will allow timber growers and buyers to compare the wood based value of these two properties among different forest management regimes.