Properties of the northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) wood determined by fractometric measurements - preliminary results

This study presents preliminary results of the basic properties of the northern red oak wood as well as the relationship between the properties of the core samples obtained on the live tree and the tested properties. The core samples 5 mm in diameter were extracted from the tree and used for determining the fractometer properties: compressive strength parallel to grain, radial bending strength and braking angle. Using descriptive statistics and multiple regression, the relationship between fractometric parameters and basic physical and mechanical properties of wood determined by destructive methods (wood density, compressive strength in parallel with fibers and bending properties (bending strength and modulus of elasticity). The obtained values of the examined properties of northern red oak are within the limits of the literature data. Statistical analysis has shown that radial bending strength cannot be used as a reliable fractometric parameter in assessing wood quality. On the other hand, the obtained results suggest that the relationship between the other two parameters (compressive strength parallel to grain and fracture angle) and the properties of the northern red oak wood can be successfully described using the multiple regression models (coefficient of determination ranged from 0.945 to 0.990).