Location: Nutrition, Food Safety/Quality
Project Number: 0204-41510-001-096-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Aug 17, 2020
End Date: Aug 16, 2025
Objective:
The focus area of this project will be that of developing evaluation techniques, materials and assemblies testing, and adding value to southern pine softwood and regional hardwood timber processing, developing novel products and markets, and enhancing the service performance and life of pine and other hardwood-based products. In particular, it is anticipated that a large-scale (1,000 or more specimens) production weighted sample of pine lumber will be non destructively evaluated, mechanically tested, analyzed, and reported. This pilot project addresses the critical objectives of employment in rural economies, maintaining and improving timberland values, providing domestic biobased materials for housing construction, and stewardship of natural resources through improved uniformity in timber products evaluation.
Specific objectives are to further develop cottonseed based adhesives for hardwood plywood (in support of the success developed during 2019 this work advances in cooperation with USDA ARS New Orleans, survey and wood identification instruments to enhance marketing and trade, evaluation technology to improve the performance of cross laminated timber, and pursue research to enhance the economic and utility value of timber based products such as lumber and other composites as a means of improving and maintaining timberland value and timber conversion-related jobs throughout the gulf south region of the USA.
Approach:
Design lab- and pilot-level sampling schema for in-grade pine lumber evaluation both non destructively and in tension. Grade, non destructively characterize, and then destructively measure tensile properties of in grade pine lumber. It is intended that commodity lumber from 10 to 20 mills will be studied. A greater or lesser number of mills may be included based on logistics. Measure and test samples based on appropriate ASTM standards and evaluation techniques as well as novel non-destructive technology. Test hardwood mat assemblies.
Continue to improve and grow the newly developed “North American Matting Association” as a means of improving and growing domestic hardwood markets in the U.S. Further develop liquefied cottonseed based adhesives for use in the hardwood plywood industry Develop and test novel laminated engineered products as well as innovative processes to enhance marketing, performance, and durability of wood based products. Continue to investigate the impacts of notches on cross laminated timber. Continue to evaluate and develop rapid wood identification tools and technology to enhance international lumber trade. Cooperate with USDA Forest Products Laboratory as a technical advisor.
