This study aimed to investigate the influence of moisture content variation on 12 mechanical properties of the Cedrelinga catenaeformis species. Of the 12 properties, four were significantly affected (based on analysis of variance at 5% significance level), and the compression and shear strengths in the direction parallel to the fibers exhibited the greatest difference in values from the saturated moisture condition of up to 12% (approximately 34% increase). Toughness exhibited a behavior different from that predicted by the normative equation, in which increase in moisture content implied increase (approximately 59%) of the property studied. Because a good part of the properties was not significantly affected and Brazilian standard ABNT NBR 7190 (1997) considers expressions that lead to a considerable increase in mechanical properties with the reduction of moisture content, this approach was unfavorable to the safety of the project, motivating the development of other studies to collaborate in revisions of this normative document.

The use of new wood species in construction requires knowledge of their properties for safer and more economical structural sizing. In Brazil, structural projects are carried out according to the standard document ABNT NBR 7190:1997. Tests required by this standard for the complete characterization of species require large machines with high costs, which are present only in large research centers. Considering the lack of experimental determination, this study aimed, with the help of analysis of variance of regression models, to investigate the possibility of estimating, through apparent density, wood properties obtained in tests where failure is considered fragile, allowing the estimation of properties of species still little used. Ten wood species belonging to the hardwood group (cambara, cedro, cedrorana, copaiba, angelim-araroba, castelo, oiticicaamarela, guarucaia, guaicara, and garapa), covering all strength classes established in the standard ABNT NBR 7190:1997, were used. The results showed that shear strength parallel to the grain (fv0) was the only property that could be estimated by apparent density (ρ12), with an R 2 above 50%. Tensile strength normal to the grain (ft90) and splitting strength (fs0) showed poor fit quality.

Resumo uso de painéis de madeira tem ganhado destaque na indústria da construção civil. Os painéis MDP não atingem requisitos estruturais, ao contrário dos painéis OSB e compensado. Uma alternativa a fim de aprimorar o uso de painéis de partículas de madeira consiste no reforço desses com lâminas de madeira (painéis híbridos). Esta pesquisa objetivou avaliar o potencial de uso de painéis híbridos fabricados com partículas e lâminas de madeira de Pinus sp. e com resina poliuretana bicomponente à base de óleo de mamona, obedecendo à norma ABNT NBR 14810-2. Os resultados das propriedades físicas e mecânicas foram comparados com os requisitos normativos para painéis OSB (EN 300) e compensados (DIN 68792), e também com os resultados de painéis comerciais OSB e compensado. Os painéis híbridos atenderam os requisitos normativos para painéis comerciais OSB e compensado, indicados para uso estrutural. A análise estatística indicou a superioridade das propriedades físicas e mecânica dos painéis híbridos quando comparados com os resultados dos painéis OSB e compensado comerciais, resultado esse também justificado pelo uso da resina à base de mamona.Palavras-chave: Painel de madeira compensada. Painel OSB. Painel MDP. Resina poliuretana à base de óleo de mamona. AbstractThe use of wood panels has been gaining prominence in the construction industry. MDP panels do not meet structural requirements, unlike OSB and plywood panels. An alternative solution to improve the use of wood particleboard is the reinforcement of wood particleboards (hybrid panels). This research study aimed to evaluate the potential of using hybrid panels made with wood particles and veneers of Pinus sp. and with castor-based bicomponent polyurethane resin, meeting the Brazilian Standard ABNT NBR 14810-2. The physical and mechanical properties results were compared with the normative requirements for OSB (EN 300) and plywood panels (DIN 68792), as well as with the results of commercial plywood OSB panels. Hybrid panels met the standard requirements for OSB and plywood commercial panels indicated for structural use. The statistical analysis indicated the superiority of the physical and mechanical properties of the hybrid panels when compared to the results of the OSB and commercial plywood panels, a result that is also due to the use of the castor resin.

Use of lignocellulosic materials in particleboard has turned into an alternative for the reuse of such materials, which are abundant and may have precarious disposal techniques. The present study fabricated particleboards using industrial sawmill waste from tropical hardwoods (a mix of species) and sugarcane bagasse with castor oil-based bicomponent polyurethane resin and evaluated the influence of the incorporation of sugarcane bagasse (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50%) on the physical and mechanical properties of the composites. The particleboards were produced according to the Brazilian Standard ABNT NBR 14810 (2018), and performance requirements were assessed using Brazilian and international standards. Some of the particleboards met standardized requirements, with Treatment 5 (50% sawdust and 50% bagasse) showing better performance, indicating the possibility for use indoors in dry conditions. The addition of sugarcane bagasse increased dimensional stability of particleboards when compared with panels manufactured with timber residue. Statistical analysis indicated the percentage of bagasse was significant, increasing physical and mechanical properties when compared with the reference treatment.

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Accurate estimation of average modulus of elasticity in compression parallel to the grain (Ec0) is of paramount importance for rational sizing of timber structures, given the use of this property in the estimation of stability of compressed parts (ultimate limit state, ULS) and in calculation of excessive strains (serviceability limit state, SLS). In Brazil, if values cannot be experimentally determined, ABNT NBR 7190 (1997) allows for estimation of Ec0 through relations to average modulus of elasticity both in tension parallel to the grain (Et0) (Ec0 = Et0) and in bending (EM) (Ec0 = EM/0.90). This research aimed to access the efficiency of these relations by testing 30 tropical wood species. The analysis of variance results showed that Ec0 and Et0 were statistically equal. However, Ec0 and EM/0.90 were not statistically equal, and the method of least squares resulted in a coefficient of 0.98, which was 8.89% higher than the one suggested by ABNT NBR 7190 (1997) and close to 1, thus, validating the results of ANOVA, which pointed on the equivalence between Ec0 and EM (Ec0 = EM). As an alternative to simplified equations of the standard, two-parameter regression models were used. The geometric model with R² = 91.67% proved to be the model of best fit, which demonstrated that Ec0 could be calculated as a function of EM.

As wood is an orthotropic and natural material, there are several properties required for its use in civil construction. The apparent density has been used to estimate physical and mechanical properties of wood, as it is easy to determine experimentally, unlike other determinations, which involve the use of equipment available only in large research centers. Using the Brazilian standard ABNT NBR 7190 and linear and non-linear regression models, this research aimed to evaluate their accuracy in estimating the compressive strength parallel to the fibers (fc0) as well as their characteristic value (fc0,k). This study considered 72 tropical wood species from native forests that were divided into the 4 strength classes of this standard. For the set formed by all species, the linear polynomial model was the best fit, resulting in a determination coefficient of just over 70%.