Moisture Changes in Oak and Hickory Fuel Chips on Roofed and Unroofed Louisiana Air-Drying Grounds as Affected By Pile Depth and Turning of Chips

Freshly cut whole-tree hickory chips had lower moisture content (MC) initially and dried more rapidly than those of southern red oak. Such chips spread during April 1981 in roofed trays did not dry to 20 percent MC, ovendry-weight basis, fast, than those spread in October 1980. In roofed trays, unturned chips spread 4 inches deep generally dried more rapidly than if spread 8 or 12 inches deep. Times to 20 percent average MC for layers 4, 8, 12 inches deep were 78 to 94, 79 to 136, and 81 to 150 days, respectively. Twelve-inch-thick layers of southern red oak chips in unroofed trays increased in MC with time, but less so if turned weekly. Twelve-inch-thick layers of southern red oak chips in roofed trays dried considerably faster if turned. Even when in roofed trays and turned weekly, however, 87 days of drying were required to reach 31 percent average MC, and 151 days to reach 29 percent MC.

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