Performance of posts laminated with mountain pine beetle transmitted blue-stained lodgepole pine

The recent mountain pine beetle infestation in British Columbia has created an urgent need to find alternate product solutions to absorb the increasing volume of blue-stained lodgepole pine lumber and to alleviate the anticipated resistance from the existing markets to absorb more stained wood. This paper studies the structural properties of laminated posts produced from mountain pine beetle infested wood. Nondestructive vibration modulus of elasticity (MOE) test data of 38 mm by 140 mm (nominal 2 by 6) mountain pine beetle infested wood specimens were obtained. Sixty 152-mm by 152-mm by 2.26-m gluelaminate posts (true 6 by 6 in) were produced for further structural tests. The meanMOEvalue of the posts was 12,687 MPa (1.84 106 psi) with a coefficient of variation (COV) of 6.4 percent. After the nondestructive MOE tests, four 76.2 mm-by 76.2-mm by 251-mm (3 by 3 by 9-7/8 in) short columns were obtained from each original specimen and tested in compression parallel to grain. The mean compression strength parallel to grain was found to be 36.4 MPa (5,278 psi) with a COV of 11.5 percent. The results showed that the 152-mm by 152-mm posts laminated with blue-stained lodgepole pine exhibited good structural performance compared to 140-mm by 140-mm Select Structural Douglas-fir posts.

You must be logged in to download any documents. Please login (login accounts are free) or learn how to Become a Member