Wood is an indispensable resource to man. It was one of the first resources exploited, for its easily obtainable way and technical work, for having good properties, low cost and for being renewable.
The difference between seasons is the way to get the wood . Initially, the aquisition was from native forests. Today, unquestionably, must be sourced from plantations rational.
In Brazil, the species with the relevance used for forest planting are eucalyptus and pine, and in recent decades the planting of eucalyptus has outgrown the pine. In 2012, Brazil had 5,102,030 hectares of planted eucalyptus, of these, 284,701 in Rio Grande do Sul. Applications in the sectors of cellulose and lumber fueled the evolution of eucalyptus. For sawn timber, it offers advantages for several desired properties.
Physical properties, wood with 15% moisture
| Species | Eucalyptus saligna | Pinus elioti | Species’ difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mass density | 690 | 480 | 43,75% |
| Radial Shrinkage | 6,80% | 3,40% | 100,00% |
| Tangential shrinkage | 13,40% | 6,30% | 112,70% |
| Volume Shrinkage | 23,40% | 10,50% | 122,86% |
Mechanical properties, green wood
| Species | Eucalyptus saligna | Pinus elioti | Species’ difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flexural strength | 77,4 MPa | 48,0 MPa | 61,25% |
| Flexural elasticity module | 11876 MPa | 6463 MPa | 83,75% |
| Compressive strength | 32,1 MPa | 18,5 MPa | 73,51% |
| Compressive elasticity module | 13288 MPa | 8846 MPa | 50,21% |
Mechanical properties, wood 15% humidity
| Species | Eucalyptus saligna | Pinus elioti | Species’ difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flexural strength | 101,6 MPa | 69,6 MPa | 54,98% |
| Compressive strength | 49,2 MPa | 31,5 MPa | 56,19% |
Besides its applications, eucalyptus stands out for its growth. The weighted average production of crops reached 40.7 m3/ha/year in 2012, the highest among producing countries. This is the outcome of the conditions of soil and climate, combined with investments in research and development.
Eucalyptus came to Brazil less than 200 years ago and the lack of information has caused some controversy. However, the accumulated experience of decades and scientific studies indicate that rationally grown eucalyptus interacts with nature and offers numerous benefits to humans as well as other cultures.
From an environmental standpoint, the planted forests is an economically sustainable solution that reduces pressure on native forests for forest products, enabling them to be preserved. Still, the forestry component is based on the formation of carbon stock, in tree growth, it takes carbon from the atmosphere, helping to reduce the generation of greenhouse effect gases over the entire period in which the stock is held.
The information drives to the use of eucalyptus. By choosing it, Haas sure offers its customers the best renewable option that integrates desired properties and competitive cost.