Izbrane fizikalne in mehanske lastnosti lesa 12-letnih dreves tika iz Gane

To supplement the timber stock in the natural forests of Ghana, efforts have been made to plant varied timber species including Tectona grandis (teak) in both plantations and home gardens for local use. However, the related timber patrons do not have adequate information on the properties of short rotation home-garden teak to build confidence in its appropriate utilization. This study therefore evaluated the physical and mechanical properties of 12-year-old teak using ASTM and BS standards to determine whether 12-year-old, garden-grown teak has density and mechanical properties comparable to those of mature plantation-grown teak, and whether it is suitable for light structural applications. Ten trees were selected from home environments in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The results indicated average values of 34%, 628 kg/m3, 13,014 N/mm2, 98 N/mm2 and 43 N/mm2 the for moisture content, density, static bending MOE, MOR and compression strength parallel to the grain, respectively. Overall, in addition to the density found being higher than that reported in other studies, the bending properties were also favourable compared to those of some 50- to 65-year-old teak trees given in the literature. The 12-year-old garden teak could thus be used for some medium to light structural applications, such as door and window frames, doors, furniture, and ceiling panels, among others.