3 hours. 2 hours lecture and 2 hours lab per week.
Wood Properties and Utilization
Analytical Thinking
Course Description
General introduction to wood and wood products. Major uses of
wood, characteristics of major wood products, processes involved
in their manufacture, and properties of the raw material
affecting its quality and use. Topics covered include wood
formation, anatomy, chemistry, wood properties, and the processes
used to manufacture wood-based products.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students: Graduate students are required to complete a project on one
aspect of the course. The project can be related to a MS/PhD
project, can be an estimate of the costs to produce a particular
product, a background on the uses for a tree species, a review of
the literature on a particular wood property for a tree species,
etc. The assignment is to be arranged between the student and the
instructor.
Athena Title
Wood Properties Utilization
Undergraduate Prerequisite
FORS 4650/6650 or ARID 3340 or ARST 3470 or permission of school
Graduate Prerequisite
FORS 4650/6650 or ARID 3340 or ARST 3470 or permission of school
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student learning Outcomes
Students will learn wood science terminology and classification of wood and wood-based products.
Students will develop an understanding of tree growth, wood formation and wood structure, and learn how these vary based on the environment, genetics, and from forest management activities.
Students will recognize macro and microscopic wood features and use anatomical keys for the purposes of wood identification.
Students will understand relationships between wood and water, and between wood physical and mechanical properties.
Students will know the basic principles of primary and secondary wood processing.
Topical Outline
Week 1
Lecture - Introduction to wood and wood products, tree growth, and wood formation
Lab - Intruduction to wood structure
Weeks 2 to 3
Lecture - Macroscopic features of wood, softwood and hardwood structure, anatomical keys, wood identification
Lab - Wood macroscopic and microscopic structure, Softwood structure
Week 5
Lecture - Corewood (juvenile) and outerwood (mature), reaction wood
Lab - Softwood and hardwood structure
Week 6
Lecture - Wood and water
Lab - Softwood and hardwood structure
Weeks 7 to 8
Lecture - Wood density and mechanical properties of wood
Lab - Softwood and hardwood structure, Wood and water, Density and specific gravity
Week 9
Lecture - Wood and fiber quality
Lab - Strength and mechanics
Week 10
Lecture - Durability and protection
Lab - Conversions of roundwood into products
Weeks 11 to 12
Lecture - Lumber manufacturing and grading
Lab - Wood properties and utilization, Commerce OSB or Madison Plywood
Week 13
Lecture - Structural and nonstructural composites
Lab - Athens Door Plant or Wahington Glulam
Week 14
Lecture - Pulp and paper, energy
Lab - Pulp and paper, energy
Institutional Competencies Learning Outcomes
Analytical Thinking
The ability to reason, interpret, analyze, and solve problems from a wide array of authentic contexts.
