Abstract

This work analyzes the impact of radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) juvenile wood on the physical and mechanical properties of oriented strandboards (OSB). Radiata pine logs were obtained from 10 trees of a 26-year old managed stand located in the 8th Region of Chile. The experimental design considered the proportion of juvenile wood and strand orientation as independent variables. OSB panels of 0.4 m×0.4 m×12 mm were produced and tested. The results show that the juvenile wood proportion has a significant impact on the physical and mechanical properties of OSB. Strands orientation had a significant impact on all the properties studied with the exception of the modulus of elasticity in bending. However, this impact was small in all cases and would not change panel grade with the exception of linear expansion. In this case, panels made from tangential strands showed a higher linear expansion. According to these results, radiata pine juvenile wood can be used for the manufacturing of OSB up to a proportion of 70% of the oven-dry wood weight without significant losses of the physical and mechanical properties if the juvenile wood strands are located in the surface layers. © Springer-Verlag 2007.