TITLE:
Corrective Interventions to End-Splitting and Surface Cracking in Kenya Grown Eucalyptus grandis Poles
AUTHORS:
George Muthike, Godfrey Ali, Nellie Oduor, Paul Munene, Joseph Githiomi
KEYWORDS:
Eucalyptus grandis, Wood Cracking, Wood Stresses, Wood Drying
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Forestry,
Vol.12 No.3,
July
20,
2022
ABSTRACT: This study determined the
effect of three pole pre-drying handling techniques, on end-splitting and surface checking in Eucalyptus
grandis poles from highland and low land areas in Kenya. A total of 144 Eucalyptus
grandis trees were sampled from two sites; Kericho,
representing the wet highlands and Londiani
representing the drier lowlands regions of Kenya. Pole samples from both
sites were subjected to the three pre-drying handling techniques for the first
30 days after felling and allowed to dry to the required moisture level under
observations. The number of end splits and surface checks on each sample pole were counted and the length of
the worst ones was measured in millimeters after every 15 days until all the poles reached
25% MC. The sap wood and heart wood ratios were determined from selected
samples. Results showed that on the overall, poles from high land areas had the
highest sapwood proportions and similarly had the highest number and the
longest end splitting and surface checks. On the other hand, pre-drying
techniques that allowed felled trees to dry slowly with their foliage intact
for the first 30 days of felling produced the best quality poles, with fewer
and shallower end splits and surface checks. The study recommended that felling
and leaving poles to dry slowly with foliage intact be considered in reducing
losses incurred as a result of wood stresses during drying of poles.