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Forests
Special Issues
Wood Properties: Strength, Density, Hardness
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Wood Properties: Strength, Density, Hardness

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Wood Science and Forest Products".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 2657

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ying Guan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Forestry and Landscape Architecture, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
Interests: polysaccharide; lignocellulose; bamboo chemistry; wood chemistry; wood structure and mechanical property
Dr. Xinxin Ma

E-Mail
Guest Editor
International Center for Bamboo and Rattan, Beijing, China
Interests: bamboo properties; structure; mechanical property; viscoelasticity

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The applications of wood, including wood composites, structural timber, and engineering timber, are inherently linked to the intrinsic properties of wood itself, and the growth of wood and its associated physiological and anatomical characteristics are also of significance in the utilization of wood. Therefore, the enhancement of wood properties through innovative physical, chemical, and biological techniques is essential for the high-value utilization of wood. This Special Issue attempts to analyse the properties of wood using a number of new technological tools, and to improve the properties of wood using advanced methods.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

  • The chemical modification of wood;
  • The mechanical properties of wood;
  • Wood and polymer materials;
  • Bamboo and Rattan viscoelasticity;
  • Bamboo structure and products;
  • The analyses of wood processing residues;
  • High-value utilization of lignocellulose.

Dr. Ying Guan
Dr. Xinxin Ma
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • mechanical property
  • genetic modification
  • chemical modification
  • polymer materials
  • lignocellulose
  • bamboo and rattan

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 3598 KB  
Article
Design and Experiment of the Mold for the Production Process of Natural Arc-Shaped Bamboo Laminated Lumber
by Hu Miao, Rui Gao, Guofu Wang, Xinxin Ma, Changhua Fang and Huanrong Liu
Forests 2025, 16(9), 1452; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16091452 - 12 Sep 2025
Viewed by 214
Abstract
Natural arc-shaped bamboo laminated lumber (ABLL) is an engineering material made from recyclable and rapidly renewable bamboo. Objectives: to enhance processing mechanization by (i) establishing a fixed-arc dimensional model for bamboo splits, (ii) designing an integrated mold capable of simultaneous shaping and drying, [...] Read more.
Natural arc-shaped bamboo laminated lumber (ABLL) is an engineering material made from recyclable and rapidly renewable bamboo. Objectives: to enhance processing mechanization by (i) establishing a fixed-arc dimensional model for bamboo splits, (ii) designing an integrated mold capable of simultaneous shaping and drying, and (iii) validating its performance through simulation and experiment. Methods: numerical modeling simulated the operational process, and physical tests measured split length, thickness, inner and outer chord lengths, and moisture content. Results: after the mold completes the arc-fixing and drying of bamboo splits, parameters including the splits’ length, chord length, thickness, and moisture content are suitable for subsequent processing. Based on simulation results, the working mechanism of load application and deformation of bamboo during the equipment’s arc-fixing process was analyzed. The cylindrical arc geometry causes uneven material deformation and stress distribution during arc-fixing. Arc-fixing of bamboo splits results in irreversible edge densification. Thus, gluing should be performed promptly to prevent warping. Evaluation metrics for arc length data—including RE ≤ 8.46%, R2 ≥ 0.71, and RMSE ≤ 3.61—confirm the reliability of the dimensional model and virtual prototype simulation model. The proposed method was expected to provide a reference for the development of devices specifically designed for ABLL. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wood Properties: Strength, Density, Hardness)
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9 pages, 1699 KB  
Article
Density and Modulus of Elasticity (MOE) Distribution and Grading of Flattened Bamboo Boards
by Xun Luo, Jiarui Xu, Yuquan Li, Zhiru Song, Zhen Jiang, Xiubiao Zhang, Chunping Dai, Hu Miao and Huanrong Liu
Forests 2025, 16(7), 1163; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16071163 - 15 Jul 2025
Viewed by 575
Abstract
The standardization of physical and mechanical properties is critical for the large-scale application of engineered bamboo products. In this study, the distribution characteristics of density and modulus of elasticity (MOE) were systematically examined in a large sample of flattened bamboo boards. The density [...] Read more.
The standardization of physical and mechanical properties is critical for the large-scale application of engineered bamboo products. In this study, the distribution characteristics of density and modulus of elasticity (MOE) were systematically examined in a large sample of flattened bamboo boards. The density and MOE ranged from 0.46 to 1.12 g/cm3 and 5.60 to 22.18 GPa, respectively. Both exhibited a decreasing trend with increasing board thickness. Based on interquartile analysis, four density grades and five MOE grades were established. A strong positive correlation was identified between density and MOE, indicating that density—closely linked to fiber volume fraction—is the primary factor influencing mechanical performance. Notably, the graded bamboo boards demonstrated significantly higher modulus values than conventional wood veneers such as hemlock and poplar, highlighting their potential for high-performance structural applications. This study proposes a practical grading framework that contributes to the standardization and broader engineering utilization of flattened bamboo boards. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wood Properties: Strength, Density, Hardness)
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Graphical abstract

22 pages, 2033 KB  
Article
The Mechanical Properties of Laminated Veneer Products from Different Stands of Douglas Fir and Norway Spruce in Germany
by Tobias Krenn, Dirk Berthold, Nina Ritter and Carsten Mai
Forests 2025, 16(7), 1040; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16071040 - 21 Jun 2025
Viewed by 396
Abstract
The relationship between silvicultural strategies, manifested in the thinning method and rotation age on sites with different water supply, and the mechanical properties of engineered wood products plywood and laminated veneer lumber has been analyzed. Sample logs from five German sites of Norway [...] Read more.
The relationship between silvicultural strategies, manifested in the thinning method and rotation age on sites with different water supply, and the mechanical properties of engineered wood products plywood and laminated veneer lumber has been analyzed. Sample logs from five German sites of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) and Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (M.) Franco) have been rotary-peeled and processed into boards with a phenol–resorcinol–formaldehyde adhesive to evaluate their performance under flexural, tensile, and compressive loads. Satisfactory coefficients of determination were reached for Norway spruce in regard to the silvicultural framework and the tree characteristics of slenderness and crown base height. Douglas fir products did not achieve comparable determination due to high variance within boards and stands but did achieve significantly better mechanical properties. Norway spruce was observed to be more responsive to thinning measures, while the effect of different thinning regimes was not evident for Douglas fir. The on-site evaluation of Douglas fir stands for veneer product quality based on silvicultural parameters and tree characteristics was shown to be inconclusive, with its naturally higher wood density being the decisive constant. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wood Properties: Strength, Density, Hardness)
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15 pages, 9198 KB  
Article
Comparative Study of Numerical Simulation on Short-Term Creep Behavior of Steam-Pretreated White Oak (Quercus alba L.) Wood
by Xingying Zhang, Junjie Cen, Yuge Zhang, Shenjie Han, Kongjie Gu, Youming Yu and Junfeng Hou
Forests 2024, 15(12), 2166; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15122166 - 9 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 876
Abstract
This paper investigates the effects of steam pretreatment temperature (100~120 °C), test temperature (20~80 °C), and earlywood vessel belt on parameters associated with the bending creep properties of white oak (Quercus alba L.) wood. The Burger model, Five-parameter model, and Six-parameter model [...] Read more.
This paper investigates the effects of steam pretreatment temperature (100~120 °C), test temperature (20~80 °C), and earlywood vessel belt on parameters associated with the bending creep properties of white oak (Quercus alba L.) wood. The Burger model, Five-parameter model, and Six-parameter model are used for short-term simulation and comparative analysis of the bending creep curve of steam-pretreated white oak wood, and creep fitting curves and viscoelastic parameters are obtained. The advantages and disadvantages of different viscoelastic mathematical models for fitting the bending creep curve of white oak are analyzed. The results indicate that the Six-parameter model is more consistent with the creep behavior of wood in simulating and predicting the creep behavior of wood than that of the Burger and Five-parameter model and can reflect the short-term deformation characteristics of wood. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wood Properties: Strength, Density, Hardness)
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