NORWAY SPRUCE TESTING
| The first new wood species for construction-grade dimensional lumber in almost a century.
CASE STUDY
In 2016, the American Lumber Standards Committee (ALSC) approved the inclusion of Norway spruce in the Spruce-Pine-Fir (South) species group for home construction and industrial applications based on testing at UMaine’s Advanced Structures & Composite Center (ASCC). This was the first time a new wood species has been qualified for construction-grade lumber in almost a century.
Researchers at the UMaine Composites Center tested 1,320 boards, in bending and tension, cut from trees harvested in Maine, Vermont, Wisconsin, and four regions of New York state for the Northeastern Lumber Manufacturer’s Association (NeLMA).
DEVELOPMENT
During the Norway Spruce testing process, a total of 1,320 full-sized pieces of 2x4s, 2x6s, and 2x8s of both Select Structural and No. 2 grades were tested to failure. Of the 1,320 pieces, 658 were tested for bending, and 662 were tested for tension. The results were used to establish strength values for the species for all 6 major mechanical properties required as part of design considerations:
The inclusion of Norway spruce in the SPF-S grouping resulted in millions of “new” trees entering the North American lumber economy for the first time, benefitting landowners, loggers, lumber mills, builders, and retailers.
The ASCC has partnered with industry to produce value-added wood products since its inception in 1996. The Norway spruce project pave the way for future lumber testing at UMaine.
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