Moisture content estimation of green softwood logs of three species based on measurements of flexural vibration

Abstract The moisture contents of sugi ( Cryptomeria japonica ), todomatsu ( Abies sachalinensis ) and hinoki ( Chamaecyparis obtusa ) logs were estimated using a method of moisture content estimation proposed in our previous study. In the course of estimation, it was revealed that the regression line of the correlation between specific dynamic Young’s modulus ( E / ρ ) and tangent loss (tan δ ) of green wood was different from that of moisture-conditioned wood and showed species dependency, both of which are not previously reported. Regression lines at the fiber saturation point (FSP) were constructed for each species by measuring E / ρ and tan δ from the flexural vibration of green small specimens and correcting the E / ρ values at their own moisture contents into E / ρ values at the FSP. The correlation of green wood in this study was different from that reported in previous studies of moisture-conditioned wood near the FSP. The correlations of sugi and hinoki were similar, whereas those of sugi and todomatsu were different despite no previous report of species dependency in air-dried wood. The moisture contents 86 logs (not those used to prepare small specimens) were estimated using regression lines of each species. The standard deviation of the difference between the estimated moisture content and the measured moisture content was 15.7%. A systematic error of 25.9% in moisture content was attributed to the different methods of specimen support used for small specimens and logs.