Field Assessment of Downed Timber Strength Deterioration Rate and Wood Quality Using Acoustic Technologies

Hurricane and tornado events cause significant damage to high-value timber in the United States each year. Forest managers landowners are keenly interested finding solutions salvage repurpose these downed timbers before they pest infestations fire outbreaks, completely losing their value or increasing processing costs. To better understand wood quality of timber, we used acoustic waves techniques as a nondestructive testing approach assess degradation rate trees determine extent fracture voids damaged regions. We periodically monitored velocity for 12 consecutive months using time flight (TOF) method. Acoustic measurements were conducted three different techniques—longitudinal, transverse, off-set methods. Wood density, age, diameter at breast height (dbh) class measurement southern (chip-n-saw dbh 8″–11″ sawtimber with 12″ up) predictive parameters trees. The results indicated positive relationships between class, stand (R2 > 65%). TOF was potentially separate higher-stiffness from lower-stiffness hurricane event structural non-structural applications. regression coefficient repeated that both age strongly impacted properties (p-value ≤ 0.001). recorded higher compared chip-n-saw type. Fracture, voids, massive decay detected beyond visible inspection, features often identified by loggers lower wood; however, showed weak response picking up incremental deterioration due changes specific environmental factors affected readings. This study wave methods could be field evaluation tool assessing