Characterization of Tropical Wood Species for Use in Civil Constructions

Abstract

The wood is one of the most applicable materials in industrial activities due to its availability allied to its satisfactory mechanical properties, presenting a good strength/density relation. Its versatility is fundamental for the large expansion of its use on structure building. The exploration, initially selective, turned to be selective and also predatory, what lead to a shortage, raising systematically the prices until the moment where it was not anymore probable to use it on the quantities registered until then. The solution was to define species, between more than 5.000 varieties in AmazonicaTropical Forest, which could substitute the 100 commercially used ones. However, due to technical limitations, these species cannot be completely characterized, what leads to a misusing of timber, once its behaviour is not known completely when it is under mechanical stresses. This research presents some results of the characterization of the following timber species: Canelão, Envira Branca, Guarajá, Quaruba Rosinha and Breu Vermelho. These species are found close to Sinop (Mato Grosso - Brazil), and the results obtained reveal clearly the potential of each species under mechanical stresses, showing that some of them can be good substitutes to the commonly wood speciesused.