An innovative method based on grain angle measurement to sort veneer and predict mechanical properties of beech laminated veneer lumber

This study proposes an innovative model based on local grain angle measurements to predict the modulus of elasticity of LVL made from beech. It includes a veneers sorting method industrially compatible thanks to its low computational time. For this study 41 LVL panels were prepared from 123 beech sheets of veneers. Local grain angle was obtained with a two dimensional scanner and veneer density was measured. Several models based on these measurements have been developed and their ability to predict the modulus of elasticity of LVL panels have been compared. The model based only on local grain angle measurements have been proven more efficient than models taking into account the veneer density. The proposed method can be used to sort veneer during the peeling process and grade the production of LVL panels to optimize their mechanical properties even for low-quality veneer. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.