ABSTRACT Brazilian flora has more than 12 thousand tropical wood species, which can be the raw material for the construction industry. Chromated copper borate (CCB) and chromated copper arsenate (CCA) are wood preservative chemicals, which can generate toxic waste. Particleboards are usually produced from Pinus sp. and Eucalyptus sp. wood particles and a polymeric matrix (often formaldehyde-based), and they are used as raw material mainly for the furniture industry. This study aimed to investigate the technical feasibility of particleboard production using caixeta wood (Simarouba amara Aubl.) particles and bicomponent castor oil-based polyurethane resin for tropical wood waste management, as well as study the impact of CCA/CCB treatments on the performance of these panels according to NBR 14810 standards. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests was performed to compare ten physical and mechanical properties of the panels produced with CCA, CCB, and non-treated caixeta wood particles. The performance of caixeta wood panels was similar to the usually produced boards (using Pinus sp. and Eucalyptus sp. wood). Furthermore, preservative treatments did not change significantly the mechanical performance of panels. However, water absorption increased and thickness swelling decreased in CCA/CCB treated samples.

ABSTRACT The use of new wood species in construction requires knowledge of their properties for safer and more economical structural sizing. In Brazil, structural projects are carried out according to the standard document ABNT NBR 7190:1997. Tests required by this standard for the complete characterization of species require large machines with high costs, which are present only in large research centers. Considering the lack of experimental determination, this study aimed, with the help of analysis of variance of regression models, to investigate the possibility of estimating, through apparent density, wood properties obtained in tests where failure is considered fragile, allowing the estimation of properties of species still little used. Ten wood species belonging to the hardwood group (cambara, cedro, cedrorana, copaiba, angelim-araroba, castelo, oiticica-amarela, guarucaia, guaicara, and garapa), covering all strength classes established in the standard ABNT NBR 7190:1997, were used. The results showed that shear strength parallel to the grain (fv0) was the only property that could be estimated by apparent density (ρ12), with an R2 above 50%. Tensile strength normal to the grain (ft90) and splitting strength (fs0) showed poor fit quality.

ABSTRACT Wood is a material used for various purposes since ancient times and is mainly used in civil and rural construction and industry. Due to the predatory exploitation of known trees, it is necessary to characterize new species for use in urban and rural structures as alternatives of species commonly used. This study aimed to determine the physical and mechanical properties of Guarucaia wood (Peltophorum vogelianum Benth.) based on the Brazilian standard ABNT NBR 7190 (1997) and estimate the strength and stiffness as a function of apparent density using the analysis of variance and also estimate stiffness as a function of its strength. The mechanical properties of P. vogelianum were considered compatible for structural use when compared with others used for the same purpose, being classified in the class C50 of dicotyledon species and evidencing the possibility of its use for structural purposes. According to the results of the poor quality in the fit of regression models in the statistical analysis, the strength and stiffness could not be estimated as a function of apparent density nor stiffness properties as a function of their respective strengths.