Adding value to hardwoods – thin hardwood cross-laminated timber (HCLT)

Maximizing the value of underutilized hardwood species is vital for sustainable forestry and economic development in North America’s hardwood regions. This reseach studied the feasibility and performance of thin hardwood cross-laminated timber (HCLT) panels made from yellow-poplar (YP) and black walnut (BW). Third-point bending tests revealed that thin HCLT panels outperformed traditional panel products and were comparable to structural timber products. YP HCLT with 19 mm lamellae achieved the highest average modulus of rupture (MOR) of 77 MPa, while BW with lamellae of 13 mm had the best individual performance as 97 MPa. The use of thin HCLT panels was showcased by an extendable coffee table, and potential applications were proposed as biophilic and aesthetic wall-filling alternative to gypsum boards. These findings highlight thin HCLT as a sustainable, high-performance solution for U.S. hardwoods, with opportunities for future development in interior applications.

充分开发未充分利用的阔叶树种的价值，对于北美阔叶材产区的可持续林业与经济发展至关重要。本研究针对以鹅掌楸（yellow-poplar, YP）和黑胡桃木（black walnut, BW）制备的薄型阔叶材正交层积材（hardwood cross-laminated timber, HCLT）板材的可行性与性能展开了系统探究。三点弯曲试验结果表明，薄型HCLT板材的性能优于传统板材，且可与结构用实木材相媲美。其中，采用19mm单板制备的鹅掌楸HCLT，其平均抗弯强度（modulus of rupture, MOR）最高，达77MPa；而采用13mm单板制备的黑胡桃木HCLT，单块试样的抗弯强度最高可达97MPa。研究通过一款可伸缩茶几展示了薄型HCLT板材的应用潜力，并提出其可作为亲生物设计且兼具美学效果的石膏板墙面填充替代方案。本研究结果凸显了薄型HCLT作为美国阔叶材可持续、高性能解决方案的应用价值，其在室内装饰领域具备未来发展的广阔机遇。