EVALUATION OF THE Peltophorum vogelianum Benth. WOOD SPECIES FOR STRUCTURAL USE

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.