Heartwood and Sapwood Properties of Quercus castaneaefolia in the Iranian Forests

This study examines to the physical and mechanical properties of heartwood and sapwood in Quercus castaneaefolia species. Ten normal trees for evaluation wood properties were selected in north of Iran. Disks and logs cut down at breast height. Samples for testing were prepared from Heartwood and sapwood. The results showed that there are significant differences between wood properties and heart-sapwood, so that the mean of wood density, volumetric shrinkage, volumetric swelling, modulus of rupture and compression parallel to the grain in heartwood are greater than sapwood. The relationship between the wood density and volumetric shrinkage was determined by regression analyses. It was found that there were positive relationships between wood density and shrinkage, but these correlations in heartwood are stronger than sapwood. The average modulus of rupture varied between the heartwood and sapwood from 88.67±24.02 to 71.43±25.12 MPa and the average of compression strength parallel to the grain varied between heartwood and sapwood from 74.63±10.90 to 59.19±11.32 Mpa.