Aleinikovas, M. 2007. Effect of the Mean Diameter Increment on the Pine Wood Mechanical-Physical Properties in Lithuania.  Baltic Forestry 13 (1): 103-108

The paper presents the evaluation and comparison of some physical and mechanical properties of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) wood in stands with different growth type. The data have been collected on the basis of 9 sample plots. There were aspired that pine stands chosen for wood analysis could have as much familiar structure and identity character of stand growth as possible. Though, the requirements retained for using the mean diameter increment (cm per year) in maximum index (dv) for classification of dominant trees growing. According to this index, the pine stands were divided into three dv groups: 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 cm per year, when the age in maximum (Ak) was from 15 to 36 years. Wood samples were taken at the stem butt-end. The average annual ring width, late wood percentage in annual ring, wood density, bending strength in tangential direction and compression strength along the grain were determined in the samples. It was estimated that wood density, bending strength and compression strength of pine trees from the analysed three dv groups have differed significantly. It is considered that pine wood has the most proper physical and mechanical properties when the stand stocking level is between 0.8 - 0.9.

Key words: Scots pine, the mean diameter increment in maximum index, wood physical - mechanical properties