Browsing by Author "Kutzer, Karl"

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    Retrospective determination of exposure temperature of standing trees during wildfires with Solid-state NMR
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2024-02) Kutzer, Karl; Meincken, Martina; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Forest and Wood Science.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Timber plantations across the world are suffering from the effects of increasingly frequent wildfires, which potentially degrade the wood of affected trees, depending on the exposure temperature. However, it is rather complicated to determine the exact temperature of the fire, or the temperature to which the wood behind the bark was exposed. This study aimed to determine the exposure temperature of the wood retrospectively through Solid-state NMR (ssNMR) analysis. Models were developed from softwood and hardwood samples exposed to defined temperatures in a laboratory furnace, which successfully linked the NMR signal to the exposure temperature. Various equations were tested to fit either the half-width or peak area of the NMR signals obtained for different exposure temperatures and the best models were identified. The results show a clear difference between Pine and Eucalyptus wood: for Pine the half-width of the NMR signal yielded the best correlation to exposure temperature, while for Eucalyptus the peak area was a better fit. The results confirmed findings of an earlier pilot study performed on Pine with an increased sample number over a larger temperature range and extended the model to a hardwood species, namely Eucalyptus. This non-destructive method offers a valuable evaluation method to determine, if the wood from burnt trees is still sound and can be further processed. If models are developed for the relevant species used by the South African Forest industry, significant economic gains can be made, by not unilaterally discarding burnt trees where the wood of many trees has not been degraded and can still be utilized.