In Brazil, after the cycle of latex extraction, rubber plantations are reformulated and the wood of these plantings are traditionally used as a cheap source for energy purposes. Rubberwood has other uses based on the consolidated experience in Asian countries. The aim of this article was to evaluate the technological potential of the wood of two main commercial clones of Hevea brasiliensis in Brazil, RRIM600 and GT1, after the period of latex extraction. To accomplish this objective, some physical and mechanical properties of wood were analyzed. The clones had a basic density greater than 0.540 g cm -3 , low volumetric shrinkage (\10 %), and medium to high strength in compression parallel to grain ([40 MPa). According to the results obtained, rubberwood has applications in small and secondary structures, lightweight construction, and furniture industry and it can be an alternative in the Brazilian market to reduce the timber demand from native forest species.

RESUMOO látex é o principal produto extraído das árvores de seringueira (Hevea brasiliensis). No Brasil, ao final do ciclo produtivo de látex, a madeira dessas árvores é utilizada tradicionalmente para fins energéticos, mas diversos trabalhos internacionais relatam práticas consolidadas de agregação de valor a ela. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade da madeira e classificá-la estruturalmente a partir de propriedades mecânicas do lenho de árvores do clone comercial GT 1 de seringueira. Foram utilizadas seis árvores provenientes de plantio de 20 anos de idade da cidade de Itajobi-SP. Da tora inferior (desde a base até a altura do DAP), foram produzidos corpos de prova de dimensões reduzidas, na direção radial do lenho, para avaliação da qualidade pelos ensaios de compressão paralela às fibras, flexão estática e dureza Janka; da tora superior (do DAP até a altura de 2,50 m), foram produzidos dois corpos de prova por árvore, para a classificação estrutural baseada no ensaio de compressão paralela às fibras (NBR 7190, 1997 (ABNT, 1997). A madeira foi classificada estruturalmente como classe C40. Os resultados revelaram que a resistência não apresentou diferença estatisticamente significativa na direção radial (a menos da dureza Janka), sendo observada, no entanto, tendência de aumento no sentido medula-casca.Palavras-chave: propriedades mecânicas, tecnologia, seringueira. Quality of Wood and Structural Classification of Hevea brasiliensis Clone GT 1 ABSTRACTLatex is the main product extracted from rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis). In Brazil, at the end of the production cycle of latex, the wood of rubber tree is traditionally used for energy purposes, but several international studies have reported consolidated practices of adding value to it. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the quality of wood and classify it structurally based on its mechanical properties. Six 20-year-old trees of the clone GT 1 of rubber tree proceeding from Itajobi, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil were sampled. Reduced dimensions specimens in the radial direction of the wood were produced to evaluate the quality by compression parallel to the grain, static bending and Janka hardness tests. Two specimens, one from the lower log (since the ground up to breast height) and one from the higher log (from breast height up to 2.50 m) were produced for structural classification of the wood based on the characteristic strength in compression parallel to the grain (NBR 7190 norm, 1997). The wood was classified as C40 (f c0k ≥ 40 MPa) class. Results revealed that the strength was not statistically different in the radial direction (except for the Janka hardness), though tending to increase from pith to bark.