Stacked volume conversion factor for geometric volume of Eucalyptus sp.

Abstract

Post-harvest, wood volume can be calculated with a stacking factor which can be influenced by diameter classes involved. Consequently, the following question arises: there is a difference between the volume conversion factor for stacked to geometric volume between piles of clonal plantation logs of different
 diameters classes? The hypothesis is: if smaller logs have a higher stacked to geometric volume conversion factor, between-log voids will be smaller and the overall stacks will therefore have lower volumes. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare stacking and cubing factors in stacks of logs with different diameters for two Eucalyptus sp. clones. The study was conducted in Barra do Corda municipality, Maranhão State, Brazil.
 Timber was laid in piles of logs by diameter class, composed of logs of smaller (9-10.99 cm) and larger (11-13 cm) diameters. Stacking factor means for clone 1 were 1.88 for the larger diameter and 2.00 for the smaller diameter class, while for clone 2 mean values were 1.62 and 1.65, for stacks with larger and smaller diameter
 classes, respectively. For logs from the same clone there was no significant difference for the conversion factors between the stacks with the largest and smallest diameter. However, there was a significant difference in the conversion factors between the two clones, proving the hypothesis tested. Thus, for each genetic
 lineage, a proper stacking factor must be established so that the estimated volume comes close to the real value.