Abstract

Physical and mechanical testing of samples from dominant 30-yr-old Eucalyptus grandis plantation trees and from different girth classes of 16-yr-old E. tereticornis plantation trees in Kerala, showed that timber of the former species is lighter and weaker than that of the latter. Shrinkage appeared to begin in the early stage of drying when the moisture content was greater than 50-60. Both the species showed about 80-95 of the bending and 66-81 of the compression (parallel to grain) strength values of mature teak [Tectona grandis] indicating their suitability for solid wood uses. As compared with reported values of bending strength, E. tereticornis was found about 11 weaker than that grown in the drier localities of north India