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The Challenge of Strength Grading UK Hardwoods (2023)
Journal Article
Cramer, M. (in press). The Challenge of Strength Grading UK Hardwoods. Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Brasov. Series II: Forestry, Wood Industry, Agricultural Food Engineering, 16(65)(3), 39-52. https://doi.org/10.31926/but.fwiafe.2023.16.65.3.3

Recent research in Europe is bringing a wider range of wood species to the construction market as structural timber and glue laminated products. This option would also open markets for currently underused UK species, foremost hardwoods, but testing e... Read More about The Challenge of Strength Grading UK Hardwoods.

Models to predict the radial variation of stiffness, strength, and density in planted noble fir, Norway spruce, western hemlock, and western red cedar in Great Britain (2023)
Journal Article
Gil-Moreno, D., MClean, J. P., & Ridley-Ellis, D. (2023). Models to predict the radial variation of stiffness, strength, and density in planted noble fir, Norway spruce, western hemlock, and western red cedar in Great Britain. Annals of Forest Science, 80, Article 48. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13595-023-01214-7

Key message: This study compares the measured radial variation in wood stiffness, strength, and density of noble fir, Norway spruce, western hemlock, and western red cedar by developing mixed-effects models for each property using age as the explanat... Read More about Models to predict the radial variation of stiffness, strength, and density in planted noble fir, Norway spruce, western hemlock, and western red cedar in Great Britain.

A horizon scan of issues affecting UK forest management within 50 years (2023)
Journal Article
Tew, E. R., Ambrose-Oji, B., Beatty, M., Büntgen, U., Butterworth, H., Clover, G., …Sutherland, W. J. (in press). A horizon scan of issues affecting UK forest management within 50 years. Forestry, https://doi.org/10.1093/forestry/cpad047

Forests are in the spotlight: they are expected to play a pivotal role in our response to society’s greatest challenges, such as the climate and biodiversity crises. Yet, the forests themselves, and the sector that manages them, face a range of inter... Read More about A horizon scan of issues affecting UK forest management within 50 years.

Wood properties and strength grading (2023)
Presentation / Conference
Ridley-Ellis, D. (2023, February). Wood properties and strength grading. Presented at ICF South Scotland CPD event

Slides from a CPD event organised for the Chartered Institute of Foresters South Scotland Regional Group - providing an opportunity for tree professionals to learn more about timber strength grading, and the influence silviculture has on wood propert... Read More about Wood properties and strength grading.

Wood properties & strength grading (2022)
Presentation / Conference
Ridley-Ellis, D. (2022, December). Wood properties & strength grading. Presented at James Jones & Sons Architects' and Structural Engineers' Open Day, Lockerbie

James Jones & Sons held an open day for architects and structural engineers at its flagship sawmill site in Lockerbie. "James Jones & Sons' new visitor building at its flagship sawmill site in Lockerbie has attracted considerable interest in the... Read More about Wood properties & strength grading.

A little about the verification of a lot (EN 14358) (2022)
Presentation / Conference
Ridley-Ellis, D. (2022, September). A little about the verification of a lot (EN 14358). Paper presented at Northern European Network for Wood Science and Engineering (WSE) 2022, Goettingen, Germany

Sometimes it is necessary to estimate the mean and/or percentile of a certain population by limited sampling, in order to compare with target values. Done properly, the method should account for random chance in the sampling so that the two risks can... Read More about A little about the verification of a lot (EN 14358).

Can you guess the strength of timber? How (your) wood quality perceptions relate to reality (2022)
Presentation / Conference
Cramer, M., & Ridley-Ellis, D. (2022, September). Can you guess the strength of timber? How (your) wood quality perceptions relate to reality. Paper presented at Northern European Network for Wood Science and Engineering (WSE) 2022, Goettingen, Germany

UK-grown timber is often perceived to have “low quality”, and most of the UK’s sawn timber is used for fencing and packaging material. Much of the resource could be used as construction timber, as UK spruce and other softwoods can be strength graded... Read More about Can you guess the strength of timber? How (your) wood quality perceptions relate to reality.

The assessment of the mechanical and physical properties of in situ timber (2022)
Presentation / Conference
Bather, M., & Ridley-Ellis, D. (2022, September). The assessment of the mechanical and physical properties of in situ timber. Paper presented at Northern European Network for Wood Science and Engineering (WSE) 2022, Goettingen, Germany

The refurbishment of existing buildings is a more sustainable option than demolition and reconstruction, leading to significant reductions in CO2 emissions and many other benefits. Policy across Europe is leaning more towards retaining and upgrading... Read More about The assessment of the mechanical and physical properties of in situ timber.

Wood Information Sheet WIS 2/3-67 Specifying British-grown timbers (2022)
Other
Ridley-Ellis, D. (2022). Wood Information Sheet WIS 2/3-67 Specifying British-grown timbers. [pdf]

The purpose of this Wood Information Sheet (WIS) is to summarise the characteristics, and the current and potential uses, of timber grown in the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), which we also refer to in this WIS as ‘British-grown... Read More about Wood Information Sheet WIS 2/3-67 Specifying British-grown timbers.

The relationship between bending and tension strength of Irish and UK spruce and pine (2022)
Journal Article
Gil-Moreno, D., Ridley-Ellis, D., O'Ceallaigh, C., & Harte, A. M. (2022). The relationship between bending and tension strength of Irish and UK spruce and pine. European Journal of Wood and Wood Products, 80, 585-596. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-022-01787-6

The correct characterisation of wood properties is fundamental for the best utilisation of resources. In Europe, grading is defined by strength classes that are determined based on either bending or tension tests. The European standards give equation... Read More about The relationship between bending and tension strength of Irish and UK spruce and pine.

Test Machine Effect in the determination of modulus of elasticity for strength-graded timber (2021)
Conference Proceeding
Gil-Moreno, D., Ridley-Ellis, D., & Harte, A. M. (2021). Test Machine Effect in the determination of modulus of elasticity for strength-graded timber. In WCTE 2021: World Conference on Timber Engineering Proceedings

This paper investigates if the relationship between the global and local moduli of elasticity (MoE), measured in bending tests, is affected by the test machines employed, and how that may influence strength grading. The ultimate aim is to study the p... Read More about Test Machine Effect in the determination of modulus of elasticity for strength-graded timber.

Alternative UK timber species (2021)
Book Chapter
Adams, S., & Ridley-Ellis, D. (2021). Alternative UK timber species. In Timber 2021 Industry Yearbook (104-111). High Wycombe: TRADA

Steven Adams and Dan Ridley-Ellis discuss the findings of a recent research project into the properties and potential uses of lesser-used species in the UK.

Grade in Britain: enabling a wider range of home grown species (2021)
Book Chapter
Ridley-Ellis, D. (2021). Grade in Britain: enabling a wider range of home grown species. In Timber 2020 Industry Yearbook (132-137). High Wycombe: TRADA

Dan Ridley-Ellis summarises the different home-grown species currently available, and looks to the future of strength grading for an increasingly wide range of species.

Estimating mechanical properties of clear wood from ten‐year‐old Melia azedarach trees using the stress wave method (2021)
Journal Article
Van Duong, D., & Ridley-Ellis, D. (2021). Estimating mechanical properties of clear wood from ten‐year‐old Melia azedarach trees using the stress wave method. European Journal of Wood and Wood Products, 79(4), 941-949. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-021-01664-8

The objective of this study was to examine the potential of stress wave velocity (SWV) as a rapid and non-destructive method to estimate the mechanical properties of Melia azedarach wood. The SWV, dynamic modulus of elasticity (MOE d), modulus of ela... Read More about Estimating mechanical properties of clear wood from ten‐year‐old Melia azedarach trees using the stress wave method.

A case study of timber demolition recycling in the UK (2021)
Conference Proceeding
Cramer, M., & Ridley-Ellis, D. (2021). A case study of timber demolition recycling in the UK. In Proceedings of the 16th Annual Meeting of the Northern European Network for Wood Science and Engineering – WSE2020 (89-91)

A brief look at alternative species in the UK (2021)
Conference Proceeding
Adams, S. H., & Ridley-Ellis, D. J. (2021). A brief look at alternative species in the UK. In Proceedings of the 16th Annual Meeting of the Northern European Network for Wood Science and Engineering – WSE2020 (68-70)

Some awkward questions about density (2020)
Conference Proceeding
Ridley-Ellis, D., & Cramer, M. (2020). Some awkward questions about density. In Timber 2020 Conference Proceedings (99-110)

There are several different concepts of wood density, such as specific gravity, basic density, dry density, and oven dry density. These are often confusing, and sometimes poorly described in the literature, but they can be unambiguously defined and m... Read More about Some awkward questions about density.

A Shed Resource: A look at Wood Recycling in the UK (2020)
Presentation / Conference
Cramer, M., & Ridley-Ellis, D. (2020, September). A Shed Resource: A look at Wood Recycling in the UK. Paper presented at Timber 2020, Online

The secondary timber value chain was explored by interviewing companies involved in wood recycling. The interviewees include community wood recyclers, chip producers and board-making companies. This paper is a perspective of the wood recycling indust... Read More about A Shed Resource: A look at Wood Recycling in the UK.