PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF OCOTEA SP WOOD SPECIE

Wood, a sustainable and renewable resource, has been used by mankind for many years in several purposes, especially in construction and manufacture. Considering the predatory harvesting, it is necessary to characterize unknown species as an alternative for human use. In consequence, there are a considerable risk of shortage of this woods. This research aimed to determine, following the Brazilian Standard ABNT NBR 7190, physical and mechanical properties of Louro Preto wood (Ocotea sp), and with the analysis of variance (ANOVA), handling the regression models, estimate the values of strength and stiffness in function of apparent density. Twenty-one models were used for each test, totalizing 315 experimental results. The mechanical properties of Ocotea sp presented on tests demonstrated compatible performance with common wood species used in civil construction. According the regression models, only one property were considered significant with apparent density estimation