National Center for Wood Transportation Structures

Wood is highly variable because of genetic variation and variable growing environments. To make the best, highest use of our forest resources, we need to have technologies that help us assess the quality of a particu- lar tree, log, or primary product. We can then use it for its best use—nondestructive evaluation technologies enable us to characterize important properties of wood, allowing us to use it appropriately. The USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory, in cooperation with organizations from around the world, develops nondestructive evaluation technologies as part of itsprogram to find the best uses for our timber resources.

The objective of this program is to develop nondestructive evaluation technologies for a range of forest materials and products, with a focus on developing technologies for assessing woody biomass from our Eastern forests.