Assessing wood quality by spatial variation of elastic properties within the stem: Case study of Pinus pinaster in the transverse plane

The wood quality of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) is discussed in view of spatial variability of density, annual growth ring characteristics, and transverse elastic properties within and among five basal logs. X-ray microdensitometry measurements are carried out to assess both average (D mean ) and local (D EW , D LW ) densities of annual growth rings, as well as the respective dimensions (EW W , LW W ) and fractions of earlywood (EW) and...