VARIACIÓN RADIAL Y AXIAL DEL HINCHAMIENTO, DEL FACTOR ANISOTRÓPICO Y DE LA DENSIDAD, EN EL EUCALYPTUS GRANDIS DE ARGENTINA. RADIAL AND AXIAL VARIATION OF SWELLING, ANISOTROPY AND DENSITY, IN ARGENTINEAN EUCALYPTUS GRANDIS

The present paper reports the results of an investigation regarding the variation in swelling, coefficient of anisotropy and density, as a function of the distance from the pith and the height, in trees of Argentinean Eucalyptus grandis. For this purpose an empirical research project with samples randomly selected was designed and carried out. According to the results and for practical purposes, it may be assumed that swelling and the coefficient of anisotropy decrease with height and increase with the distance from the pith. Wood of the outer part of the tree stem exhibits more problems related to dimensional changes than wood of the inner part of the tree stem, even though it presents higher density and, consequently, higher quality for many purposes.