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Journals / Turkish Journal of Forest Science / 2026 / Cilt: 10 Sayı: 1

Natural drying performance of Eucalyptus camaldulensis timber in southeastern Turkey: Case study of Kahramanmaras

Kahramanmaraş iklim koşullarında Eucalyptus camaldulensis kerestesinin doğal kurutma davranışı

Ayşenur Kılıç Ak(KAHRAMANMARAŞ SÜTÇÜ İMAM ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-3344-4551
İbrahim Bektaş(KAHRAMANMARAS SUTCU IMAM UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF FOREST, DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING)0000-0002-0617-6926
Pages
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Publication Date
2026-04-19
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Overall, the study demonstrates that natural drying is a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable method for timber processing, while emphasizing the need to carefully manage structural and climatic limitations.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:The drying process plays a crucial role in determining the quality and end-use performance of Eucalyptus camaldulensis timber, a species characterized by high initial moisture content and susceptibility to drying defects.
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Key Findings & Data:Timber specimens with thicknesses of 3 cm, 6 cm, and 12 cm were subjected to open-air and indoor drying over a one-year period.
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Conclusion & Impact:Overall, the study demonstrates that natural drying is a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable method for timber processing, while emphasizing the need to carefully manage structural and climatic limitations.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Okaliptüs kerestesi · doğal kurutma · kereste kalitesi

Abstract

The drying process plays a crucial role in determining the quality and end-use performance of Eucalyptus camaldulensis timber, a species characterized by high initial moisture content and susceptibility to drying defects. This study investigates the effects of natural drying conditions on the quality of eucalyptus timber under the Mediterranean climate of Kahramanmaraş, Turkey. Timber specimens with thicknesses of 3 cm, 6 cm, and 12 cm were subjected to open-air and indoor drying over a one-year period. The results revealed that thinner timbers reached the target moisture content within 1.5–3.5 months, whereas thicker timbers continued to lose moisture throughout the drying cycle. Internal and heart cracking, as well as deformation behavior, were strongly influenced by timber thickness and drying environment. In addition, most specimens were classified as high quality according to EDG standards based on drying gradients, although achieving uniform quality was more challenging in thicker sections. Overall, the study demonstrates that natural drying is a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable method for timber processing, while emphasizing the need to carefully manage structural and climatic limitations. The findings offer valuable insights for optimizing industrial drying practices and improving the utilization of eucalyptus timber in similar environmental contexts.

Özet

Eucalyptus camaldulensis kerestesinin yüksek başlangıç rutubeti ve kurutma kusurlarına yatkınlığı, kurutma sürecini ürün kalitesi ve nihai kullanım performansı açısından kritik hâle getirmektedir. Bu çalışma, Akdeniz iklim özelliklerine sahip Kahramanmaraş ilinde doğal kurutma koşullarının okaliptüs kerestesinin kurutma davranışı ve kalite parametreleri üzerindeki etkilerini incelemektedir. Kalınlıkları 3 cm, 6 cm ve 12 cm olan kereste örnekleri açık ve kapalı alanlarda bir yıl süreyle doğal olarak kurutulmuştur. Bulgular, ince ve orta kalınlıktaki kerestelerin hedef rutubet değerine yaklaşık 1,5–3,5 ay içerisinde ulaştığını, 12 cm kalınlığındaki örneklerde ise rutubet kaybının tüm kurutma süreci boyunca devam ettiğini göstermektedir. İç çatlaklar ve öz çatlaklarının oluşumu ile deformasyon davranışı, kereste kesit kalınlığı ve kurutma ortamına bağlı olarak belirgin farklılıklar göstermiştir. Ayrıca numunelerin büyük bir bölümü, kurutma gradyanlarına göre EDG standartları kapsamında yüksek kalite sınıfında yer almıştır. Bununla birlikte, kalın kesitlerde homojen kalite elde etmenin daha güç olduğu belirlenmiştir. Sonuçlar, doğal kurutmanın düşük maliyetli ve çevresel açıdan sürdürülebilir bir yöntem olduğunu ortaya koymakta; ancak kalın kesitlerde kurutma süresinin ve koşullarının dikkatle yönetilmesi gerektiğini vurgulamaktadır. Elde edilen bulgular, endüstriyel kurutma uygulamalarının optimize edilmesine ve benzer iklim bölgelerinde okaliptüs kerestesinin etkin kullanımına katkı sağlamaktadır.

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Cite This Article

Ak, A. K., Bektaş, İ. (2026). Natural drying performance of Eucalyptus camaldulensis timber in southeastern Turkey: Case study of Kahramanmaras. Turkish Journal of Forest Science, Cilt: 10 Sayı: 1. https://doi.org/10.32328/turkjforsci.1825496

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