Dr. David DeVallance, InnoRenew CoE research group leader for Renewable Materials Composites, in collaboration with Rafael da Rosa Azambuja and Joseph McNeel from West Virginia University’s Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, published “Evaluation of Low-Grade Yellow-Poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) as Raw Material for Cross-Laminated Timber Panel Production” in the Forest Products Journal.

This research aimed to “investigate the structural grades of a typical population of National Hardwood Lumber Association graded No. 2 and lower lumber and evaluate their potential to meet structural grades necessary for CLT panels.”

Research results are promising as the authors found that the majority of low-grade yellow-poplar meets the necessary values for use in CLT panel production.