Microstructural Properties of Common Yew and Norway Spruce Determined with Silviscan

Yew wood holds a special position within the softwoods with regard to its exceptional elasto-mechanical behaviour. Despite a relatively high density, it is highly elastic in the longitudinal direction (the modulus of elasticity is low and the stretch to break high). In the radial-tangential plane, its elastic anisotropy is clearly less pronounced compared to other softwoods such as spruce. Knowledge of the anatomical organisation of yew wood is an indispensable precondition for the correct interpretation of this conspicuous mechanical behaviour. The aim of this study, therefore, was to interpret the difference in elasto-mechanical behaviour of yew and spruce (as a reference) through their relative microstructures as measured by SilviScan, a technology based on X-ray densitometry, X-ray diffractometry and optical microscopy. This system is able to measure a variety of structural features in a wood sample. The results reveal that the elasto-mechanical response of yew is primarily due to large microfibril angles and a more homogeneous cross-sectional tissue composition (regarding tracheid dimensions and density distribution) compared to spruce. With respect to structure-property relationships, it was concluded that yew wood combines properties of normal and compression wood and therefore takes an intermediate position between them.