Assessment of the Relationship Between Wood Density and Treatability of Khaya senegalensis Wood

This study examines the complex relationship between wood density and treatability in Khaya senegalensis wood, a species planted to increase forest cover and incremental issues which rise from elephant damage to the teak plantations in Sri Lanka. The study illuminates the complex relationship between these parameters, which might inform university–industry cooperation to use Khaya senegalensis in numerous applications. Due to its quick growth and less elephant damage, Khaya is in high demand in modern forestry projects. Initial investigations show that Khaya senegalensis may overcome dry zone obstacles in Sri Lanka during establishment. Khaya wood is susceptible to infestation by wood-destroying organisms, requiring treatment before it can be used. Ensuring the preservation of the wood is crucial in order to increase its lifespan. The diffusible nature of boron compounds makes them very appropriate for large-scale industrial treatment using the vacuum pressure impregnation process. The preservation technique involves impregnating sawn wood with a solution consisting of 23 kg of borax, 15 kg of boric acid, and 1000 L of water. The study includes samples from three distinct age cohorts: 14 years, 25 years, and 48 years, obtained from plantations located in Sri Lanka. The density of wood is a crucial physical characteristic that has a substantial impact on a variety of mechanical characteristics of timber. The density calculations were standardized by conducting them on samples with a moisture content of 12%. According to the results of this study, mean density values at 12% moisture content were 764, 772, and 731 \({\text{kgm}}^{ - 3}\) for 14, 25, and 48 years old Khaya wood, respectively. With regard to impact of borax-boric acid wood preservatives, the results confirmed that the mean retention values were 1.70, 1.32, and 0.97 \({\text{ kgm}}^{ - 3}\) for 14, 25, and 48 years old Khaya wood, respectively. Treatability of Khaya species was decreased gradually by increasing the age of the wood as well as the wood density. When using Khaya timber in industrial applications, it is needed to be preserved by boron treatment, especially low maturity timber for enhancing the durability of timber.