CARACTERIZAÇÕES ANATÔMICA E FÍSICO-MECÂNICA DA MADEIRA DE Liquidambar sp.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo a caracterizacao anatomica e fisico-mecânica da madeira de Liquidambar sp. Para tanto, foram utilizadas tres arvores com oito anos de idade, provenientes de um arboreto localizado do municipio de Guacui, Espirito Santo. As caracteristicas anatomicas analisadas foram as dimensoes das fibras (comprimento, diâmetro total e do lume e espessura da parede), dos elementos de vasos (diâmetro tangencial e frequencia) e dos raios (altura, largura e frequencia). Para a caracterizacao fisico-mecânica foram avaliadas a massa especifica (basica, aparente a 12% de umidade e anidra), as contracoes totais lineares e volumetrica, a resistencia a flexao estatica, a compressao paralela as fibras, ao cisalhamento e dureza Janka. Constatou-se frequencia vascular numerosa com vasos de pequeno diâmetro tangencial, raios heterocelulares ocorrendo em baixa frequencia, e fibras libriformes longas de paredes delgadas a espessas. A massa especifica basica da madeira proveniente de discos retirados a 1,30 m do nivel do solo foi de 0,48 g cm -3 , sendo considerada media, a estabilidade dimensional foi considerada baixa, e houve grande influencia da umidade nos valores de resistencia da madeira.  Abstract Anatomical and physical-mechanical characterization of Liquidambar sp. wood. This research aimed to improve anatomical, physical and mechanical characterization of Liquidambar sp.wood. Three trees were obtained, at eight years of age, from an arboretum located in Guacui, Espirito Santo State, Brazil. The analyzed variables were dimensions of the fibers (length, total diameter and diameter of the lumen and wall thickness), the vessel elements (tangential diameter and frequency), and ray (height, width and frequency). The specific gravity (basic, at 12% moisture content and dry), and total volumetric and linear shrinkages, resistance to bending, compression parallel to the fibers, shear and Janka hardness. For anatomical description it was found numerous vessels often with small tangential diameter, heterocellular rays occurring at low frequency, and long libriform fibers with thick to thin walls. The specific gravity of wood from disks taken at 1.30 m from ground level was 0.48 g cm -3 , wich we considered average, the dimensional stability was low, and there was great influence of moisture in the resistance values in wood. Keywords : Anatomy; specific gravity; dimensional stability; mechanical strength.