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This paper discusses the results from the initiative that has been undertaken to utilize residues from oil palm re‐plantation, particularly the oil palm trunk (OPT) for the production of laminated veneer lumber (LVL). Efficient use of such residues is vital in order to minimize the environmental burdens associated with the disposal of the oil palm residues, thus ensuring the future growth of Malaysian palm oil industry. The bending and compression strength of the OPT LVL produced were accessed and compared with Malaysian oak (formerly known as rubberwood), timber species that is commonly used in the manufacture of furniture in Malaysia. Properties of OPT LVL were found almost comparable to solid Malaysian oak in terms of bending and compression strength. Combination of OPT veneers with several layers of Malaysian oak veneers during the process of LVL manufacturing has resulted in the improvement in bending and compression strength of the LVL as compared to those produced entirely from OPT. In addition, such practice also produced LVL board with far less variation in strength properties as compared to solid OPT properties. With further research and development embarked upon the gluability of the OPT materials, the overall performance of the OPT LVL could be improved for commercial utilization of OPT wastes in the near future. Development higher value‐added by‐products from oil palm industry residues, would benefit the industry through reduction of the overall environmental burden and would place it on a new environmentally sustainable platform.

This study focuses on examining the impact of energy consumption, economic structure, population, and manufacturing output on the CO₂ emissions of selected emerging countries by utilizing the Structural Time Series Model (STSM). Based on the annual data ranging from 1970 to 2019, the model is built up using total primary energy consumption, GDP per capita, population and manufacturing value-added, and, finally, a stochastic Underlying Emission Trend as explanatory variables. STSM is extended by the introduction of the notion of Underlying Energy Demand Trend (UEDT) as a factor for exogenous effects, including development in technical progress, energy efficiency improvements, changes in human behaviors, economy, and environmental regulations. In this context, STSM and the notion of UEDT are implemented to form a forecasting model for CO₂ emissions of the selected emerging countries. The model discovers the significant influences of all selected variables of CO₂ emissions. The results suggest that the most forceful factor in CO₂ emissions is the total primary energy supply. Furthermore, while the long-term impact of economic growth on CO₂ emissions is negative for some emerging economies, it is positive for several others. The model also measures the long-term manufacturing value-added elasticity of CO₂ emissions in these emerging economies.

The fire resistance evaluation of a timber member is an important and complex problem of structural design. In order to solve this problem, it is crucial to have reliable information on the temperature distribution within a timber cross-section exposed to fire, and to develop a numerical model for the prediction of such a quantity. The paper reports the experimental-numerical comparisons in terms of temperature distribution within a timber member made from radiata pine LVL (laminated veneer lumber) exposed to fire. The experimental tests were performed at the University of Canterbury and BRANZ (New Zealand) on 146×60, 300×105 and 360×133 mm LVL members. The temperature distribution was monitored using several thermocouples. The numerical results were obtained using the Abaqus FE code with different conductive models. The Eurocode 5 and Frangi's proposals led to similar results characterized by acceptable approximation close to the surface. Since the accuracy reduced for deeper fibres, a new proposal based on a different variation of the conductivity with the temperature was made. The proposal led to acceptable approximation throughout the tested cross-sections.

WordPerfect version 5.0 has been widely praised for its enhancements with programmable macros. Based on a tradition of macro support since version 2.23, WordPerfect 5.0 allows users to manipulate text in ways previously possible only with more advanced programming languages. The new version, for example, allows for the assignment of variables, conditional testing, advanced looping, sub‐routines, and error handling. It also includes a macro editor as part of the basic software package. With the editor, you can easily modify existing macros—a feature particularly useful with large macros created with the new programming features. In this article I will provide a basic introduction to these macro capabilities and their uses. I have also designed a simple accessions list macro (ACCLIST) that demonstrates some of the new features. A later article will illustrate more complex possibilities.

This research investigated the fire performance and failure behaviour of timber-concrete composite floor systems currently under development in New Zealand, resulting in a design method for evaluating the fire resistance of these floors with different types of connections. Furnace tests were performed on two full-size floor specimens at the Building Research Association of New Zealand (BRANZ). Both floor specimens were 4 m long and 3 m wide, consisting of 65 mm concrete topping on plywood formwork, connected to double LVL (laminated veneer lumber) floor joists. They were tested over a 4 m span, subjected to a nominal design live load of 2.5 kPa. Both floors were subjected to the ISO 834 test fire for over 60 minutes. Two separate connection types were tested; concrete notches cut into the timber beams with an incorporated shear key, and metal toothed plates pressed between the double beams.

It was found that the reduction in section of the timber beams due to the fire governed the failure mode of the floors. The test data and visual observations aided in the development of an analytical model for evaluating the fire resistance of timber-concrete composite floors. This was implemented into a spreadsheet that is able to predict the expected fire resistance of these floors, taking into account some major time dependent variable properties that can have an effect on the overall performance. Load-span tables have been produced to give the estimated fire resistance of floors with differing dimensions, span lengths and applied loads.

This paper describes a series of experiments to obtain the embedment strength of wood at elevated temperatures. The results will be used in Johansen's yield equations to predict the fire resistance of nailed, screwed, and bolted timber connections. To date, Johansen's yield equations have only been used at ambient temperatures. Embedment strength varies with temperature. Recent studies have proposed a tri-linear relationship for bolted connections in LVL and this research extends the investigation to determine if the model is accurate for other types of connections. Bolts, nails and screws were tested by loading in shear through exposed steel side plates. Two different heating regimes were used. The results from short-term heating tests (Part 1) and longer-term heating tests (Part 2) show very different answers. The two hour heating tests (Part 1) showed a tri-linear decline of the embedment strength, as found by earlier experiments, while the longer-term oven tests (Part 2) shows a more linear decline. The difference is attributed to different moisture profiles in the wood. Afire test (Part 3) was carried out on a screwed connection and the results compared with predictions using the experimentally determined embedment strengths in Johansen's equations. The paper shows how this information can be used in design of timber fasteners for fire resistance. A proposal for the degradation of the embedment strength of bolted, screwed and nailed connections is made based on the results of the longer-term oven tests. Such proposal could be included in current codes of practice such as the Eurocode 5 Part 1-2 which do not explicitly provide any relationship for the embedment strength under fire conditions.

Taking the perspective of a start-up company, the purpose of this paper is to analyse resource renewal in heavy business networks.

The theoretical framework is based on the Industrial Network Approach and, especially, the resource interaction framework, business network settings and studies of starting up in business networks. The basis for the paper is a case study of a start-up in the Swedish wind energy context.

Resource renewal in this case means replacing one resource, having implications for the resource interfaces in the three business network settings.

The paper contributes to the area of studies of starting up in business networks by identifying a distinct form of resource renewal in heavy business networks enabled by development of resource interfaces in three business network settings.

Managers in start-ups as well as established firms need to interact to create and develop the resource interfaces that are needed to achieve resource renewal. Resource renewal not only is in the hands of start-ups but also requires interactive resource development with various collaboration partners.

This study takes a start-up’s perspective to resource renewal of heavy business networks and analyses heaviness based on resource interfaces in three business network settings.

Full‐Service Union List Subsystem. On July 1, 1990, OCLC opened the Union List Subsystem to non‐serial local data records (LDRs). This new capability allows libraries to create local data records for all MARC formats, not just serial items.

Considers the introduction of OCLC and other technology in public libraries as a response to reduced budgets and an increased demand for information. Discusses the history of cataloguing, the development of new cataloguing systems, bibliographic record editing, and methods of processing materials. Surmises that OCLC has been a sound investment in forging a new link between acquisitions and cataloguing, as well as reducing cost per cataloguing unit.