Lecture 3:

Measurement of Logs
Objectives
At the end of the lecture, the students should be able to:

● understand the concept of log measurement;

● familiarize with the different formulas in calculating the volume of logs;
● apply and differentiate the different log volume formulas.
Volume Measurement
Volume
Measurement of the solid content

Expressed in cubic units

Photo retrieved from mozaweb.com

Widely used measurement in wood quantity

Volume Measurement
In tree volume measurement, the most
important portion of a tree to consider in
terms of usable wood, is the stem.

There are various methods in determining

the volume of stem sections.
Xylometric Process
Most accurate but cumbersome
method

Submerge the stem section and

measure the displaced volume

aka water displacement method

Photo retrieved from St. Joseph Institutions (sites.google.com)
Tree Geometric Shapes
• resemblance of the tree form to
certain geometric solids

• circular in cross-sections
Photo retrieved from ggu.ac.in

• all of these, except cylinder, tapers to a tip and may be compared to the
entire bole of a tree
• concept of tapering – reduction of the diameter from the base to the top of
the tree
 Profile of a tree

The stem of a tree cone

is more realistic to
consider as a paraboloid

composite of
neiloid
geometric solid
cylinder
Tree Geometric Shapes
• Cylinder
•V = AH

Photo retrieved from Harris M (2018) Volume determination.

Tree Geometric Shapes
• Neiloid
•V = AH
4
Tree Geometric Shapes
• Paraboloid
•V = AH
2
Tree Geometric Shapes
Conoid
•V = AH
3
Tree Geometric Shapes
1. Cylinder H
A
2. Paraboloid H
A
3. Cone H
A
4. Neiloid H
A
 • Cylinder = no taper = 𝑉 = 𝐴𝐻
• Cone = constant taper = 𝑉 = 1/3𝐴𝐻
1
• Paraboloid = increasing taper = 𝑉 = 𝐴𝐻
2
1
• Neiloid = decreasing taper = 𝑉 = 𝐴𝐻
4
Conoid

Paraboloid

Cylindrical

Neiloid Note the convex and concave flexure of the sides of the paraboloid and neiloid, respectively.
Digitally drawn by VMPTorres, 2019
(Source: Leverett, R.t., Ruskin, D.N. and Masino, S.A., 2020)
A “log” is a solid which is assumed to have a
circular cross-section at any point of its axis. SMALL
END
Log is any section of the bole, a large branch, or
felled tree after cross cutting with at least 15 MIDDLE
centimeters in diameter and 1.5 meters in length END
(Source: DENR Forest Management Bureau. Harmonization
Project. Project Expert Group 2005)

BIG END

Technically, in timber inventory, a log is equivalent to 5 meters

 SMALL END

MIDDLE END

BIG END

Technically, in timber inventory, a log is equivalent to 5 meters

REMEMBER:
Volume of a Cylinder (m3) = Basal Area x Length (if tree is felled) or Height (if the tree is still standing)

where:
The Basal Area (BA) is found from the DIAMETER
Area of a CIRCLE:

𝑨𝒄 = 𝝅𝒓𝟐
DIAMETER is twice the radius:
𝑫
𝒓=
𝟐
REMEMBER:
Volume of a Cylinder (m3) = Basal Area x Length (if tree is felled) or Height (if the tree is still standing)
where:
The Basal Area (BA) is found from the DIAMETER

Area of a CIRCLE: Diameter is twice the radius:

𝑫
𝑨𝒄 = 𝝅𝒓𝟐 𝒓=
𝟐

The Basal Area (BA) in terms of DIAMETER is:

𝑫
𝟐
𝝅𝑫𝟐 𝟑. 𝟏𝟒𝟏𝟔𝑫𝟐
𝑩𝑨 = 𝝅 𝑩𝑨 = 𝑩𝑨 =
𝟐 𝟒 𝟒

𝑩𝑨 = 𝟎. 𝟕𝟖𝟓𝟒 𝑫𝟐
Cubic volume of a cylinder using the BIG END DIAMETER
Cubic volume of a cylinder using the MIDDLE END DIAMETER
Cubic volume of a cylinder using the SMALL END DIAMETER
 VMPTorres_Oct 16,2018_Sawmill in Mindanao

Logs are seldom circular in cross-sectional areas

VMPTorres_Oct 16,2018_Sawmill in Mindanao
STANDARD METHODS IN REDUCING IRREGULARITIES IN DIAMETER ARE:

AREA AT SMALL END

= AVERAGE CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA

AREA AT BIG END

STANDARD METHODS IN REDUCING IRREGULARITIES IN DIAMETER ARE:

AREA AT MIDDLE END

= MIDDLE END CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA
SECTIONAL LOG VOLUME
FORMULAS
V = 0.7854 Dm2L
o Huber
𝑫𝟐 + 𝒅𝟐
V = 0.7854 ×𝑳
𝟐 o Smalian
𝟐
𝑫𝟐 + 𝟒𝒅𝒎 + 𝒅𝟐
V = 0.7854
𝟔
×𝑳 o Newton

𝑽 = 𝟎. 𝟕𝟖𝟓𝟒 𝒅𝟐 𝑳 o Government Scaling

𝑫+𝒅 𝟐
𝑽 = 𝟎. 𝟕𝟖𝟓𝟒 ×𝑳
𝟐
 SECTIONAL LOG VOLUME FORMULAS

1 Huber’s Formula
V = 0.7854 Dm2L
Assumption: the average cross- Middle-end
sectional area is found at the middle Diameter (in m)
of the log. This is true only when the
taper is constant, there will be an
overestimation or underestimation if
the taper is not constant.
 SECTIONAL LOG VOLUME FORMULAS

2 Smalian’s Formula
𝑫𝟐 + 𝒅𝟐
V = 0.7854 ×𝑳 Small-end Diameter (in m)
𝟐
Assumption: the average cross-sectional area is
obtained by getting the average of the two areas
at each end.

Big-end Diameter (in m)

 SECTIONAL LOG VOLUME FORMULAS

3 Newton’s Formula 𝟐 Assumption: average cross-

𝑫𝟐 + 𝟒𝒅𝒎 + 𝒅𝟐 sectional area is obtained by
getting the average of the two ends
V = 0.7854 ×𝑳 plus the middle area of the log.
𝟔
Small-end Diameter (in m)

Middle-end Diameter (in m)

Big-end Diameter (in m)

 SECTIONAL LOG VOLUME FORMULAS

4 Government Scaling Formula

Determination of the gross and net volumes of logs in cubic units.
In the Philippines, net scale of a log is determined with the
exclusion of all natural defects including cavities.
The Diameter inside bark is required.
 SECTIONAL LOG VOLUME FORMULAS

4 Government Scaling Formula

According to the length of the log

If less than or equal to 8m

𝑽 = 𝟎. 𝟕𝟖𝟓𝟒 𝒅𝟐 𝑳

If more than 8 m
𝑫+𝒅 𝟐
𝑽 = 𝟎. 𝟕𝟖𝟓𝟒 ×𝑳
𝟐
 SECTIONAL LOG VOLUME FORMULAS

4 Government Scaling Formula

According to the length of the log
If log length is ≤8m
𝑽 = 𝟎. 𝟕𝟖𝟓𝟒 𝒅𝟐 𝑳

Small-end Diameter (in m)

 SECTIONAL LOG VOLUME FORMULAS

4 Government Scaling Formula

According to the length of the log
If log length is >8m
𝑫+𝒅 𝟐
𝑽 = 𝟎. 𝟕𝟖𝟓𝟒 ×𝑳
𝟐
Small-end Diameter (in m)

Big-end Diameter (in m)

 SECTIONAL LOG VOLUME FORMULAS

4 Government Scaling Formula

Diameter inside bark = diameter outside
bark – 2 (average bark thickness)

𝒅𝒊𝒃 = 𝒅𝒐𝒃 − 𝟐𝑨𝑩𝑻

dob
dib
 3. Bark Thickness
To obtain the total cubic contents inside
bark, with reasonable accuracy, one has
to measure the log outside bark and
deduct double bark thickness
bt dib bt
dob

Photo retrieved from Duty R. electricheraldcom

 3. Bark Thickness
Bark thickness on standing trees can be
determined with a bark gauge

This instrument is a half circle so that it

can be driven through the soft bark.
Photo retrieved from www.fennerschool-associated.anu.edu.au

A sliding cross arm is provided and when

pressed against the bark, one can read the bark
thickness on a scale without removing the
Photo retrieved from www.state.sc.us
instrument.
 Lecture 3:
Measurement of Logs
Thank You for Attending!