Wood Sci Technol (2018) 52:115–129

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00226-017-0974-x

ORIGINAL

A novel combined application of capacitive method

and near-infrared spectroscopy for predicting
the density and moisture content of solid wood

Vu Thi Hong Tham1,2 • Tetsuya Inagaki1 • Satoru Tsuchikawa1

Received: 8 May 2017 / Published online: 15 November 2017

Ó Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2017

Abstract The use of a capacitive method and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to

simultaneously predict the density and moisture content (MC) of wood samples was
investigated. Prediction accuracy of both methods was individually investigated by
multivariate analyses. The capacity and absorbance at two wavelengths in the NIR
range were combined to predict both the properties by the specific models. All
wavelength combinations in the range of 908–1676 nm were tested, and the best
combination yielding the highest coefficient of determination (R2) was chosen. This
novel method showed a strong correlation between predicted and measured data,
independent of sample thickness and wood species. The prediction accuracy of the
wood samples, from green wood to oven-dried conditions, showed promising results
for all thicknesses, with R2 = 0.79, root-mean-square error of cross-validation
(RMSECV) = 0.10 g/cm3, and residual predictive deviation (RPD) = 2.22 for
density and R2 = 0.80, RMSECV = 25.70%, and RPD = 2.22 for MC. In the case
of below fiber saturation point to oven-dried state, R2 value was slightly decreased
in the prediction of MC and slightly increased in the prediction of density, but
RMSECV of MC declined significantly (maximum 5.46%) compared to the range of
MC from saturated point (maximum 39.56%). These results were considerably
better than those obtained by modeling the capacitive or NIR method individually,
and improvement was particularly apparent in estimating density. The results sug-
gest the possibility of a new device combining the capacitive method and NIR
spectroscopy to predict density and MC more accurately.

& Satoru Tsuchikawa

st3842@agr.nagoya-u.ac.jp
1
Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku,
Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
2
Forest Industry Research Institute, Vietnam Forest Academy, Duc Thang, Bac Tu Liem, Hanoi,
Vietnam

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Introduction

Wood is a hygroscopic and anisotropic material with varying densities between and
within different tree species. Density and moisture content (MC) are the key
parameters that directly affect the quality and application of wood. Therefore, it is
very important to determine both the traits effectively and quickly from the
viewpoint of wood science and technology. There are several methods to predict
density or MC, such as the application of electrical resistance, capacitance,
ultrasonic velocity, microwaves, neutrons, near-infrared spectra, or terahertz time-
domain spectroscopy. The capacitive (i.e., high-frequency wave) method and near-
infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, which are nondestructive, time-saving techniques that
require no sample preparation, have become popular for investigating the properties
of wood and wood-based materials. In this study, focus was put on both the
methodologies to predict the density and MC of 14 wood species with varying
sample thickness. Dielectric moisture meters are operated with alternating
sinusoidal currents and usually at radio frequencies (Skaar 1972), although the
frequency range has recently been extended into the microwave region (Kääriäinen
et al. 2000; Kabir et al. 1998) with a widespread alternative from radio frequencies
to microwaves (0.3–20 GHz). The microwave technique measures MC by sampling
a certain frequency. In principle, electromagnetic radiation is either absorbed or
reflected by the dipole water molecules in the sample material and this effect is
particularly dependent on the moisture content. Unlike this method, the capacitive
method uses the particular dielectric properties of water. Water’s dielectric constant
(er = 78.2) is very high, compared to other materials such as wood (er = 1.5–3.0).
The capacitance reading employs the large difference in the dielectric constant
between water and wood. Compared to the microwave method, this technique is
particularly attractive because the effects of ion conductivity are negligible at high
frequencies. Torgovnikov (1993) established that the dielectric property signifi-
cantly depends on the density and MC of wood. Forsén and Tarvainen (2000)
extensively tested the influence of several factors, including density and temper-
ature, and summarized that wood density has no effect on MC measured with
resistance-type MC meters but has significant effect on MC measured with
capacitance meters. In another study, the effect of moisture gradients on the
electrical measurement was studied by Mackay (1976).
NIR spectroscopy is becoming increasingly important in wood research in
agriculture. Many researchers have reported this to be a modern technique and
useful tool for studying the chemical composition, physical and mechanical
properties, and anatomical structure of wood. Tsuchikawa and Schwanninger (2013)
conducted a review of recent NIR spectroscopy research for the wood and paper
industry, indicating the potential applications and limitations of this technique.
Tsuchikawa and Kobori (2015) further reviewed the application of this technique
for on-line or at-line monitoring in the wood industry, and the NIR range provided
rich information to estimate the density and MC of wood. Watanabe et al. (2012)
indicated the use of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy for rapidly predicting the
longitudinal growth strain (LGS) as a detector of growth stress, measured from

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peripheral locations of three Sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) green logs. Fujimoto et al.
(2012) showed that the density could be examined independently of MC for
Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi). Leblon et al. (2013) also reviewed the
applications of NIR spectroscopy to monitoring the density and MC of wood.
An NIR spectrum comprises many bands owing to overtone and combination
modes that are usually highly overlapping and often designate overly low absorption
or result in broad bands. Therefore, multivariate analyses have frequently been used
to overcome this sensitivity problem (Jouanrimbaud et al. 1995; Siesler et al. 2002).
This paper investigated two devices (a capacitive device and a micro-NIR
spectrometer) and conducted analyses to achieve the best value regression model to
develop a better procedure for experimentally assessing the density and MC of solid
wood. Two questions were answered: (1) What are the results attained from the
capacitive device and micro-NIR spectrometer for various wood species and sample
thicknesses? The HM 530 capacitance sensor and micro-NIR can predict the
moisture content for wood material. However, the penetration depth of NIR light
and high frequency capacity is different for the sample thickness and MC (from
refresh state to the range of use and from fiber saturation point (FSP) to the range of
use). (2) How will the data be analyzed to achieve a robust model? The capacitive
method directly relates to the electrical properties of wood, whereas NIR
spectroscopy supplies information about the chemical bonds and molecular
structure of the material. Both methods are nondestructive and rapid; however,
they have limitations. Capacitive sensors are not the fastest technology and can be
slower than competing technologies. The measurement speed of the capacitive
sensor can be faster by adding more electronic components but with a significant
cost implication. NIR spectroscopy has problems with wavelength selectivity,
requires calibration, and a large dataset. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to
combine the capacity and absorbance at two wavelengths of the NIR range and
predict the density and MC of wood using defined algorithms. The results present a
novel design for a device that can combine these methods to estimate both traits of
wood from green conditions to an oven-dried state.

Materials and methods

Sample preparation

Wood species were collected from the wood listed in Table 1. The 14 wood species
included softwood and hardwood; they are used very popularly in industrial
companies in Japan. All of the samples were matured and contained heartwood.
Most of the wood species (Cryptomeria japonica, Chamaecyparis obtuse, etc.) are
domestic species, and the correct estimation of density and MC is a great benefit to
control and treat the material effectively during the manufacture and utilization of
the wood products; therefore, the authors would like to investigate the material from
refresh to oven-dried state and from fiber saturation point (FSP) to oven-dried state.
There was one sample per thickness and per species. The samples were cut from
different trees. One sample was prepared from each original sample. In the

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Table 1 Scientific name, density, and MC range of 14 wood species under investigation
No. Scientific name Oven-dried density (g/cm3) MC (%)

Saturated point Air-dry state

1 Kalopanax septemlobus 0.50 98.71 13.75

2 Cercidiphyllum japonicum 0.45 212.60 13.43
3 Cryptomeria japonica 0.38 209.42 15.01
4 Chamaecyparis obtuse 0.43 147.80 14.40
5 Hevea brasiliensis 0.64 101.91 12.24
6 Eusideroxylon zwageri 1.04 30.95 11.78
7 Agathis alba Foxw 0.52 134.64 14.81
8 Paulownia tomentosa 0.25 297.84 12.20
9 Fraxinus mandshurica 0.65 114.87 14.87
10 Fagus sylvatica 0.72 108.14 13.91
11 Triplochiton scleroxylon 0.35 161.21 14.33
12 Araucaria angustifolia 0.50 158.11 14.07
13 Liriodendron tulipifera 0.42 163.16 13.74
14 Thuja plicata 0.35 272.54 13.57

experiment, three different positions in the sample were measured at each

measurement time. Three sample batches were prepared for the study. The samples
were cut into wafers with the dimensions of (2, 6, 12) 9 50 9 150 mm3
(thickness 9 radial 9 tangential) for each species, namely batch 1 (2 mm thick-
ness), batch 2 (6 mm thickness), and batch 3 (12 mm thickness). The surfaces were
smoothly sanded by a machine named ‘‘automatic one-side planer’’ manufactured in
Japan. Most wafers were cut from the radial and tangential planes, and some were
cut between these two planes. All wafers were immersed in water in a vacuum
environment until they reached the water saturation point. Measurements were
performed in the experimental room (20 °C and 65 ± 5% relative humidity (RH))
as the moisture in wafers gradually decreased. The weight, dimensions, capacity,
and NIR absorbance of wafers were measured every 2 h until the weight of wafers
reached an equilibrium air-dry MC as shown in Table 1. The weight of wafers was
measured before and after the capacity and NIR measurements. Then, the
dimensions (thickness, width, and length) were measured using calipers
(± 0.01 mm). The reference data of the basic density and MC were calculated
from the dimensions and mean weights of wafers.

Capacity and NIR spectroscopy measurement

As each batch had a different sample thickness, the time for achieving the
equilibrium oven-dry MC differed between batches as follows: 30 h (16 times
measurements) for batch 1; 82 h (42 times measurements) for batch 2; and 106 h
(54 times measurements) for batch 3. All samples were put separately into plastic
bags to limit the water evaporation from the samples to the surrounding. The last

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Fig. 1 a NIR spectral measurement and b capacity measurement

measurement for all samples was at the oven-dried state after drying in kiln
(103 ± 2 °C). A high-frequency-capacitance device with the frequency of 20 MHz
(electrical moisture meter HM-530, Kett Electric Laboratory, Tokyo, Japan) in
Fig. 1b was used for capacity measurement, which was obtained at three positions
on the tangential section. The capacity was then averaged for each sample. Below
equation represents the capacity of wood:
Cp ¼ eK ðpF Þ ð1Þ
where e is dielectric constant of wood containing moisture, K is constant determined
by section shape, and Cp is capacity of sample. A micro-NIR spectrometer (Mi-
croNIRTM OnSite, Ó 2015 Viavi Solutions Inc, USA) in Fig. 1a was used for the
spectral acquisition of wood samples in reflectance mode, using a high-intensity
contact probe with sample working plane (0–15 mm from window, 3 mm optimal
distance), pixel-to-pixel interval (6 nm), and input aperture dimensions
(2.5 9 3.0 mm) over a 908–1676 nm wavelength range with 32 scans and an
integration time of 7200 ls. The spectrum was collected from the tangential section,
and three NIR spectra were measured and averaged for each sample. Absorbance for
the analysis was calculated using the following equation:

 
I
A ¼ log ð2Þ
Io
where A is absorbance, I0 is reflected intensity from reference plate, and I is the
reflected light intensity from wood samples.

Density and MC prediction

MATLAB (MathWorks, Inc., USA) was used for data analyses. Three calibration
methods were used to predict the density and MC of samples as follows:

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Method I Multiple linear regression (MLR) for the capacity data was conducted
for predicting density and MC.
Method II NIR spectral data were employed for the calibrations by partial least
squares (PLS) regression from the original absorbance spectra. The optimum
number of PLS components (Latent variance, LV) was determined by a full inner
cross-validation (CV all) method (leave one out). Calibration and cross-validation

were evaluated using the coefficient of determination for cross-validation R2val
between predicted and measured values and the root-mean-square error of cross-
validation (RMSECV), respectively. All wavelengths were employed for the
prediction.
Method III MLR for the capacity and absorbance at two wavelengths was
conducted. By choosing the NIR absorbance at two optimal wavelengths, the
stepwise regression procedure can be applied to all the wavelengths to achieve a
simple multilinear model. The best wavelengths that yielded the highest R2val were
chosen. Derivation of mathematical expressions shows relationship between wood
properties and the capacity and absorbance at two wavelengths as follows:

Density or MC ¼ A1  Absðk1 Þ þ A2  Absðk2 Þ þ A3  Cp þ C ð3Þ

where Abs(k1) and Abs(k2) are absorbance at wavelengths k1 and k2, respectively;
Cp is capacity; A1, A2, and A3 are coefficients, and C is intercept. Three different
methods were applied to data analyses of batches 1, 2, and 3. All data (all thick-
nesses) were analyzed to investigate the effect of sample thickness on the prediction
accuracy in two ranges of MC: from saturated point to oven-dried state and from
below FSP to oven-dried state.

Results and discussion

Tables 2, 3, 4, and 5 summarize the statistical results for the prediction of density
and MC for 14 species at three kinds of thickness and all thicknesses. The
performance of the models was evaluated according to R2val , RMSECV, LV, and
residual predictive deviation (RPD). Higher value of R2val , RPD, and lower
RMSECV indicate the better model to predict density and MC.
In Method I, the prediction accuracies were lower compared to Methods II and III
for each thickness value for both density and MC. With the two different ranges of
MC in Tables 3 and 5, the accuracy of moisture content prediction by Method I
showed a significant decrease for MC range from FSP to oven-dried state (Table 5).
It was shown that the moisture of samples affected greatly the capacity of wood. In
the case of prediction of density in Tables 2 and 4, there were no big changes.
Sometimes, the coefficient of determination in Table 4 was greater, especially when
employing Method II and Method III. The characteristics that affected the meter
readings of the capacitive method were species, density, moisture distribution,
thickness. The dielectric properties of wood are anisotropic, following the structural
anisotropy of wood (James et al. 1985). Figure 2 shows that the capacity of wood

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Table 2 Statistical result of three methods calibration models using capacity and NIR absorbance to
predict density of 14 species at each and all thicknesses from saturated state to oven-dried state
Method Data Regression Thickness Density (g/cm3)
(mm)
R2val RMSECV LV k1 k2 RPD

Method I Capacitive data MLR 2 0.49 0.17 1.39

6 0.52 0.16 1.41
12 0.62 0.13 1.59
All 0.53 0.15 1.48
Method II NIR spectra PLS 2 0.76 0.11 6 2.08
(908–1676 nm) 6 0.76 0.11 9 2.07
12 0.80 0.09 9 2.28
All 0.68 0.13 7 1.77
Method III Capacity and NIR MLR 2 0.87 0.09 1181 1305 2.63
spectra at two 6 0.85 0.09 1385 1633 2.50
wavelengths
12 0.87 0.07 1391 1577 2.95
All 0.79 0.10 1385 1639 2.22

Table 3 Result of three methods calibration models using capacity and NIR absorbance to predict MC of
14 species at each and all thicknesses from saturated state to oven-dried state
Method Data Regression Thickness MC (%)
(mm)
R2val RMSECV LV k1 k2 RPD

Method I Capacitive data MLR 2 0.77 20.57 2.07

6 0.79 24.33 2.19
12 0.57 39.56 1.52
All 0.65 33.83 1.69
Method II NIR spectra PLS 2 0.82 17.77 3 2.39
(908–1676 nm) 6 0.91 16.17 9 3.29
12 0.76 29.07 7 2.06
All 0.77 27.30 7 2.09
Method III Capacity and NIR MLR 2 0.89 13.98 1397 1577 3.04
spectra at two 6 0.90 16.88 1379 1571 3.15
wavelengths
12 0.75 29.95 1230 1292 2.00
All 0.80 25.69 1224 1292 2.22

increased nearly linearly with increasing MC with the same tendencies in the three
thickness variants. However, the slopes of linear regression lines between capacity
and MC were not the same for all wood species. In detail, the three wood species in
Fig. 2, including Paulownia tomentosa (0.25 g/cm3), Chamaecyparis obtuse
(0.43 g/cm3), and Eusideroxylon zwageri (1.04 g/cm3), had different slopes because
of the different oven-dried density (higher density results in lower slope). The slopes
mean the angles between the linear regression with the horizontal axis for these
wood species. The slope in hardwood species was greater than that in softwood
because of the following reasons. Hardwood was denser, or the cell wall scale was

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Table 4 Result of three methods calibration models using capacity and NIR absorbance to predict
density of 14 species at each and all thicknesses from FSP to oven-dried state
Method Data Regression Thickness Density (g/cm3)
(mm)
R2val RMSECV LV k1 k2 RPD

Method I Capacitive data MLR 2 0.52 0.15 1.45

6 0.65 0.13 1.70
12 0.62 0.13 1.62
All 0.44 0.16 1.34
Method II NIR spectra PLS 2 0.81 0.09 7 2.37
(908–1676 nm) 6 0.87 0.08 9 2.85
12 0.91 0.06 12 3.37
All 0.85 0.08 11 2.60
Method III Capacity and NIR MLR 2 0.86 0.08 1187 1305 2.68
spectra at two 6 0.88 0.08 1286 1298 2.91
wavelengths
12 0.85 0.08 1391 1577 2.55
All 0.77 0.11 1385 1614 2.09

Table 5 Result of three methods calibration models using capacity and NIR absorbance to predict MC of
14 species at each and all thicknesses from FSP to oven-dried state
Method Data Regression Thickness MC (%)
(mm)
R2val RMSECV LV k1 k2 RPD

Method I Capacitive data MLR 2 0.42 4.98 1.31

6 0.34 5.06 1.23
12 0.35 5.46 1.24
All 0.36 5.43 1.25
Method II NIR spectra PLS 2 0.79 2.91 7 2.25
(908–1676 nm) 6 0.74 3.10 9 2.00
12 0.82 2.82 12 2.40
All 0.80 3.05 12 2.24
Method III Capacity and NIR MLR 2 0.82 2.75 1280 1292 2.37
spectra at two 6 0.71 3.33 1280 1298 1.86
wavelengths
12 0.73 3.53 1410 1503 1.92
All 0.74 3.48 1280 1298 1.96

bigger than softwood. Water of wood includes free water and bound water.
Specially, bound water is bound to the wood via hydrogen bonds. The attraction of
wood for water arises from the presence of free hydroxyl (OH) groups in the
cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin molecules in the cell wall. The hydroxyl
groups are negatively charged. Because water is a polar liquid, the free hydroxyl
groups in cellulose attract and hold water by hydrogen bonding; hardwood with
much more OH groups leads to a capacity higher than in softwood. Therefore, the

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Fig. 2 Relationship between MC and capacity of three wood species (black circle—Paulownia
tomentosa (0.25 g/cm3), black square—Chamaecyparis obtuse (0.43 g/cm3), and black triangle—
Eusideroxylon zwageri (1.04 g/cm3)) at three degrees of sample thickness (a 2 mm, b 6 mm, and
c 12 mm)

slope of regression relationship between capacity and density will be greater in

heavier species. Forsén and Tarvainen (2000) also showed the influence of density
on the dielectric property of wood.
With regard to the MC of samples, James (1974) showed a roughly linear relation
between MC and the logarithm of the dielectric constant at all frequencies, but the
slope of the relation increased as the frequency decreased. Kabir et al. (1998)
reported that the dielectric constant and dielectric loss factor were found to increase
with the increase in moisture content through the range of moisture content from
oven-dry to saturation. They studied the frequency at some levels from 1.00 to
17.00 GHz and implied the lower the frequency, the higher the dielectric constant.
The maximum MC in some softwoods can be more than 200%, while a quantitative
reading with an HM-350 m was available from 0 to 180% MC. Uneven moisture
distribution along the length or width of a specimen may affect meter readings, due
to being grossly different from the true average (James 1988). Therefore, the value
of R2val of MC in 12 mm was decreased compared to other thicknesses.
The estimation for density is lower than that of MC in calibration Methods II and
III in Table 2. For example, in Method III for 6 mm thickness R2 = 0.90 (MC),
while R2 = 0.85 (density). There was the same trend in Table 4 as the moisture
from FSP to oven-dried state. The reason may be the readings of capacitive sensors,
which mainly depended on the polarization of water molecules in the material, with
the specimen density having less effect. Therefore, apparatus calibration was
required.
Figure 3 shows (a) original and (b) second derivative of spectra with 25
smoothing points from 14 wood species. The absorption of samples increased with
increasing MC. Second derivative spectroscopy allowed more specific identification
of small and nearby lying absorption peaks which displayed the specificity of
absorption peaks for certain bonding groups. In this study, the wavelength was
around 1450 nm which was assigned to O–H bonding in water molecules. However,
significant baseline shifts were observed, reflecting the changes in light-scattering
conditions in samples influenced by changes in MC and cellular structure between
wood species. This is captured in Fig. 3a. The scattering effect of the second

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Fig. 3 NIR diffuse reflectance spectra (a) and second derivative spectra (b) of 14 wood species (2 mm
thickness). Each spectrum represents the average of three spectra collected from radial tangential face of
each sample from green condition to oven-dried condition

derivative of spectra is shown in Fig. 3b. In the case of Method II, PLS calibrations
were employed to predict the density and MC using a wavelength range of 906–
1676 nm. The good models were built from PLS regression with a maximum of nine
LV. The results of calibrating the NIR spectra through PLS regression were good.
The R2val in density estimation was similar between the samples with differing
thicknesses; it had the value of R2val : 0.76 for both 2- and 6-mm-thick samples and a
value of 0.80 for the 12-mm-thick samples, and 0.68 for all thicknesses in the range
of MC from saturated point to oven-dried state, and higher R2val in the range of MC
below FSP. The MC prediction parameter was much better, with an R2val value of
0.82 and 0.91 for 2- and 6-mm-thick samples, 0.76 for 12-mm-thick samples, and
0.77 for all thicknesses in the range of MC from saturated point to oven-dried state,
and higher R2val (of 12 mm and all thicknesses) in the range of MC below FSP. In
general, the results attained from this method are similar to those obtained in the
research by Hein et al. (2009), which evaluated both Eucalyptus urophylla and
Eucalyptus grandis for the original spectral data in cross-validation models having
an R2 of 0.74 and RPD of 2.00. In response to the relation between free and bound
water, the spectral sensitivity of NIR changes in the hydrogen bonding structures,
and the degree of absorbance gradually varies from high to low. In addition, the
different anatomical structures and chemical properties in different species modify
the NIR spectrum when incident light is scattered on the sample’s surface,
particularly in the oven-dry state. Scattering, free and bound water content,
structure, and chemical composition in wood contributed the most to the density and
MC information available in the spectral data of the 14 species.
In Method III, combining the capacity and NIR absorbance at two wavelengths
gave a very good outcome for the density and MC shown in Fig. 4i–l. All the R2val
values were above 0.8, and RPD was more than 2.00; these values were even higher
for the 2- and 6-mm-thick samples. Compared to Method I and Method II, there
were improvement in the results with the better R2val and RMSECV values in all
thickness levels. The results in this study were higher as compared to those obtained
in the study by Hans et al. (2015), which simultaneously estimated the density and
MC for two species by employing two spectra with an R2val value of 0.55 and RPD
value of 1.51 for density and an R2val value of 0.78 and RPD value of 2.17 for MC.

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Fig. 4 Relationships between measured values and predicted values of three analysis methods for
multiple linear regression using capacity (a, b, c, d), PLS regression using NIR spectrum (e, f, g, h), and
multiple linear regression combining capacity with NIR absorbance at two wavelengths (i, j, k, l) when
moisture content decreasing from saturated point to oven-dried state

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Fig. 5 Relationships between measured values and predicted values of three analysis methods for
multiple linear regression using capacity (a, b, c, d), PLS regression using NIR spectrum (e, f, g, h), and
multiple linear regression combining capacity with NIR absorbance at two wavelengths (i, j, k, l) when
moisture content decreasing from FSP to oven-dried state

This trend was exhibited across all thicknesses. In the case of the range of moisture
below FSP (in Fig. 5), R2val values decreased slightly, but the considerate changes
were seen in RMSECV with the maximum 5.46% compared to 39.56% as samples’
MC from saturated point to oven-dried state. It was explained by the limitation of
moisture below FSP being small, leading to the small variation. The application of
Method III provides some benefits. In this method, only two wavelengths were used,
which implies that it is possible to construct the portable device using two led and
one detector instead of white light source and line detector, so the cost of such
sensor will decrease in comparison with the full-range wavelength sensors. The
advantage of working with these multilinear models is simplicity.
The relation between the capacity and NIR absorbance at two wavelengths in
relation to the density and MC of 14 wood species at the defined thickness showed
linear correlations according to the specific mathematical equations, and the R2val is
given for each equation in Tables 6 and 7. For Method III, the roles of the capacity
and NIR absorbance were important in building the models; the accuracy of models
from NIR absorbance and capacity is higher than that of the models employing them
separately. The coefficients of determination values were different between
thicknesses and the range of moisture. This was explained by the effect of the
moisture gradient on the thickness, density diversity, and anisotropy of wood. The
NIR spectra varied with the moisture conditions of the wood, where the

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Table 6 Regression models to predict density and MC of 14 species at each and all thicknesses by
combining capacity and NIR absorbance at two wavelengths (Method III) from saturated state to oven-
dried state
Thickness Mathematical function R2val
(mm)

2 Den = 30.79 Abs(1181) - 30.12 Abs(1305) ? 0.0024 Cp - 0.239 0.87 (4)

6 Den = - 8.06 Abs(1385) ? 8.04 Abs(1633) ? 0.0012 Cp - 0.022 0.85 (5)
12 Den = - 5.94 Abs(1391) - 5.97 Abs(1577) ? 0.19 Cp ? 51.31 0.87 (6)
All Den = - 5.86 Abs(1385) ? 6.38 Abs(1639) ? 0.0077 Cp ? 0.066 0.79 (7)
2 MC = 711.16 Abs(1397) - 732.42 Abs(1577) ? 0.19 Cp ? 51.31 0.89 (8)
6 MC = 1021.64 Abs(1379) - 870.31 Abs(1571) ? 0.19 Cp ? 60.23 0.90 (9)
12 MC = -7794.39 Abs(1230) ? 7805.12 Abs(1292) ? 0.17 0.75 (10)
Cp ? 146.48
All MC = - 5224.06 Abs(1224) ? 5307.84 Abs(1292) ? 0.10 Cp ? 98.50 0.80 (11)

Table 7 Regression models to predict density and MC of 14 species at each and all thicknesses by
combining capacity and NIR absorbance at two wavelengths (Method III) from FSP to oven-dried state
Thickness Mathematical function R2val
(mm)

2 MC = - 2243.21 Abs(1280) - 2231.92 Abs(1292) ? 0.048 0.82 (12)

Cp ? 18.25
6 MC = - 3072.77 Abs(1280) ? 3070.57 Abs(1633) ? 0.035 0.71 (13)
Cp ? 21.29
12 MC = 422.07 Abs(1391) - 385.33 Abs(1577) ? 0.06 Cp ? 26.47 0.73 (14)
All MC = - 2316.98 Abs(1385) ? 2288.89 Abs(1639) ? 0.06 Cp ? 21.63 0.74 (15)

characteristic absorbance bands near 7320 cm-1 (1366 nm), 7160 cm-1 (1400 nm),
and 7000 cm-1 (1428 nm) were related to cellulose and water (Fujimoto et al.
2012). However, these specific bands can fluctuate, because of significant baseline
shifts with the changes in MC and cellular structure between wood species. In this
study, NIR spectrum peak around 1450 nm wavelength was very informative, which
was assigned to O–H bonding in lignin, cellulose, or water. The models employed
only capacity and absorbance at two wavelengths, and the two informative
wavelengths were chosen before and after this peak due to the baseline shift. A full
NIR spectrum consists of many bands due to overtone and combination modes that
are usually highly overlapping, broad, and often show low absorption (Schwan-
ninger et al. 2011). However, if there were only the two wavelengths at specific
absorption and scattering, overlapping would be reduced, and spectral interpretation
would be simpler. Another point, the chosen wavelengths in the models were
different in the thickness samples. The amount of water in samples, and the
penetration depth with changes in MC, are all factors which also affected the NIR
absorbance and the baseline shift phenomenon. These factors affected the value of
dielectric constant and NIR absorbance at each thickness. The chosen wavelengths
were valuable and related to OH group bonding of cellulose, water, or lignin of
wood. The two best informative wavelengths for prediction of density were 1385

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and 1639 nm, while the options for MC were 1224 and 1292 nm (for the case of all
thicknesses, Table 6). In this study, the best wavelengths were chosen for each
model in detail in Tables 6 and 7.
From these results, it is possible to construct a portable device comprised of a
two-wavelength light-emitting diode and a capacitive sensor that will predict the
density and MC simultaneously for many species.

Conclusion

The prediction of density and moisture content for 14 wood species depended on
many factors such as the calibration methods, the thickness, and range of moisture,
with the moisture from FSP to oven-dried state. For both ranges of moisture, the
performance of the calibration model of Method III was optimized by choosing the
best informative spectra combined with the capacity of wood to build robust
regression vectors. The goal of this work was to highlight the potential of the
infrared spectroscopy combined with capacitance sensor as a tool capable of
providing useful information for researcher and industrial company assessing the
plywood samples. Method III was rapid, with high possibility for estimation of MC
and density with the support of multiple linear regression. The results presented by
means of basic statistics give a good overview of MC and density for some kinds of
sample thickness and wood species. It is possible to design a new protocol which
could be designed to measure the capacity and NIR spectrum at two specific
wavelengths to predict the density and MC simultaneously for wood and wood-
based materials. In the future, the authors would like to study this method for the
timber and lumber wood.

Acknowledgements This research was partly supported by the Research and Development Projects for
Application in Promoting New Policy of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, Japan [No. 22003].

Compliance with ethical standards

Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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