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THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS IN TIMBER

GRADING

Nataa Zavrtanik1, Goran Turk2

ABSTRACT: Structural material should have satisfactory strength that enables a proper load carrying capacity. To
determine the strength characteristics of wooden elements, nondestructive experiments are used to estimate strength
properties which can realistically be determined by destructive experiments only. Artificial neural networks have been
used in this work to estimate the strength characteristics of structural timber by two different approaches, via
approximation and by direct classification.

KEYWORDS: artificial neural networks, strength of structural timber, grade determining parameters, indicating
properties

1 INTRODUCTION 123 selection of features efficient for accurate defect


classification by neural networks.
More than one thousand wooden specimens were taken Researchers in [3] used feed forward multilayer
into consideration. For all specimens the density, three networks for obtaining the modulus of elasticity of
elastic modules, strength, dimensions of specimens, Abies pinsapo Boiss from the data of test specimen
weight, moisture content, total KAR and some grading dimension, moisture content, density and ultrasonic
machine indicating properties were measured. Eight out wave propagation velocity.
of ten of specimens were randomly chosen for the
training of artificial networks and the remaining were
3 ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS
left for testing procedure. Several examples, in which
different input and output data is used, were taken into Artificial neural networks are smaller and less
consideration. For generating and learning of neural complicated than biological networks. Components of
networks we've used a fortran code NTR2003. The artificial networks are neurons which are connected with
efficiency of various neural networks is compared connections described by their weights (figure 1). The
through several statistical quantities and also the effect particularity of artificial networks is that we don't
of data dissipation is considered. program them but we train them. Training of networks
needs two parts of data. The first part includes training
2 SHORT REVIEW OF LITERATURE sets of data and the second part of data is testing sets,
which is needed to establish how effective the training is.
Autor in [1] provide a synthesis of the published
researches in the area of the use of neural networks in The scheme of artificial neural networks is shown in
the field of classification. Figure 1. For example: neuron ui is connected with a few
Paper [2] presented features potentially useful for neurons, which send it their output signal oi. Output
characterizing timber defects and the application for the signals are multiplied by weights wij. A threshold signal
bi is added to the sum of weighted signals. This gives the
value of the signal of neuron ui. Then the output function
1
Nataa Zavrtanik, Institute for building materials IGMAT f copies the value to the output signal oi of neuron ui .
d.d., Polje 351c, 1260 Ljubljana - Polje, Slovenia. Email: Connections between neurons and output function may
natasa.zavrtanik@igmat.eu be regulated in advance.
2
Goran Turk, Faculty of civil and geodetic engineering,
University of Ljubljana, Jamova cesta 2, 1000 Ljubljana,
Slovenia. Email: goran.turk@fgg.uni-lj.si
Output functions copy value of output signal. There
exist different sorts of output functions like linear
function, sigmoide, tangential sigmoide, exponential
output function, etc.

4 TWO APPROACHES TO THE USE OF


ANN IN TIMBER GRADING
Objective of this paper is to present two approaches with
the use of the artificial neural networks in timber
grading: approximation of grade determining parameters
and classification. In the first approach artificial neural
networks were used for approximation of grade
Figure 1: Scheme of operation of artificial neural
determining properties with respect to indicating
networks properties. In second approach neural networks were
used for direct timber classification into strength grades
on the base of indicating properties.
The symbols in Fig. 1 have the following meaning:
As it is mentioned in chapter 1, we're made several
ui . . . neuron i,
different combinations of input data. In some
uj . . . neuron j,
combinations are as indicating properties used also
uk . . . neuron k,
properties obtained from four different grading
ul . . . neuron l,
machines, like GoldenEye-706, Combiscan, Escan and
wij . . . weight of interaction between neurons i and j,
Triomatic.
wik . . . weight of interaction between neurons i and k,
wil . . . weight of interaction between neurons i and l,
bi . . . threshold of neuron i, 5 CONCLUSIONS
fi . . . output function, The two approaches of the use of ANN in timber grading
oi . . . output signal of neuron i, are presented and the results are compared. The
oj . . . output signal of neuron j, efficiency with respect to classical approaches by linear
ok . . . output signal of neuron k, regression is presented, too.
ol . . . output signal of neuron l.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
An important phase of neural network analysis is
determining the weights, which are determined during This work has been financially supported by the
training of network. There are several methods, but the European Union, European Social Fund. The support is
most spread is generalized delta rule. gratefully acknowledged.
Artificial neural networks were used in several
engineering applications. Detail review of them is given
in [4]. REFERENCES

3.1 DESCRIPTION OF PARAMETERS THAT [1] Zhang P. G.: Neural networks for classification: A
AFFECT TRAINING OF ARTIFICIAL survey. IEEE transactions and systems, man, and
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between actual and with neural networks calculated inspection of wood boards: selection of features for
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output neurons, to the number of hidden layers and to the
number of neurons in each hidden layer. The optimal
geometry of networks is usually not known in advance.

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