Program
24th International Nondestructive Testing and Evaluation of Wood Symposium
Vicksburg, MS | May 19-22, 2026
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Pre-Symposium Technical Workshop
Nondestructive Evaluation Technologies for Wood Structures: Introduction, Demonstration, & Case Study
(Workshop participants only)
USS Cairo / VNMP Tour
08:45 AM – Gather at the USS Cairo
09:00 AM – Start the tour and split the group into two. One group will stay in the USS Cairo museum and the other will go downstairs and see artifacts and go under the USS Cairo (45 minutes for each group to see each space)
10:30 AM – Meet Park Tour guide(s) for 90–120 minutes tour of the park
12:30 PM – Lunch (Included with workshop registration)
Lecture and Demonstration
13:30 PM – Wood and Timber Condition Assessment Introduction (Laurice Spinelli Correa, Ph.D. – Mississippi State University)
02:00 PM – Equipment Demonstration
03:00 PM – Case Study: USS Cairo (Adam Senalik, Ph.D. – USDA-Forest Products Laboratory)
03:30 PM – Case Study: Chinese Historical Structures (Houjiang Zhang, Ph.D. – Beijing Forestry University)
04:00 PM – Case Study: Brazilian Structures (Raquel Gonçalves, Ph.D. – State University of Campinas,UNICAMP)
04:30 PM – End of the workshop
06:00 PM – Welcome Reception (all symposium participants: Location The Carriage House 1513 Levee Street Vicksburg, MS 39180)
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
08:00 AM – On-Site Registration
08:30 AM – Welcome/Introduction
09:00 AM – Concurrent Technical Sessions
Session 1A - NDT for Log & Timber Grading
09:00 AM – A Multimodal Deep Learning Method for Estimating Mechanical Properties of Tree Logs – Tilak Neupane
09:30 AM – Nondestructive Evaluation of Railroad Tie Strength Through Resonant Acoustic Method (RAM) – Umesh Lamichhane
Session 2A - Urban Tree Inspection & Risk Assessment
09:00 AM – Accuracy of ultrasonic tomography: A comparative study between standing trees and wood discs in different moisture conditions – Raquel Gonçalves
09:30 AM – Effect of contour geometry simplification and measurement direction on ultrasonic tomography accuracy in standing trees – Raquel Gonçalves
10:00 AM – Coffee break
10:30 AM – Concurrent Technical Sessions
Session 3A - NDT for Mass Timber & Engineered Wood Products
10:30 AM – Nondestructive Lumber and CLT from Downed Loblolly Pine – Sona Azad
11:00 AM – Photogrammetry as a nondestructive technique for accurate geometry acquisition on reclaimed timber – Guillermo Iñiguez-Gonzalez
11:30 AM – Artificial and convolutional neural networks applications to predict the water absorption and bending strength of bamboo-based particleboard – Derrick Mirindi
Session 6 – Fundamental Material Characterization
10:30 PM – Characterization of Branch, Root, and Trunk Wood Properties for Modeling Tree Behavior – Cinthya Bertoldo Pedroso
12:00 PM – Lunch (Included with registration)
01:00 PM – Concurrent Technical Sessions
Session 2B - Urban Tree Inspection & Risk Assessment
01:00 PM – Computational simulation of a 3D tree model using different forms of root representation – Raquel Gonçalves
01:30 PM – Ultrasound-based soil characterization surrounding urban trees: methodological challenges and solutions – Cinthya Bertoldo Pedroso
02:00 PM – Biomechanical assessment of urban trees: a comparative study between 3D and simplified computational models validated by non-destructive field test - Raquel Gonçalves
Session 3C - NDT for Mass Timber & Engineered Wood Products
01:00 PM – From red maple veneer to LVL: Nondestructive classification and bending performance - Dalila Belaidi
01:30 PM – Specific Features and Outcomes of Nondestructive Assessment for Extending the Structural Service Life of Reclaimed Timber - Guillermo Iniguez-Gonzalez
02:00 PM – Evaluating Shear Force Resistance with screws and staples joints in LVL – Shadabeh Fathi
02:30 PM – Coffee Break
03:00 PM – Concurrent Technical Sessions
Session 3B - NDT for Mass Timber & Engineered Wood Products
03:00 PM – Leveraging Longitudinal Stress Wave Nondestructive Testing for Quality Control and Performance Prediction of Cross-Laminated Timber – Richard Omotayo
03:30 PM – Artificial intelligence-driven prediction of the physical and mechanical properties of particleboards made with macadamia nutshell – Derrick Mirindi
04:00 PM – Mechanical characterization of wooden dowels for use in adhesive-free and metal-free engineered wood products: experimental and numerical analysis – Gastón Bruzzone
Session 1B - NDT for Log & Timber Grading
03:00 PM – Non-destructive estimation of the dynamic modulus of elasticity in Pinus pseudostrobus wood by longitudinal vibrations and impact waves – Guadalupe Olvera Licona
03:30 PM – Virtual strength grading of Green Spruce Logs with CT Imaging and Finite Element Simulation – Franka Brüchert
04:00 PM – NDE of Northern Maple Low-Grade Lumber Across Green, Frozen, and Kiln Dried Conditions – Randi Dodgson
04:30 PM – End of Technical Sessions for the day
*Dinner on your own
Thursday, May 21, 2026
08:00 AM – On-Site Registration
08:30 AM – Concurrent Technical Sessions
Session 1C - NDT for Log & Timber Grading
08:30 AM – Non-Destructive Timber Pile Evaluation via Machine Learning and Acoustic Response Analysis – Mehdi Shahzamanian
09:00 AM – Prediction of Static Bending Properties of Five Commercial Wood Species from Vietnamese Plantation Forests Using the Stress Wave Method – Doan Van Duong
09:30 AM – Determining stress wave attenuation coefficient along the longitudinal direction of wood using the pulse echo test – Houjiang Zhang
Session 4A - NDT for Heritage & Historic Wood Structures
08:30 AM – A Multidisciplinary Approach for the Documentation and Analysis of a unique Wooden Headrests – Abdelmoniem M. Abdelmoniem
09:00 AM – Multi-analytical approach for the characterization of pigments from polychrome wooden coffin from the late period from the excavation site of Rass Algesr in Saqqara and conservation processes – Abdelmoniem M. Abdelmoniem
09:30 AM – Preserving the Past: Analyzing the Deterioration and Conservation of Black Resin in Ancient Egyptian wooden Funerary Artifacts – Abdelmoniem M. Abdelmoniem
10:00 AM – Estimation of Modulus of Elasticity of Southern Yellow Pine Timber Pile Segments Using Stress Wave Timer – Aashish Sapkota
10:30 AM – Coffee break
11:00 AM – Concurrent Technical Sessions
Session 1D - NDT for Log & Timber Grading
11:00 AM – Modelling Lenga (Nothofagus pumilio) Solid Wood Yield via Non-Destructive Testing – Mario Vega
11:30 AM – Non-Destructive Evaluation of Structural Properties of In-Service Timber Piles – Aashish Ghimire
Session 5A - Wood Quality Assessment in Forestry
11:00 PM – Estimating modulus of elasticity and rupture of wood from Pinus taeda and Platanus x hispanica using pulling tests – Ana Paula Coelho-Duarte
11:30 PM – Inference of Eucalyptus basic density using increment core samples, nondestructive testing, and machine learning – Cinthya Bertoldo Pedroso
12:00 PM – Lunch (Included with registration)
01:00 PM – Concurrent Technical Sessions
Session 1E - NDT for Log & Timber Grading
01:00 PM – Tree Risk Assessment in an Urban Avenue: Analysis of Integrated Sonic Tomography and Resistograph Investigations on Monumental Trees – Andrea De Stefano
01:30 PM – Non-Destructive Evaluation of Mechanical Properties in Corsican Pine Plantation Wood: The Role of Thinning – Andrea De Stefano
Session 5B - Wood Quality Assessment in Forestry
01:00 PM – Non-Destructive Evaluation of Wood Properties on Standing Trees for Operational Tree Breeding – Thi Hai Hong Nguyen
01:30 PM – Characterizing Annual Ring Structures and Growth Patterns of Fire-Surviving Ponderosa Pines Using Resistance Micro-Drilling Method – Xiping Wang
02:00 PM – Poster Session
02:05 PM – Wood grading from a forest stand using ultrasonic techniques at different stages of the production chain – Raquel Gonçalves (1)
02:10 PM – A new low-force tree pulling test for inclination, bending, and torsion – Ana Paula Coelho Duarte (2)
02:15 PM – Analysis of the dynamic modulus of elasticity in urban trees: a case study in Ulmus pumila L. – Guadalupe Olvera Licona (3)
02:20 PM – Wood Products Stiffness and Strength Prediction by Nondestructive Evaluation Techniques — Energy Loss Parameters with Transverse Vibration and Stress Wave Techniques – Bob Ross (4)
02:25 PM – Nondestructive Prediction of Young’s Modulus in Standing Japanese Larch Trees Using Stress-Wave Velocity - Naoya Inaida (5)
02:30 PM – Comparative evaluation of ultrasonic wave propagation using direct and semi-direct methods in three thermally modified wood species – Brunela Pollastrelli Rodrigues (6)
02:35 PM – In situ Moisture Content and Strength of Creosote Treated Southern Pine Timber Bridge Piles in South Carolina – Matthew Gutow (7)
02:40 PM – Nondestructive Assessment of Stiffness in Thermally Modified U.S. Wood Species – Anjila Lamichhane (8)
02:45 PM – Residual-capsule networks with threshold convolution for segmentation of wheat plantation rows in UAV images – Zhanguo Wei (9)
02:50 PM – Assessment of Delamination in Glued Laminated Timber and Cross-Laminated Timber using Nondestructive Testing – Anjila Lamichhane (10)
02:55 PM – Evaluating Bending Performance of Fence Posts using Acoustic Non-Destructive Testing Approaches – Ershad Ahmmed (11)
03:00 PM – Round table: Participants of the poster session will answer questions from the audience.
03:30 PM – Coffee Break
04:00 PM – Technical Session
Session 2C - Urban Tree Inspection & Risk Assessment
04:00 PM – Influence of sap flow and acoustoelastic effects on transverse ultrasonic velocity in standing trees – Raquel Gonçalves
04:30 PM – 3D Permittivity Model Reconstruction of Tree Roots Based on GPR Inversion and Feature-Matching Interpolation – Jian Wen
05:00 PM – End of Technical Sessions for the day
06:00 PM – Banquet at: The Carriage House 1513 Levee Street Vicksburg, MS 39180 (Included with registration)
Friday, May 22, 2026
08:00 AM – On-Site Registration
08:30 AM – Concurrent Technical Sessions
Session 3D - NDT for Mass Timber & Engineered Wood Products
08:30 AM – In-situ Non-Destructive Evaluation of Wooden Poles for Residual Mechanical Properties and Service Duration – Jean Luc Sandoz
09:00 AM – A High-Quality Wooden Pole Grading Label for X-Large In- Service Duration – Jean Luc Sandoz
09:30 AM – Acousto-Ultrasonic Echography for Wood Quality Assessment – Jean Luc Sandoz
10:00 AM – YOLOv11-MMA: A Wood Surface Defect Detection Method Based on the Improved YOLOv11n network – Guangqiang Xie
Session 5C - Wood Quality Assessment in Forestry
08:30 AM – Classification of Eucalyptus Seedlings Using Ultrasonic Wave Propagation and Machine Learning Models – Cinthya Bertoldo Pedroso
09:00 AM – Estimation of mechanical properties and knotty core in Eucalyptus grandis using acoustic tomography – Ana Paula Coelho-Duarte
09:30 AM – Prediction of physical and mechanical properties of Eucalyptus sp. clones using non-destructive tests on standing trees – Cinthya Bertoldo Pedroso
10:00 AM –Nondestructive Evaluation of Wildfire Impacts on Wood Properties of Ponderosa Pine - Nkolika B. Omoni
10:30 AM – Coffee break
11:00 AM – Concurrent Technical Sessions
Session 4B - NDT for Heritage & Historic Wood Structures
11:00 AM – USS Cairo: A Preliminary Assessment of Potential Conservation Solutions through Aesthetic Testing - Kimberly Breyfogle
11:30 AM – Condition Assessment of a Wooden Flagpole - Nondestructive Evaluation and Preliminary Laboratory Test Results – Brunela Pollastrelli Rodrigues
12:00 PM – Practical Assessment and Limitations of Portable Nondestructive Methods for Estimating the Mechanical Properties of Existing Timber Structures – Francisco Arriaga
Session 3E - NDT for Mass Timber & Engineered Wood Products
11:00 AM – Nondestructive Evaluation of Finger-Jointed Red Oak Lumber Using Ultrasound Through-Transmission Method – Kayode Olaoye
11:30 AM – Stress-Wave Time-of-Flight (ToF) Response for Delamination Detection in Glulam Beams – Manal Bouchlouch
12:00 PM – Non-Destructive Methods for Field Assessment of Wood Biodeterioration in Hardwood Trailer Decks Exposed to Tropical Rainforest Environments – Xiping Wang
12:30 PM – Lunch (Included with registration)
01:30 PM – Final Remarks
*Dinner on your own