Your search resulted in 198 documents. Displaying 25 entries per page.
Insight in moisture dynamics of wood treated with organosilicon compounds
2016 - IRG/WP 16-20598
The SILEX project “Improving sustainability of construction materials using innovative Silicon based treatment” is a Life+ project with reference LIFE+11 ENV/BE/1046 and started in April 2013. This project intends to demonstrate that a new class of compounds can be used for wood treatment for an extended service life combined with enhanced new testing methodology. The project aims at demonstra...
J Van Acker, J Van den Bulcke, I De Windt, S Colpaert, S De Rocker, S Salvati, J-P Lecomte
The termite resistance of wood impregnated with nano-zinc oxide and nano-zinc borate dispersions
2016 - IRG/WP 16-30691
In this work, the effects of the impregnation with nano-ZnO and nano-ZnB dispersions on the termite resistance of European beech wood were investigated. Three different concentrations (namely 0.5%, 1% and 2%) of the above two materials were tested. Water leaching effect was also investigated. It was concluded that a severe effect in terms of termite workers mortality is induced by the use of both ...
C Lykidis, T de Troya, M Conde, J Galván, G Mantanis
Assessing the natural durability for different tropical timber species using the mini-block test
2017 - IRG/WP 17-10886
The Xylarium in the Royal Museum for Central Africa (RMCA, Tervuren, Belgium) contains over 60,000 wood-samples, comprising over 12,000 species. These samples are of great historical and scientific value yet have a random format, which complicates standard testing. The wood-durability against Coniophora puteana and Trametes versicolor was tested for 36 species. Due to the random sample sizes the s...
V Deklerck, I De Windt, N Defoirdt, J Van den Bulcke, H Beeckman, E Espinoza, J Van Acker
Underground timber constructions from the First World War are well preserved after 100 years
2017 - IRG/WP 17-10897
During the Great War or World War I many underground constructions have been built for protection from shelling. They were an important part of the trench warfare as they were used as an area to rest and carry out other activities such as eating. They would usually range in size from smaller constructions that could hold several men to larger entities that could hold thousands of soldiers. In the ...
J Van Acker, I De Windt, K Haneca, H Beeckman, F Claeys, S Vandenbussche, J Vandewalle, N Robeyst, A Willems
Oak maturation casks at the Rodenbach brewery, an industrial heritage of the Flemish Community requiring protective measures
2017 - IRG/WP 17-10898
Brewery Rodenbach has world-renowned cask halls with close to 300 oak casks, some of these big maturation casks are 150 years old and this is protected as part of the industrial heritage of the Flemish Community. Since some of these maturation casks or “foeders” were the last decades no longer fully in use some parameters of their physical condition might have increased incidence of fungal dec...
J Van Acker, I De Windt, R Ghequire
An experimental study of mould growth and wood decay in timber frame walls
2017 - IRG/WP 17-20623
This paper deals with parameters related to the occurrence of mould growth and wood decay in timber frame walls. In a first part, the hygrothermal conditions inside a timber frame wall finished with brick veneer cladding are analysed to get an idea of possible moisture related problems. It is shown that, based on the VTT mould prediction model, there is a mould risk on the interface between the in...
M Vanpachtenbeke, J Van den Bulcke, I De Windt, J Langmans, S Roels, J Van Acker
Spanish termites standard UNE 56418:2016 “Protocol of action in urban areas affected by subterranean termite attacks”. Example of application of the standard in a real case in the old city of Vigo, Spain
2018 - IRG/WP 18-10912
Termites are wood destroying insects always present in the nature with an important wood decomposition function. In Europe are located in the Mediterranean area. In Spain is an important problem in urban areas. It is estimated about 80% of old historic cities in Spain are affected by subterranean termite attacks and it is the most important damage in wood structures and carpentries, in old buildin...
D Lorenzo, A Lozano, M Touza, J Benito, M T de Troya, J Galván, L Robertson
Biocontrol of wood decay insects and nematodes as an alternative to traditional chemical treatments
2018 - IRG/WP 18-10914
The protection of wood has been defined until relatively recently, as the application of a chemical to increase its durability. On the other hand, society is becoming more and more demanding in terms of the use of products which have the minimum ecological impact. This has led many countries to reduce the list of biocidal products that can be used (European Biocides Regulation), therefore it is ne...
L Robertson, J F Galván, F Llinares, R Viñambres, M T de Troya
Material Resistance and Chemical Composition of Italian Stone Pine (Pinus pinea)
2018 - RG/WP 18-20645
Relevant properties of stone pine (Pinus pinea) wood have been only fragmentarily addressed in the past, which has been recognized as a limiting factor for its potential applications. The amount of the respective wood species on the market will likely increase in the future. The sorption properties, permeability to water, extractives content and durability against fungi of Pinus pinea sapwood and ...
M Humar, M De Angelis, M Romagnoli, V Vek, I Poljanšek, P Oven, N Thaler, B Lesar, D Kržišnik
Natural durability of four Tunisian Eucalyptus wood species and their respective compositions in extractives
2019 - IRG/WP 19-10942
In the 50’s, Tunisia government introduced more than 11 Eucalyptus wood species. Eucalyptus species were planted in Tunisia in different arboreta throughout the country for close observation and adaptation to climate and soil. These fast-growing wood species were mainly used as fire wood, for the production of mine wood and to fight against the erosion. These tree species were adapted themselve...
S Ben Ayed, M T Elaieb, S Dumarçay, B De Freitas Homen De Faria, M-F Thévenon, P Gerardin, K Candelier
Determining the natural durability on xylarium samples: mini-block test, wood powder and chemical profiling
2019 - IRG/WP 19-10944
Xylaria, or wood collections, can be considered sleeping beauties in terms of wood technological and biological output. In this study we focus on determining the natural durability of xylarium specimens from the Federal Xylarium in the Royal Museum for Central Africa. The Federal Xylarium contains over 80,000 specimens, covering more than 13,000 species, mainly from Central Africa. These specimens...
V Deklerck, L De Ligne, J Van den Bulcke, E Espinoza, H Beeckman, J Van Acker
Application of nano metal fluorides against termites
2019 - IRG/WP 19-30733
Recent research has shown that fluorides such as NaF have potential as a wood preservative against termite attack (Pan and Wang, 2015). However, NaF has high leaching susceptibility because of its solubility (40 g/l ) which can reduce its efficacy over long term. Metal fluoride nanoparticles such as MgF2 and CaF2 present a viable alternative to water soluble fluoride-based wood preservatives as th...
S M Usmani, K Klutzny, Y de Laval, R Plarre, D McMahon, I Stephan, T Hübert, E Kemnitz
Biosourced hybrid phenolic resins as coatings for the protection of wood and wood composites
2019 - IRG/WP 19-30745
Biosourced phenolic resins, based on the phenol-formaldheyde (PF) type, were prepared for their application as coating for wood and wood composites protection, especially against fire. The resins were synthesized by combining an organic polymeric matrix with another inorganic phase. The organic phase was prepared substituting phenol by natural phenolic compounds such as lignin and tannins. The ino...
P L de Hoyos-Martínez, R Herrera, J Labid, F Charrier El Bouhtoury
Evaluation of decay and energy properties from thermally modified biomasses during fungal deterioration by NIR-spectrometry
2021 - IRG/WP 21-40922
This study is focused on the prediction of fungal weight loss (WL) and high heating value (HHV) from raw and torrefied waste lignocellulosic feedstocks, according to their exposure duration to wood-destroying fungi, using near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) and chemometrics models.
Sugarcane bagasse, coffee husk, eucalyptus and pine shavings were torrefied at 290 °C in a screw reactor, during 5, 7...
B de Freitas Homem de Faria, P Santana Barbosa, J Valente Roque, A de Cassia Oliveira Carneiro, P Rousset, K Candelier, R F Teofilo
Combining MRI and X-ray CT to monitor fungal decay of plywood and OSB in a lab test
2022 - IRG/WP 22-20683
Bio-based building materials, such as wood and wood-engineered products, are susceptible to degradation by decay fungi. In-depth knowledge on the intricate material-fungus relationship as well as performance data for many bio-based building materials are still lacking, and especially knowledge on how a material’s structure and moisture properties affect the degradation process is missing. Althou...
L De Ligne, T Núñez Guitar, C Vanhove, J Van Acker, J Van den Bulcke
Moisture sorption behaviour of poplar and thermally modified poplar using dynamic vapour sorption (DVS)
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40947
The moisture sorption behaviour of wood has a critical impact on service life. In Europe, softwood is mostly used to manufacture engineered wood products such as cross-laminated timber (CLT) or glue-laminated timber (GLT or glulam). Yet fast-growing and widespread tree species such as hybrid poplar with or without modification, have potential to meet the increasing demand. This study shows the moi...
X Jiang, J Van den Bulcke, L De Boever, M Minsart, A Mignon, J Van Acker
Modification of wood by fast pyrolysis bio-oil – the NewWave project concept for bio-based wood treatment
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40990
The NewWave project aims to contribute to building a circular economy by introducing sustainable raw materials in different manufacturing lines, replacing toxic chemicals and lowering the environmental footprint of the products. The raw materials are obtained from the thermochemical fractionation of biomass. This process converts biomass residues by fast pyrolysis into Fast Pyrolysis Bio-Oil (FPBO...
A Sandak, J Sandak, F Poohphajai, R Herrera Diaz, A Gubenšek, K Butina Ogorelec, L Kiezebrink, K J Swager, H Heeres, B van de Beld
What products are architects using? Relationships between deterioration part and structural performance in wooden houses
2023 - IRG/WP 23-50374
Architects work in the development of ideas around buildings and all the nuclei where human activity is generated. It is a work of organization of matter, in time and space, where the conceptual world of ideas and the aspirations of inventions, the interior world interact with the exterior in many kinds of realities.
But as architects, we have always been interested in why and how things have bee...
I de las Casas
Enhanced durability of bio-based materials for green building
2023 - IRG/WP 23-50382
Wood protection technologies provide tools to enhance the durability of bio-based materials for green building. Both wood and related bio-based material are regarded as eminent for green building. It allows to underpin several of the United Nations sustainable development goals and is regarded critical for the Green Deal objectives of the EU. Nevertheless, to enhance the potential it needs to be b...
J Van Acker, L De Ligne, J Vand den Bulcke
Investigating moisture dynamics and fungal decay risk: integrating X-ray CT visualization and simulation benchmarks through a Fungal Control Unit
2024 - IRG/WP 24-11045
Wood is susceptible to fungal attack and over time the structural integrity can be compromised. This risk is of course strongly related to moisture dynamics, as moisture is needed for fungal growth. While existing methodologies, such as lab and field tests, provide valuable insights into wood decay, they often fall short in replicating real-life conditions, particularly within the intricacies of t...
J Van den Bulcke, J Van Acker, M Delbeke, A Blommaert, N Van Den Bossche, M Steeman, L De Ligne
Studies on the treatability of selected pine species and corresponding efficacies of a new non-biocidal treatment
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20721
Wood decay caused by fungi may reduce the service life of wood in outdoor applications. Since moisture conditions in wood occur as one of the most crucial parameters for fungal decay, chemical modifications, which affect the latter, may increase the resistance of wood against such organisms. Usually, pine sapwood is easier to chemically treat than heartwood, as the former generally shows good perm...
T R da Silva Lins, L Emmerich, H Militz, P H Gonzales de Cademartoni, R J Klizke, M Pereira da Rocha
Phytosanitary heat treatment of wood in a laboratory drying oven and, in a pilot-scale kiln using the house longhorn beetle (Hylotrupes bajulus) larvae as a model
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20722
International trade in wood products brings the risk of the movement of tree pests which can cause devasting ecosystem and economic damage. International phytosanitary guidelines were created to help countries that import wood products. Import requirements intend to minimize pest spreading. Thus, the ISPM 15 (International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15) which specifies the “Regulat...
B Rubio, C L’Hostis, M Montibus, I Paulmier, C Brunet, L Charron, J-P Gaussorgues, C Guiberteau, V Vlahakis, F-R de Cibon, I Le Bayon
Service life of poplar, a low durability hardwood
2024 - IRG/WP 24-41007
Hybrid poplar is the most common plantation hardwood of the temperate climate zone and is complementary to natural stands of aspen with mainly plantations in Europe and China. Poplar wood has been considered as a valid alternative for many of the construction applications of softwoods especially when considering engineered wood products.
The natural durability of hybrid poplar is low and for a ra...
J Van Acker, X Jiang, L De Ligne, J van den Bulcke