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Performance of bio-based building materials – durability and moisture dynamics
2020 - IRG/WP 20-20666
When exposed to conditions favourable for decay, bio-based building materials can be susceptible to degradation. Their ability to withstand deterioration over time (performance) depends on the intrinsic or enhanced durability of the material as well as its wetting and drying behaviour. The effect of fungicidal components in wood is known since long. Other material characteristics, such as the mate...
L De Ligne, J Caes, S Omar, J Van den Bulcke, J M Baetens, B De Baets, J Van Acker


New methods for estimating the volume of shipworm tunnels supported by image analysis
2020 - IRG/WP 20-20668
In marine environment, the main threat for wood is the bioerosion by woodborers, both peracarid crustaceans (such as gribbles Limnoria and pincher scuds Chelura) and bivalve molluscs (shipworms, Teredinidae). The damage caused by gribbles on wood structure is surficial and easy identifiable, whereas the damage caused by shipworms is internal, therefore not evident, inducing unexpected crashes wit...
I Guarneri, M Sigovini, E Keppel, D Tagliapietra


Physical barriers against marine borers based on synthetic polymers
2020 - IRG/WP 20-30754
Currently in Spain there are no chemical treatments that are really effective against attacks of marine bores in civil constructions within more or less permanent contact with seawater. On the other hand there are also no physical barriers that allow easy placement or execution, and much less offer a minimum guarantee of performance in the medium or long term. In fact, in these recent years there ...
A Lozano, D Lorenzo, M Alonso, J J del Coz, F Álvarez


Longterm Performance of Treated Timbers in Marine Exposures
2020 - IRG/WP 20-10969
The performance of preservative-treated or modified woods in marine exposures was evaluated at test sites in Newport, Oregon, USA and Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. All samples have exhibited excellent performance at the Newport, Oregon site, while attack was more aggressive at the sub-tropical Brisbane site. Acetylated wood as well as samples treated with 7.3% chromated copper arsenate (CCA-T...
M Konkler, A R Zahora, J Norton, J J Morrell


Impact of fungal decay on the bending properties of wood
2020 - IRG/WP 20-20671
Wood used outdoors is generally prone to fungal degradation, and its impact on the structural integrity of wood is an immanent factor for service life planning with timber. Wood decayed to very small mass losses can suffer from a significant reduction in mechanical strength and elastic properties. Hence, the latter are preferred indicators to detect decay in wood durability studies. Numerous previ...
S Bollmus, P B van Niekerk, C Brischke


Macro biological degradation of wood treated with sorbitol and citric acid – first results from marine environment and termite exposure
2020 - IRG/WP 20-40901
Most European wood species are rapidly and severely degraded in termite-infested areas and the marine environment. There is a need for new solutions, especially in the marine environment, since we lack wood preservatives approved for marine applications in Europe. Several wood modification systems show high resistance against both marine borers and subterranean termites. However, the existing comm...
A Treu, L Nunes, E Larnøy


Development of a Standard for Preservative Treated Wood to be used in the Arctic
2019 - IRG/WP 19-20677
There is ongoing interest in the Arctic with political, environmental and recreational developments almost daily. The impact of global warming on loss of permafrost and sea ice is widely reported. In the last three years several cruise ships have traversed the North West Passage. This increased activity has resulted in the recognition of the need for an increased infrastructure. Historically, the ...
J N R Ruddick


Assessing the risk of marine borer attack of the timber trestles and decay of timber above the intertidal zone of the Barmouth Viaduct
2021 - IRG/WP 21-10974
The Barmouth Viaduct is a Grade II* listed structure which carries the single track of the Dovey Junction to Pwllheli line and footway over the Mawddach estuary. It is in a marine environment where timber below the high tide mark is at most risk in Use Class 5 and all timber above in Use Class 3.2, permanently exposed to the risk of wetting. The structure consists of a timber trestle viaduct of ...
J R Williams


Validating a short-term laboratory method to assess the resistance of timber to biodegradation by marine wood-borers
2021 - IRG/WP 21-10975
Novel approaches to protecting wood in coastal and marine environments are needed as the use of traditional broad-spectrum biocides are now restricted. Wood is widely utilised in marine environments where it can be rapidly degraded by wood-boring organisms, causing billions of dollars of damage per annum. Biocidal compounds such as CCA and creosote have been popular treatments for timber products ...
L S Martin, J R Shipway, G P Malyon, S M Cragg


Marine borer resistance of various wood materials in Japan
2021 - IRG/WP 21-10983
Wood resistance against marine borer was intensively studied in the 1940s in Japan, but the research activities on the subject diminished afterward, as the use of wooden marine structures and ships decreased. Today, however, use of wood as a construction material is officially promoted for its environmental benefits. The author started to immerse some wood materials in the seawater pool at PARI ...
M Yamada


Mechanical and biological durability properties against soft-rot and subterranean termite in the field (grave-yard test) of beech wood impregnated with different derivatives of glycerol or polyglycerol and maleic anhydride followed by thermal modification in an opened or in a closed system
2021 - IRG/WP 21-40917
This paper presents mechanical and biological durability properties in soil beg test (soft-rot test) and field test (grave-yard test) against subterranean termite of the wood modified with an aqueous vinylic derivative of glycerol/polyglycerol or maleic anhydride cured in an opened or in a closed system. Wood modification was performed through impregnation of European beech (Fagus sylvatica) with ...
M Mubarok, H Militz, S Dumarcay, I W Darmawan, Y S Hadi, P Gerardin


Dynamics of fungi colonization on the surface of Scots pine wood during natural weathering in different European climate zones
2022 - IRG/WP 22-10984
Wood The presence of fungi leads to biomaterial decay and/or changes in aesthetical appeal. The start of fungi colonization as well as the following growth on wood are primarily influenced by four factors: ambient temperature, moisture history of the object, access to oxygen, and intrinsic properties of the exposed wood, considered here as a source of nutrients for microorganisms. A prevalence of ...
F Poohphajai, O Myronycheva, O Karlsson, L Rautkari, J Sandak, A Sandak


Natural durability and moisture dynamics of commercially important European wood species after weathering
2022 - IRG/WP 22-10992
Wood is a frequently used material. Timbers’ mechanical properties, particularly its favourable strength-to-mass ratio, make them suitable for many uses. Current environmental awareness has led to its renewed importance as a building material. However, wood is susceptible to decay that severely affect its outdoor performance. This study investigated how weathering affects the natural durability ...
E Keržič, M Humar


Results of the resistance of acetylated wood against marine borers at three Italian sites after five years of sea immersion
2022 - IRG/WP 22-10994
The aim of this research was the determination of resistance of acetylated wood against marine decay in use class 5 (EN 335) in temperate sea waters. The resistance of acetylated Pinus radiata (radiate pine) in solid and medium density fibreboard (MDF) panels is compared with that of the untreated Scots pine, radiata pine and other untreated wood of European species such as Fagus sylvatica (Europe...
S Palanti, F Stefani, M Andrenacci, M Faimali, I Guarneri, M Sigovini, D Tagliapietra


Protection of Venetian pilings from marine borers
2022 - IRG/WP 22-10995
This keynote paper describes piling typology, i.e. Aids to navigation, Mooring and berthing and Pileworks. Furthermore, it describes damages to pilings and public tests on alternative materials and protection. Final remarks: Today, all the pole types admitted by the Memorandum of Understanding can be seen in the lagoon. Plastic poles are common for the mooring of small boats and as stilts in some...
D Tagliapietra


Evaluation of weathering and termite resistance of the Myoung-oil as a Korean traditional coating agent
2022 - IRG/WP 22-10996
This study investigated the applicability of Myoung-oil (MO) as an eco-friendly preservative of Korean wooden cultural properties and buildings. Wood test specimens painted with various concentrations of MO were exposed in the external environment. Then color change and wettability of the wood surface were evaluated and compared depending on the exposure time. As a result of exposure for 12 months...
S-M Yoon, Y Park, W-S Jeon, H-M Lee, J-G Park, K Dal Nam, W-J Hwang


Evaluation of ecotoxicological effects of different coniferous wood treatments on two marine bioindicator species
2022 - IRG/WP 22-10999
Coniferous wood panels (Picea abies) were treated with two concentrations of copper-based impregnating agent to increase its durability in marine and brackish environment. In order to assess the environmental compatibility of the treatments a laboratory experiment was conducted with two marine invertebrate species: bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis and a gastropod Steromphala albida. The bioindica...
T Marčeta, N Nesto, I Guarneri, D Tagliapietra, V Moschino


Evaluation of Decay Resistance of Copper-based Preservatives Treated-Wood exposed to different field test sites in Korea
2022 - IRG/WP 22-20679
In Korea, preservative treated wood is required to have a stamp on the surface which contains information such as wood species, use categories, and the company that treated the wood. Such stamping is necessary to safely and appropriately use the treated wood. Since majority of treated wood is being used outdoor environment, the treated wood must have efficacy against wood decay fungi or termite. I...
W-J Hwang, S-M Yoon, Y Park, Y-S Choi, H-M Lee, J-W Kim


Studies into the effect of soil type and soil layer on the in-ground decay of European beech
2022 - IRG/WP 22-20681
In this study, European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) specimens were exposed to three different soil types; Podsol (Podzol), Braunerde (Cambisol), and Pararendzina (Regosol), in adapted terrestrial microcosm (TMC) tests according to CEN/TS 15083-2 (2005). Soils were sampled (250 mm deep) from field sites and separated into their constituent layers to deliver three TMC setups; mineral soil layer only ...
B N Marais, S Kovacs, M Jansen, C Brischke


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


Copper-octanoate - a potential reference preservative replacement for CCA in field test standards?
2022 - IRG/WP 22-20688
Finding a CCA reference replacement for use in standardised test methods is of high priority since this chemical is being phased out and may in the near future be banned also for experimental and approval purposes. In this paper we assess the possibility to replace CCA reference preservative with an historical copper octanoate product. There is a huge amount of lab and field test data available fo...
R Ringman, M Westin, M Klamer, A Christof, F Friese


Copper Naphthenate – A Data and Capability Update
2022 - IRG/WP 22-30771
The efficacy of copper naphthenate against wood decay fungi and wood destroying organisms has been well documented from international field tests as well as decades of commercial service. The use of copper naphthenate has been dramatically expanded due to its proven performance, non-restricted use, minimal environmental impact, and superior end of life options. Extensive demand and interest has al...
J-W Kim, J D Lloyd


Durability against fungal decay of sorbitol and citric acid (SorCA) modified wood
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40928
Most European-grown wood species are susceptible to biological degradation, specifically, they suffer from a poor resistance against wood-destroying fungi. Therefore, prior to outdoor exposure, wood has to be treated either by applying a protective coating on its surface or by full-volume impregnation with antifungal chemicals. However, due to environmental and health concerns, the most frequently...
K Kurkowiak, L Emmerich, H Militz


Biological assessment of bio-based phase change materials in wood for construction applications
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40935
Solid wood can serve multi-functionality for energy savings in buildings. The study reveals the results of bio-deterioration and degradation of solid Scots pine wood used to incorporate single or multicomponent fatty acid mixtures as bio-based phase change materials (BPCMs). The sapwood samples were impregnated with capric acid (CA), methyl palmitate (MP), lauryl alcohol (LA) and a mixture of coco...
S Palanti, A Temiz, G Köse Demirel, G Hekimoğlu, A Sari, M Nazari, J Gao, M Jebrane, T Schnabel, N Terziev


Effect of nano-particle characteristics and concentration on UV protection of timber: A field exposure test
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40941
Wood has a well-known susceptibility to ultra-violet light degradation, leading to premature replacement. A variety of products have been developed to protect against this damage, but most provide less than 12 months of protection and must be regularly reapplied. Developing improved coatings would help reduce wood losses and reduce maintenance costs. Nano-particles have a variety of attractive pro...
T Yi, J J Morrell


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