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Glued laminated poles - Progress report after 43 years of testing
2023 - IRG/WP 23-20692
In 1979, a number of glued laminated poles treated with CCA and creosote were placed in a greenhouse in Uppsala, in the Simlångsdalen test field in south-western Sweden and in a power lane in Vuollerim in northern Sweden, in order to study their resistance against biological degradation. The test poles were treated in a two-step process. All laminations of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) were first...
J Jermer, M Westin, N Terziev


Field durability testing of wood above ground - Part 1: 15 years’ experience with the Bundle method
2023 - IRG/WP 23-20695
A ‘jack of all trades’ method for above-ground wood durability testing has been sought for decades, but until now no method has found its way into standardization. The method of choice shall be applicable for untreated and treated wood – ideally also for wood composites. It shall be reproducible, objective, fast, easy, and inexpensive. Finally, it shall provide high predictive power. This s...
C Brischke, G Alfredsen, L Emmerich, M Humar, L Meyer-Veltrup


Field durability testing of wood above ground - Part 2: The full guideline of the Bundle method
2023 - IRG/WP 23-20696
To determine the biological durability of wood above ground, numerous approaches for test methods have been pursued and tried out in the field in the past. So far, no method has managed to find its way into a European standard. During the last 15 years, experience with the Bundle method has been gained. As described in Part 1 of this paper, the method is recommended as a suitable tool for determin...
C Brischke, G Alfredsen, L Emmerich, M Humar, L Meyer-Veltrup


A six-year ground proximity trial of TRU-CORE treatments at Innisfail, Queensland
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30775
This article describes an H3 (above ground outdoor) ground proximity field trial that compares the performance against decay fungi of TRU-CORE (also known as the Buffered Amine Oxide Enhancement System) Copper Quat (CQ) with CCA and commodity Alkaline Copper Quat (commodity-CQ) treatments, all in Pinus radiata. The retentions achieved reflected commercial practice, where higher mean retentions are...
L Cookson


Challenges in managing very long-term field tests
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30779
Field testing of wood preservatives has been on-going in Petawawa, Ontario, Canada since at least 1937. Many of the treated roundwood posts from these early experiments are still in test, and include preservatives still used today, including creosote, copper naphthenate, pentachlorophenol and CCA. Performance data from selected experiments more than 50 years old are reported and we discuss some of...
R Stirling, D Wong


Long-term field performance of a carbon-based preservative in ground contact test conditions
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30781
Carbon-based preservatives have demonstrated reasonable long-term field performance in above ground testing. This study examines the performance of a carbon-based preservative formulation containing quaternary ammonium compounds and tebuconazole as a treatment for three softwood species exposed in ground contact at two sites in Canada. The treatment was associated with improved decay resistance an...
C Wilson, J Zhang, R Stirling


Field performance of MCA-treated wood in ground contact
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30782
Micronized Copper Azole (MCA) was evaluated for its ability to resist biodegradation at two Canadian test sites using Pacific silver fir and white spruce stakes, and lodgepole pine and red pine roundwood posts. After 12 years of exposure the treated stakes exhibited low to moderate levels of decay while the untreated controls had failed. When stakes were moved to an active termite site, the untrea...
C Wilson, J Zhang, R Stirling


Performance of treated Malaysian semantang bamboo (Gigantochloa scortechinii) - field and laboratory durability evaluation
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30788
Field performance of sematan bamboo, Gigantochloa scortechinii was evaluated under the Malaysian tropical climate, along with laboratory evaluation to white-rot fungi and mold. Starch was removed from the bamboo by submerging the bamboo in the river for 6-8 weeks, kiln-dried and cut to 300 mm (L) round bamboo and 25 mm (W) x 50 mm (L) stripe for the field and laboratory test respectively. Bamboo w...
S Lipeh, T Khadiran, Z Jalaludin, M K Anwar U


Above Ground Proximity Decay Field Trial of Modified ACQ-A, Wolman® CA-B and Wolman® CA-C in Taiwan
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30793
An above ground proximity decay field trial was established at Chiayi county, Taiwan in July 2016. The purpose of this study was to generate local field performance data for Taiwan for Slash Pine treated with Wolman® CA-B, Wolman® CA-C and a modified ACQ-A product at AWPA UC3B actives retention. After 6 years of field trial, the efficacy of the wood preservative in preventing decay fungi and ter...
J-Y Gan


Field test methods as long-term aging – report of selective wood properties
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40962
Wood samples from a long-term field test are a valuable compendium of information about the material in the context of its aging processes. In the current work, wood samples from the round-robin test within the ECOMOD project were used as a material for the natural aging process (III and IV class of utility). The research scope was to determine selected properties of this wood which can be partial...
W Perdoch, M Benc, B Mazela, A Szulc, J Cegiela


Adhesion and performance of exterior wood coatings on chemically and thermally modified wood – Results from 5.5 years outdoor exposure
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40964
Non-durable softwood and hardwood species were treated with the water-soluble cyclic N-methylol compounds 1,3-dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU) and methylated DMDHEU. One half of the modified specimens were coated with a waterborne acrylic coating system prior a natural weathering for 5.5 years according to EN 927-3 (2020). By frequent evaluations, the impact of chemical modifications ...
L Emmerich, H Militz


Through-boring to improve the performance of low durability Eucalyptus species for utility poles: 10-year field test results of pole stubs exposed in Southeast Queensland
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40972
An impending shortage of naturally durable hardwood electricity pole timbers in Australia has encouraged investigation of alternatives containing less durable, untreatable heartwood. Through-boring or drilling holes perpendicular to the long axis before treatment, has been used successfully on refractory softwood poles in North America and might have application in Australia. The use of through-bo...
J Norton, L P Francis, J J Morrell


Laboratory and field evaluations of bio-based termiticide containing Arnica extract from Berkem Biosolutions® against native and Formosan subterranean termites
2024 - IRG/WP 24-11049
Arnica extract from Berkem Biosolutions® is a 100% plant-based ingredient, rich in active molecules, particularly polyphenols, specially adapted to the needs and challenges of termite protection. The efficacy performance of a bio-based termiticide product containing Arnica extract from Berkem Biosolutions® had been evaluated both in soil treatment and in wood protection treatment against native ...
D Messaoudi, J Curole, Q Wu


Barriers of polyglycol/borate treated wood prevent termite attack to untreated wood above them in 10-year field tests
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20709
As a pioneer in wood protection and borate research Terry Amburgey, a lifetime member of the IRG, had many projects where borates were used in subsequently commercially very successful applications. This paper is one of the initial research projects that lead to polyglycol borates being used as a standalone treatment to protect against termites in new homes which has now been well proven over the ...
K W Ragon, J D Lloyd, T L Amburgey


Potential of heartwood extracts as wood preservatives combined with linseed oil in 8-year above-ground and in-ground field trials
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20719
The current study assessed the efficacy of heartwood extracts from Tectona grandis, Dalbergia sissoo, Cedrus deodara, and Pinus roxburghii, combined with linseed oil, as protectants for two non-durable wood species against termites and decay fungi. Stakes measuring 45.7 × 1.9 × 1.9 cm and blocks measuring 12.5 × 3.75 × 2.5 cm of the sapwood of southern pine (Pinus sp.) and cottonwood (Populus ...
M E Mankowski, G T Kirker, B Hassan


EMC as a quality control parameter for thermally modified wood
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20720
While standards for quality performance of treated wood have been in place for many years, none have been developed for modified wood such as thermally modified wood (TMW). Only in one case has TMW been listed in 2018, by the Nordic Wood Preservation Council (NWPC). A key component of a quality system is its control parameters, i.e. the metrics that are to be measured and controlled. Existing m...
P Klaas, J T Lauridsen


International joint field trial on the moisture performance of wood – Set up and first results
2024 - IRG/WP 24-40996
Wood durability to decay stems from its inherent resistance to fungi resistance to fungi. In this regard, wood's ability to withstand moisture uptake plays an important role as the lower threshold for wood decay is a moisture content of 25%. However, the aspect of moisture resistance is not yet sufficiently emphasized as a durability factor, both in the assessment of durability as a material prope...
C Brischke, et al. (33 co-authors)


Outdoor termite resistance performance of zinc borate (Borogard® ZB) treated parallel strand lumber (PSL) – 15 years field test results
2024 - IRG/WP 24-40999
This report discloses the outdoor termite resistance performance of PSL samples treated with zinc borate at a dosage of 0.85% BAE and 1.72% BAE in Wuxi, China. The outdoor field trial lasted for 15 years and observations were made after 6 months, 3 years, 5 years 1 month, 6 years 6 months and 15 years. The retaining rates of B2O3 and ZnO in the final samples were also tested, and the hypothesis wa...
S Shi, E Laval, K Lung, F Ascherl, R Williams, W Li, X Li


Field performance of preserved shakes and shingles
2024 - IRG/WP 24-41000
Wood shakes and shingles are used in applications where they are at risk of decay, either in sidewall (UC3.1) or roofing (UC3.2) applications. Material durability may come from using the heartwood of naturally durable species, using preservative treatments, or both. Through a series of long-term field tests, this paper explores the performance of naturally durable and preserved shakes and shingles...
R Stirling, S Kus


Evaluation of vacuum borate treated spruce or pine CLT in an above ground protected test in southern Mississippi
2024 - IRG/WP 24-41001
Cross laminated timber (CLT) has become a popular wood composite in large building applications that were previously limited to concrete and steel. To extend service and prevent biological attack, chemical protectants are often applied to wood. Cross laminated timber panels are not typically treated, in part due to a lack of data on efficient and effective methods for treating large panels. Ther...
M E Mankowski, A Taylor, G T Kirker


Modelling the service life of wood in ground contact – Verification of remotely sensed soil data from the reanalysis dataset ERA5-Land using in-situ measurements at a test site of utility poles in Eastern Norway
2024 - IRG/WP 24-41003
This study compared soil moisture and temperature estimates from the 5th European reanalysis (ERA5-Land) dataset with in-situ measurements to assess the accuracy and applicability of ERA5-Land data for modelling the service life of wood in ground contact. The ERA5-Land soil temperature estimates showed a moderate correlation with the in-situ temperature measurements (Spearman’s ρ of 0.73) and a...
U Hundhausen, P B van Niekerk, B Marais


Performance of Douglas-fir cross laminated timber (CLT) subjected to elevated humidity in a ground proximity field test for 6 years
2024 - IRG/WP 24-41010
The ability of insecticidal soil drenches or spray-on insecticide/fungicide treatments to protect mass timber elements exposed in a high moisture environment but out of direct soil contact was assessed using a modified AWPA ground proximity test established in 2017. Three-ply Douglas-fir CLT pieces measuring 305 x 355 x 105 mm (L x H x W) were installed at the Harrison Experimental Forest (HEF) (S...
M E Mankowski, J J Morrell, T G Shelton, G T Kirker


Field facility for conducting wood durability tests at LSU Agricultural Center
2024 - IRG/WP 24-41012
Efforts by Louisiana State University Agricultural Center (LSU AgCenter) to conduct wood durability research on C. formosanus and other wood-related topics, have led to establishing three field research sites to test wood products against Formosan subterranean termites (New Orleans, La), and native subterranean termites (Franklinton, LA), and to test utility poles for outdoor exposure, decay resis...
Q Wu, J Curole


Field test method for wood in above ground situation - The full CEN/TC 38 guideline for the Sandwich method. Part 1 - Determining the relative protective effectiveness of a wood preservative
2024 - IRG/WP 24-41013
The attached draft CEN Technical Specification (i.e. pre-EN standard) has been drafted in order to become an alternative to the Lap-Joint test method (EN 12037:23) for testing of wood in above ground situation and the draft CEN/TS Part 1 is specifically intended for determining the relative protective effectiveness of a wood preservative. The new draft CEN/TS is based on a test method developed by...
M Westin, R Ringman, A Christof, F Friese


Evaluating the potential for re-using timber from deconstructed sea defence groynes from the Bournemouth groyne field
2024 - IRG/WP 24-50397
In the shadow of a looming climate crisis, the modern age construction industry is evolving. The for implementing sustainable practices has never been greater and the potential role of the circular economy is front and centre. It can play a pivotal role in transforming the industry by promoting sustainable practices which emphasise the need to reduce consumption of natural resources. Re-using timb...
J R Williams


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