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Building with termites: The challenge of biomimetic design for carbon neutral buildings.
2009 - IRG/WP 09-20405
The main aim of this paper is to present humanity and termites as design partners in the creation of a new dimension of ecosystem understanding. “Beyond biomimicry: What termites can tell us about realizing the living building”, Turner and Soar (2008) opens up a new era in how we think of human habitations, not only on earth, but maybe on other planets, and using the termite model as the corne...
J R J French, B M Ahmed (Shiday)


Estimating the age of subterranean termite attack and damage in buildings
2010 - IRG/WP 10-10727
This paper describes physical and experimental methods and a mathematical model (Rotramel 2003) to assist in estimating the age of subterranean termite attack and damage to building structures. Timber, building and termite management industries have to develop new strategies to assess and estimate termite attack and damage in the current climate of global warming. A case study will be used as an e...
J R J French, B M Ahmed Shiday, J Thorpe


Diagnosis of failures in wood beams from historical house in Banská Štiavnica – Relations between ultrasonic measurements and bending properties
2010 - IRG/WP 10-20437
Various degrees of rot and other damages in ceiling beams with dimensions of 6500-8800 x 160-200 x 240-310 mm (length x height x width) situated in one historical bourgeois house in the UNESCO town Banská Štiavnica, Slovakia were determined visually and by the PUNDIT-plus ultrasonic device. Subsequently, for seventeen of the most bio-damaged fir (Abies alba Mill.) beams chosen for exchange were ...
L Reinprecht, M Pánek


Repairing of wooden elements by beta-method using carbon, steel or beech rods
2010 - IRG/WP 10-40488
Presented paper is focused on repairing of wooden elements by Beta joints reinforced with carbon, steel or beech rods, and on comparing the efficiency of these joints with traditional carpentry joints. In model laboratory experiments have been determined the bending strength (fm) and the modulus of elasticity (E) of control or original elements (fm-Control; Eo) from Norway spruce (Picea abies Kars...
L Reinprecht


Reconstruction and Restoration of some Zagreb’s Wooden Heritage buildings
2010 - IRG/WP 10-40498
In the last ten years, the huge amount of wooden buildings houses and objects of Zagreb’s cultural heritage were restored with fine workmanship. As the wood was one of the most used construction materials, the scientists and specialists from the Faculty of Forestry also took part in those restoration and reconstruction processes. The aim of this article is to inform and advice the restorers on t...
R Despot, M Hasan


Towards designing eco-friendly buildings with in-built termite protection
2010 - IRG/WP 10-50273
The increase in greenhouse gases, leading to global warming, is considered by a consistent scientific worldview not due to natural variation, but due to the growing concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and other atmospheric pollutants. Global emissions of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel combustion and cement production rose from 22.6 billion tons in 1990 to an estimated 31.2 billio...
J R J French, B M Ahmed Shiday, B Maggiolo, D Maggiolo


The decontamination of a historical xylotheque with liquid carbon dioxide
2011 - IRG/WP 11-10757
The pharmacist Johann Heinrich Linck senior (1674-1734) created the xylotheque (collection of wood species) in Leipzig, Saxony (Germany). His son, Johann Heinrich Linck junior (1734-1807), continued the valuable and unique collection, which now belongs to the Museum Waldenburg near Dresden, Germany. In the past the cupboard, including the wood specimens, was impregnated with a wood preservative co...
S Zoppke, A Unger, J Mankiewicz, M Eisbein


In-situ experimental treatment and consolidation of degraded timber elements from a XIX century building
2012 - IRG/WP 12-10767
This paper presents the in situ experimental conservation work performed on three timber structural elements from a XIX century building: two floor beams and one roof beam. The palace was built in 1877 in the centre of Lisbon initially with residential purposes. It has four floors, with timber structural horizontal elements, stairs and roof beams (generally of Pinus sylvestris L.). The exterior wa...
D F Henriques, J de Brito, L Nunes


A case study of investigating fungi that affect traditional Japanese shake roof with/without copper plates
2013 - IRG/WP 13-10810
A Japanese traditional shake roof is made from split logs. To keep the roof long, copper (Cu) plates are often inserted between the shakes. It has been thought that Cu elements from copper plates would flow out when a shake roof is exposed to rain and inhibit growth of wood rotting fungi. Actually there are some examples where the Cu plates seem to be effective in preventing fungal damage, but on ...
T Wada, Y Fujiwara, Y Fujii, R Kigawa


The effects of impregnation with secondary metabolite extracted from Ipe on durability of Japanese cedar and beech wood
2013 - IRG/WP 13-30618
Ipe wood is known for its high durability; it has been widely used in exterior structures that are exposed to the weather. In this paper, to increase the durability of less durable wood, Japanese cedar and beech specimens were impregnated with a secondary metabolite from Ipe. In a previous study, secondary metabolites extracted by a Soxhlet extraction method showed antifungal properties. Therefore...
T Iida, R Konuma, K Kawarada


On-site remediation treatments for framing timber in leaky buildings
2014 - IRG/WP 14-20549
Weathertightness failures in New Zealand buildings due to the combined effects of cladding choices, design and construction faults and the use of untreated framing timber has led to the so called ‘leaky building syndrome’. The latest estimated cost of the leaky building crisis in New Zealand is about NZ$11 billion. This research was conducted to provide a better understanding of the option...
T Singh, D Page, A Bennett


Remedial treatment of difficult to access timber in buildings
2015 - IRG/WP 15-40691
The quest to understand remedial treatment for timber framing begun following the ‘leaky building crisis’ in New Zealand which came to prominence in 2000. Several in-situ remedial treatment products are used in New Zealand. However, effectiveness of these treatments is still unclear particularly in situations where not all faces of the timber can be assessed. This research was conducted to det...
T Singh, I Simpson, D Page


Effects of wollastonite nanofibers on biological resistance of historical paper against Aspergillus niger
2017 - IRG/WP 17-10878
Effect of wollastonite nanofibers on biological resistance of historical paper against Aspergillus niger was studied. Specimens from A4 papers were also prepared for comparison purposes. Paper specimens were dipped in aqueous nanowollastonite (NW) with 10, 20, 30, and 40% concentrations and compared with control specimens. In order the nanofibers be fixed on paper specimens, 5% of polyvinyl acetat...
H R Taghiyari, A Kalantari, A Ershad-Langroudi, A Kalantari


The First Description of Soft-rot Cavity in Waterlogged Archaeological Woods by a Japanese Wood Anatomist Prof. F. Onaka in 1935
2017 - IRG/WP 17-10885
The term soft rot, which was caused by Ascomycetes and Deuteromycetes, was first used by J G Savory in 1954. Soft rot decay can be characterized by cavities within secondary cell walls align along the cellulose microfibrils. Our recent literature search revealed, however, that Prof. F. Onaka in Kyoto University described the soft rot cavities in the waterlogged archaeological woods in detail from ...
Yoon Soo Kim, K Yamamoto


Durability of energy efficient wooden buildings: a building physical point of view
2017 - IRG/WP 17-40812
The drive for more energy efficient and sustainable buildings resulted in an increased popularity of wooden buildings, even in countries with a masonry tradition. Often guidelines and prescriptions then are copied from other countries. Different climatic boundary conditions and tradition of finishing, though, do require different moisture tolerance criteria. This is clearly the case for water vapo...
S Roels, J Langmans


Exploration of waterlogged piles and wooden constructions of Riga Dome Cathedral
2017 - IRG/WP 17-10901
The Riga Dome Cathedral’s waterlogged wood piles and the roofs and tower's wooden structures were investigated, the extent of biological damage was evaluated, and the wood rot fungi and insects were identified. The pile wood’s component composition and elemental composition were analysed; the wood structure damage by erosion bacteria was microscopically determined. In the roofs and tower ...
B Andersons, I Andersone, I Irbe, V Fridrihsone, R Lūsis


Building with wood in the Arctic
2018 - IRG/WP 18-50335
During the last five years there has been a significant increase in interest in Canada in the Arctic, with research on the Franklin exploration of the mid19th century searching for the North West Passage, which coupled with the impact of Global warming on the loss of sea ice has rendered the North West Passage now navigable during the summer months. Building with wood in the Arctic has proved extr...
J N R Ruddick


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


Superior kempas hardwood protection with two proprietary microemulsion termiticdes based on permethrin and cyermethrin against Coptotermes termite attack under H2 an H3 weathered conditions found in buildings
2018 - IRG/WP 18-10931
SARPECO® and AXIL® solutions are water-based wood preservatives approved for dipping treatment providing 25 years of termite protection for solid wood and wood-based products in Europe and for more than 10 years in Indonesia. SARPECO® and AXIL® solutions are patented formulations based on concentrated microemulsions (ME) diluted with water as a dipping treatment but also for vacuum pressure tr...
D Messaudi, A H H Wong, C A D Tawi, N Bourguiba, O Fahy


Natural durability and performance of Eucalyptus globulus single family house in Spain after 17 years exposure
2019 - IRG/WP 19-40873
From last century, in the country side in Spain is common to find wooden houses. The reason is mainly due the improvements in glues, materials, design by computer and processing in factories. All these technological advances have facilitated the development industrialized systems cheaper. However, the variety of row materials, designs and construction systems, combined with some hard climates, cou...
D Lorenzo, M Touza, J Fernandez-Golfín, A Lozano, J Benito


Penetration pathway of oilborne preservative in heartwood of Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi)
2019 - IRG/WP 19-40886
The liquid permeability of Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi) wood is extremely low, especially in the heartwood. It is difficult to achieve the penetration of wood preservatives, which is specified by standards, with pressure treatment of waterborne preservatives. Recently, the protection treatment with an oilborne preservative called “deeper penetration treatment” is commercially available, wh...
H Shibui, T Miyauchi, T Shigeyama, M Ikeda, Y Sugai


Durability and climate change - implications for wood building structures
2019 - IRG/WP 19-50361
Sustainable building practices are rooted in the need for reliable information on the long-term performance of building materials; specifically, the expected service-life of building materials, components, and assemblies. This need is ever more evident given the anticipated effects of climate change on the built environment and the many governmental initiatives world-wide focused on ensuring that ...
M Lacasse


Effect of long-term immersion in fresh and salt water on mould growth on Scots pine (Pinus Sylvestris L.) wood
2020 - IRG/WP 20-10962
Wood exposed outdoors will eventually be degraded by fungi, depending on exposure and material characteristics. Numerous wooden constructions in the Røros municipality have existed since the 17th century, but wood used in recent repairs have decayed faster than expected. Before 1970 timber was mainly transported by log driving or rafting, and the logs were immersed in water for longer or shorter ...
M Sand Austigard, J Mattsson


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


Genetic relationships of local infestations by Anobium punctatum, Xestobium rufovillosum and their associated predator Korynetes caeruleus from buildings in North-Eastern Germany
2021 - IRG/WP 21-10982
Wood-destroying pests such as Anobium punctatum and Xestobium rufovillosum cause damage to art and cultural objects as well as to buildings. Monitoring population dynamics of pest species as well as of their naturally occurring counterparts are an essential part in the development of biological control measures as alternatives to conventional wood protection. Therefore, both the dispersal and homo...
C von Laar, C Baar, R Plarre, D P McMahon


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