Your search resulted in 198 documents. Displaying 25 entries per page.
Plywood under the scanner: linking moisture dynamics and 3D structure
2012 - IRG/WP 12-20491
Plywood is highly esteemed as a construction material. Yet, the influence of moisture on both strength and durability are important factors. Especially the dynamics of moisture desorption and absorption should be taken into account when assessing the quality of a panel, which is a fact for all panel materials. This paper therefore focuses on the monitoring of the moisture dynamics of plywood subje...
J Van den Bulcke, I De Windt, N Defoirdt, J Van Acker
Succession after Fire of Fungal Fruiting Bodies in Mediterranean Pinus pinaster Stands in Spain
2012 - IRG/WP 12-10789
In this study we present the results of a 4-year survey aimed at describing the succession of fungal communities following fire in a Mediterranean ecosystem in Northwest Spain, dominated by Pinus pinaster Ait. After a large wildfire in 2002, six 2 x 50 m study plots were established in burned and unburned areas corresponding to early and late succession stages. During the autumn seasons from 2003 ...
P Vásquez Gassibe, M Hernández-Rodriguez, R Fraile Fabero, J A Oria-De-Rueda, P Martín-Pinto
Study of the use of organosolv lignin as bio-preservative of wood
2012 - IRG/WP 12-30603
The service life of wood depends on the species, use and environmental conditions of exposure. The treatment of wood protects it against degradation by xylophagous agents, enhancing the durability of material up to 10 times, and reducing the deforestation around 12.5%. In this way, the use of treatments is necessary because increases the service life of material and protect against xylophagous age...
P S B dos Santos, A Garcia, P H G de Cademartori, D A Gatto, J Labidi
Statistical analysis of durability tests - Part 1: Principles of distribution fitting and application on laboratory tests
2013 - IRG/WP 13-20504
Service life prediction is an important topic in wood research, especially with regard to the Construction Products Regulation (CPR). Both laboratory tests as well as in-service performance testing are therefore essential in combination with proper monitoring and analysis tools. A crucial concept is variability in testing and analysis, especially for a biological material such as wood. The larger ...
I De Windt, J Van den Bulcke, C Brischke, C R Welzbacher, A Gellerich, S Bollmus, M Humar,
Determination of the natural durability of solid wood against wood-destroying fungi - a European round-robin test
2013 - IRG/WP 13-20511
In Europe the durability of wood against wood-destroying basidiomycetes is tested according to CEN/TS 15083-1 (2005). Hitherto existing experience with this standard is quite heterogeneous and results from previous round-robin tests have stayed unreported or have been reported incompletely. In particular the need for natural pre-weathering of the test specimens to allow potential detoxification of...
C Brischke, C R Welzbacher, A Gellerich, S Bollmus, M Humar, K Plaschkies, W Scheiding, G Alfredsen, J Van Acker, I De Windt
Statistical analysis of durability tests - Part 2: Principles of time-to-failure and application on field test data
2013 - IRG/WP 13-20512
Service life prediction is an important topic in wood research, especially with regard to the Construction Products Regulation (CPR). Both laboratory tests as well as in-service performance testing is therefore essential, in combination with proper monitoring and analysis tools. A crucial concept is variability and the incorporation of variability in tests and analysis. In this paper we focus on t...
J Van den Bulcke, I De Windt, C Brischke, C R Welzbacher, A O Rapp, J Van Acker
Cell wall properties of softwood deteriorated by fungi: combined chemical analyses, FT-IR spectroscopy, nanoindentation and micromechanical modelling
2013 - IRG/WP 13-20527
Mechanical properties of wood are determined by its inherent hierarchical microstructure, starting at the nanometer scale, where the elementary components cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin build up the wood cell wall material. Fungi cause degradation and decomposition of these components and, thus, alter the mechanical properties of wood. The aim of this study is to gain new insight into these...
L Wagner, T K Bader, K de Borst, T Ters, K Fackler
Variability in durability of some selected South-American wood species
2014 - IRG/WP 14-10831
Within the scope of sustainable forest management one wants to encourage the proper use of lesser known wood species. Therefore the market has to shift from a demand-driven towards a supply-driven market without loss of wood quality. It is generally known that the durability from pith to bark varies thus, affecting the overall durability of wood species. Consequently, a detailed analysis is necess...
I De Windt, P ’t Hooft, J Van den Bulcke, J Van Acker
Moisture dynamics of wood and wood-based products – Results from an inter-laboratory test
2014 - IRG/WP 14-20539
In the frame of the European research project PerformWOOD in close liaison with the CEN task group TG EN 350 of CEN TC 38 WG 21 in total six research institutes teamed up and initiated an inter-lab trial (Round Robin) to investigate the suitability of different test methods to determine the wetting ability of wood. The moisture performance of wood and wood-based products has been recognized as key...
C Brischke, L Meyer, C Hesse, J Van Acker, I De Windt, J Van den Bulcke, E Conti, M Humar, H Viitanen, M Kutnik, L Malassenet
Statistical analysis of 40 years of preservative in-ground stake testing in Australia
2014 - IRG/WP 14-20552
Wood is widely recognized as a valuable material, yet the natural durability of some wood species limits its use for certain outdoor purposes. For decades, a wide range of methods and chemicals have been developed to increase the resistance of wood against degrading microorganisms and termites. Preservative treatment has a long and widespread tradition in wood protection. Proper testing of the eff...
J Van den Bulcke, L J Cookson, I De Windt, W Li, J Van Acker
Critical parameters on moisture dynamics in relation to time of wetness as factor in service life prediction
2014 - IRG/WP 14-20555
The concept of natural durability or enhanced durability based on the presence of active ingredients having an impact on both fungi and insects is not the only parameter steering the material resistance. Complementary resistance to getting wet (wetting ability) and consequently the ease of drying afterwards will lead to a parameter related to the time a piece of wood will remain under such wet con...
J Van Acker, I De Windt, W Li, J Van den Bulcke
Biological durability of natural fibre reinforced composites
2014 - IRG/WP 14-40681
Composite materials reinforced with wood or non-wood natural fibres have the potential to be a lighter and lower-cost alternative construction material. Until better availability and properties and a lower cost price of degradable polymers makes their use more prevalent, the application of natural fibre reinforcements in synthetic polymers is an intermediate step towards products that are complete...
N Defoirdt, I De Windt, J Van den Bulcke, J Van Acker
Durability of treated wood Corymbia torelliana and Eucalyptus grandis x Eucalyptus urophylla against subterranean termite
2015 - IRG/WP 15-20563
This work aimed to analyze the durability of woods against termite Nasutitermes corniger Motsch. Fence posts from this study were collected in Pinheiros, north of Espírito Santo state, Brazil. Used the Corymbia torelliana and Eucalyptus grandis x Eucalyptus urophylla species with 11 and 9 years, respectively and plant spacing of 3.00 x 2.00 m. Were used 72 samples from discs removed the 0.50 m of...
D Junior Verly Lopes, J Benigno Paes, P N de Medeiros Neto, G dos Santos Bobadilha
Non-destructive monitoring of structure and moisture dynamics of plywood exposed outdoors to improve service life prediction and fit-for-purpose design
2015 - IRG/WP 15-20570
Plywood is an important construction material yet prone to water uptake, which can decrease strength and increase decay risk. To predict service life and improve fit-for-purpose design, it is crucial to understand the moisture behavior and structural changes of plywood. In this research, several plywood specimens were exposed outdoors for approximately one year. During this period, the moisture di...
W Li, J Van den Bulcke, I De Windt, M Dierick, J Van Acker
Durability of Fence Posts of Four Wood Species After 20 Years in Field Test
2015 - IRG/WP 15-30670
In the past years, wood consumption from native forests has drastically reduced the availability of wood. Fast-growing species such as Pinus and Eucalyptus suitably impregnated with chemicals may show a service life equal or higher than hardwood with high natural durability. The field tests have been an alternative widely used to evaluate the durability of wood and the efficiency of preservatives....
A Florian da Costa, A C Salgado de Freitas, E Meneses Oliveira
The situation of the industrial protection of wood in Argentina (La situación de la protección industrial de la madera en Argentina)
2015 - IRG/WP 15-30675
Argentina holds 33 million hectares of native forests and 1.2 million hectares of cultivated forests, which make it the 3rd Latin American country with the largest surface of cultivated forests of the region. (Ministry of Industry, 2012). The industrial impregnation of wood through vacuum pressure was first implemented in our country in the year 1932, and currently there are over 100 active plants...
D A Gherscovic
Importancia de la protección de la madera para la conservación de los inmuebles y objetos patrimoniales
2015 - IRG/WP 15-40696
A través del tiempo, el hombre ha usado la madera como material de construcción y ha tenido presente su manejo adecuado, referido al corte, secado, aserrado y elaboración, de manera que esta pudiese lograr máxima durabilidad en el servicio. Con el tiempo fue incluyendo algunos métodos naturales y químicos para su protección, atendiendo a que el inconveniente más importante que limita el...
R G Ibáñez San Miguel, D Velázquez Viera
Diagnosis and control of pathology of wood used in the Alahambra Palace, Santiago de Chile
2015 - IRG/WP 15-40711
In 2008, the National Monuments Council, invites bids for the work control termite infestation in the Alhambra Palace, located in Santiago. As part of this service our company decides to make a pathological diagnosis to allow us to make the minimum of damage to the building but maximum control first. The collection of information in the field, the use of advanced technologies and our experience an...
J Poblete Escanilla, P Astaburuaga Merino
Global survey on durability variation – on the effect of the reference species
2016 - IRG/WP 16-20573
Climate change due to anthropogenic emissions is the largest environmental challenge of our time. Forest-based value chains play an important role in reducing the accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere. Maximizing the use of wood to tackle climate change requires improved understanding of the service life of timber products. This information can best be obtained from field testing and while there i...
R Stirling, G Alfredsen, C Brischke, I De Windt, L P Francis, E Frühwald Hansson, M Humar, J Jermer, M Klamer, M Kutnik, P Laks, I Le Bayon, S Metsä-Kortelainen, L Meyer-Veltrup, P I Morris, J Norton, T Singh, J Van Acker, J Van den Bulcke, T M Venås, H Viitanen, A H H Wong
Studying fungal growth using automated image analysis and computer simulations
2016 - IRG/WP 16-20590
Wooden materials are prone to fungal attack resulting in damage and economic losses. Therefore many efforts have been made to understand the degradation of wood and to avoid the adverse effect of fungi. Even though the extent of degradation of a material is inversely proportional to the extension of the fungi attacking it, most researchers focus mainly on the former, leaving the study of the latte...
G Vidal-Diez de Ulzurrun, J M Baetens, J Van den Bulcke, B De Baets
Evaluation of field test data
2016 - IRG/WP 16-20594
The resistance against fungal decay and insect attack of wood can be highly variable, between boards and even within boards. The variability in durability is not always an issue, but for high demanding applications information about its reliability is required. This comprises the variability of outdoor performance. Durability testing in laboratory and outdoor exposures can provide a good basis to ...
F Bongers, C Brischke, J Van den Bulcke, W Gard, I De Windt, H Militz
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