Your search resulted in 5 documents.
Characterisation of fungal decay in cable car trestles in Svalbard
2023 - IRG/WP 23-11031
The Arctic will be strongly affected by climate change. In Svalbard the coal mining industry were established in the early 20th century. All man-made structures and sites dating before 1946 in Svalbard are protected by law and considered as cultural heritage. This included the massive cable car trestles that are constructed from untreated Norway spruce and mounted directly into the soil. We hereby...
G Alfredsen, L Ross, M Altgen, I A Yakovlev, A-C Flyen, M S Austigard, J Mattsson, N B Pedersen
Suberinic acid from birch bark and its suitability in wood protection
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20708
This study investigated the effect of different concentrations of suberinic acid (SA) on the growth of two fungi species. Initial radial growth tests showed a slightly slower growth rate for brown rot, whereas white rot exhibited faster growth than the untreated reference. In contrast, a commercial wood preservative significantly reduced the radial growth of both fungi species. Evidence of cell wa...
A Treu, M Altgen, J Rizikovs
Are we barking up the right tree? - the use of bark residues in wood protection
2025 - IRG/WP 25-20742
Tree bark, a lignocellulosic side-stream, is typically underutilised, often combusted or landfilled, thus contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. This communication paper explores the potential of bark residues, particularly suberinic acid, tannins and other polyphenols, in wood protection applications, including coatings, adhesives, and fire retardants. Several European projects have been initi...
A Treu, M Altgen, M Sipponen, M Borrega
Fungal decay in cable car pylons in Svalbard - overview of results
2025 - IRG/WP 25-41026
A total of 212 iconic wooden cable car pylons were constructed for mining operations in Svalbard, significantly contributing to Longyearbyen's historical identity as a mining town. Fieldwork in Svalbard involved collecting wood samples from 22 of these pylons, targeting wood exposed both aboveground and ground proximity. Whilst the timber used in the constructions was assumed to be untreated Norwa...
G Alfredsen, M Altgen, M S Austigard, J Mattsson, M Nunez, L Ross, S Aarseth Tunstad, A Treu, I A Yakovlev, N Bjerregaard Pedersen
Physical and chemical characterization of post-consumer wood chips for recycling
2025 - IRG/WP 25-50414
Post-consumer wood (PCW) is a valuable resource that can partially substitute virgin wood in material applications. This communication paper presents key findings from a study that analysed PCW collected from three recycling facilities in southeastern Norway over eight months. A total of 20 mixed and 4 pre-sorted PCW samples were evaluated regarding their material composition, particle geometry, a...
M Altgen, K Bringdal Gedde, L Ross, E Larnøy