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Applicability of wood durability testing methods to bio-based building materials
2015 - IRG/WP 15-20561
It is well known that organic materials may be susceptible to attack from a range of fungal organisms and any bio-based material used in locations where there is the possibility of microbiological activity must be expected to be able to withstand or prevent such attack. There are a wide range of test methods and standards in place to test susceptibility although most of these test individual compo...
S F Curling, B K Stefanowski, E Mansour, G A Ormondroyd


Interaction between Aspergillus niger fungus and other filamentous fungi on salt-agar medium and their growth on natural wood and wood treated with fungicide
2015 - IRG/WP 15-20569
Aspergillus niger (An) is very often used alone or in mixture with other filamentous fungi of the genus in testing biocides in disinfection procedures, safety, hygiene, medical fields as well as for testing resistance of wood and wood-based materials to moulds. Softwood species as well as hardwood are overgrown with An fungus very easily, causing drop of mainly the aesthetic value of wood product....
A Fojutowski, A Kropacz, A Koziróg


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


Indentation and pendulum hardness tests: two convenient assessment methods of the performance of exterior wood coatings
2015 - IRG/WP 15-40689
Developing formulations of exterior wood coatings with long service life is a big challenge. For many years in Europe the performances have been mainly evaluated through weathering tests (within the EN 927 series) followed by visual assessment (blistering, flaking, mould growth, chalking and cracking), colour and gloss measurements, and adhesion tests. Very recently the importance of the mechanica...
L Malassenet, L Podgorski, M Truskaller, G Grüll


A review of the analytical methods used in determining the decay resistance of heat treated wood
2015 - IRG/WP 15-40690
Heat treatment as a wood process is increasingly used because of its non-biocide behaviour and its low environmental impact. This sort of treatment is based on biopolymer chemical degradation by heat transfer. This process improves mainly the dimensional stability and the decay resistance of wood. Wood becomes darker after this type of treatment and thus gives it an aesthetic appearance. These i...
K Candelier, M-F Thévenon, A Pétrissans, S Dumarçay, P Gérardin, M Pétrissans


Durability of reaction to fire performance of FRT wood products in different end use applications – Methods and results
2015 - IRG/WP 15-40705
Fire retardant treatments (FRT) may considerably improve the reaction to fire properties of wood-based products and the highest fire classifications for combustible products can be reached, but the maintained reaction to fire performance e. g. in exterior applications needs to be addressed in order to form a basis for new and reliable wood products with improved fire performance. A European Techn...
B Östman, L Tsantaridis


Cultural heritage – research into innovative solutions and methods for historic wood conservation
2016 - IRG/WP 16-10874
Nowadays, interdisciplinary knowledge, tools and techniques are increasingly used to protect and conserve monuments representing our cultural heritage. This is of great importance especially in case of conservation and restoration of wooden historic artefacts which, as a result of physical, chemical and biological corrosion, have lost their technical, aesthetic and decorative properties. If those ...
M Broda, B Mazela


Bundle tests - Simple alternatives to standard above ground field test methods
2016 - IRG/WP 16-20581
Within this study we applied different new above ground test set ups to untreated Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst.) and Scots pine sapwood (Pinus sylvestris L.) which are frequently used as reference or control species in wood durability field tests. The overall aim of this study was to find a simple alternative method to the few standardized above ground field test methods, such as the L-joint a...
C Brischke, L Meyer-Veltrup


A review on prediction methods of wood natural durability
2017 - IRG/WP 17-10892
Natural durability of timber may be defined as “inherent ability of timber to attack by wood destroying organisms (bacteria, fungi, insects, marine borers) without preservative treatment. On the base of biological tests, EN-350-2 standard (Afnor, 1994), describe the classification of wood species according to their natural durability. But these specifications are not adapted in the case of wood ...
N Amusant, C Flora, J Beauchène, E Houël, C Duplais


Comparison of 1H qNMR and NIR spectroscopic methods to predict heartwood decay resistance in Dicorynia guianensis Amsh
2017 - IRG/WP 17-20601
Dicorynia guianensis is by far the most exploited wood in French Guiana, as it is an abundant tree species associated with good technological properties. However, the decay resistance of D. guianensis wood against lignivorous fungi pathogens is sometimes variable. Therefore, the development of tools to predict the decay resistance of D. guianensis heartwood is relevant in wood science and agrofore...
C Flora, G Frédéric, M-F Thevenon, Y Estevez, C Duplais, N Amusant


Towards durability classification of preservative treated wood – first attempts using different European standards
2018 - RG/WP 18-20638
EN 350 (2016) gives guidance on methods for determining and classifying the durability of wood and wood-based material against biological wood destroying agents. “Wood-based materials are those derived from trees and include amongst others: untreated wood, heat treated wood, chemically modified wood, glue laminated wood, wood-based panels, wood polymer composites and wood treated with wood prese...
S Bollmus, A Gellerich, C Brischke, H Militz


Above-ground testing methods – review of Rotorua, New Zealand test site results after ten years
2018 - RG/WP 18-20642
A series of seven different types of above ground durability tests were initially conducted over four years to determine which type of tests would give the fastest, most consistent results. Five types of test; ground proximity, two types of decking, flat panels and double layer, were reassessed after ten years. Exposure conditions varied between tests with ground proximity producing close to groun...
D Page, T Singh


Improvement of analytical methods of wood preservatives and its validation with collaborative testing
2019 - IRG/WP 19-20655
This discussion paper presents on-going collaborative test of analytical methods of wood preservatives according to the standardization process of Japan Agricultural Standard (JAS) by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF). Food and Agricultural Materials Inspection Center (FAMIC) in close cooperated organization with the MAFF, has wide range of tasks about inspections and anal...
T Miyauchi, K Yamamoto, N Shota, Y Akabori, M Ikeda, J Eisawa, K Kambara, T Osawa, C Igarashi, Y Baba, W Ohmura, M Shimizu, M Samejima


Durability classification of preservative treated and modified wood
2019 - IRG/WP 19-20659
EN 350 (2016) allows formally to determine durability classes (DC) for wood products and wood-based materials, which was previously only possible for untreated wood in the form of natural durability. In a first study, the University of Goettingen carried out the durability classification of chemically modified (modified with 1,3-dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethyleneurea, DMDHEU) and preservative-treate...
S Bollmus, L Bachle, C Brischke, H Militz


Knowledge exchange and transfer from academia to industry in the field of wood protection research – Activities of the IRG-WP Communications Committee
2019 - IRG/WP 19-50354
The International Research Group on Wood Protection (IRG) was founded in 1969 as a structured group of like-minded scientists and technologists focused on generating knowledge of the science of wood deterioration, and novel solutions to provide sustainably and environmentally responsible products for the protection of wood-based materials. The primary function of the IRG is to provide opportunitie...
F Latorre, B Abbott, C Brischke, M Humar, D Jones, E Larnoy, L Nunes, A Preston, T Singh


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


Monitoring of wood preservatives exposed to weathering: Extraction and analysis methods of organic biocides from treated wood and collected rain runoff
2020 - IRG/WP 20-30753
Weathering is the cause of numerous damages for outdoor joineries. Protection of wood using a preservative treatment covered with a coating is a process widely used to limit these damages. However, biocides from preservative treated wood are prone to degradation and leaching, having a direct influence on the joinery service life. This document deals with extraction and analytical methods for bioci...
O Ouali, K Le Ménach, E Raphalen, L Podgorski, S Legay, H Budzinski


Studying amount, location and state of water in modified wood at moisture levels relevant for fungal degradation
2020 - IRG/WP 20-40889
Water is an essential parameter for fungal degradation of wood, but degradation primarily occurs at high moisture levels at water potential in the range of -4 to -0.1 MPa, which corresponds to 97-99.9% relative humidity. At these moisture levels, water is present in the wood structure both in and outside of cell walls. The majority of previous studies on the interaction between wood and water for ...
M Fredriksson, E Engelund Thybring, Ramunas Digaitis


Application of diverse hyperspectral imaging systems for evaluation of heritage objects
2020 - IRG/WP 20-10971
Advanced imaging techniques are able to non-invasively characterize, monitor and evaluate the impact of conservation treatments on cultural heritage (CH) objects. In this specific field, hyperspectral imaging (HI) allows non-destructive characterization of materials by identifying and characterizing colouring agents, binders and protective coatings as constituents of an object’s original constru...
J Sandak, A Sandak, L Legan, K Retko, M Kavčič, J Kosel, F Poohphajai, R Herrera Diaz, V Ponnuchamy, N Sajinčič, Č Tavzes, P Ropret


Green approach in wood mineralization for improvement of fire properties
2022 - IRG/WP 22-30769
Various treatments have been developed in order to improve fire properties of wood. Because the use of some flame retardants can release toxic compounds in the event of a fire, leading to poisoning or even death of people from smoke inhalation, the use of no-toxic and more ecologically acceptable flame retardants is preferable. Mineralization of wood with the incorporation of carbonates has proven...
A Pondelak, R Repič, L Škrlep, N Knez, F Knez, A S Škapin


Improving wood durability by mineralisation and thermal modification
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40948
A significant increase in the fungal durability of wood was achieved by using a modification procedure combining two environmentally friendly methods: thermal modification and mineralisation. It offers an ecological alternative to other biocidal treatments. European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and Norway spruce (Picea abies) were selected as model wood species and exposed to four different fungi: Gloe...
R Repič, A Pondelak, D Kržišnik, M Humar, A S Škapin


Make do and mend: Re-using timber in Smithfield Market
2022 - IRG/WP 22-50371
Historic buildings are part of our built environment. They are a record of how construction and use of materials have evolved and provide excellent opportunities for regeneration of urban areas. Moreover, re-using these buildings and as much of the material within, contributes to the Green Revolution. Currently, there is tremendous growth in green construction and as Bob Dylan once said, “the t...
J R Williams


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


Utilising novel service life prediction methods for robust and precise Life-Cycle-Costing (LCC)
2023 - IRG/WP 23-50384
Life-Cycle-Costing (LCC) is one of the basic indicators for the assessment of sustainability and cost effectiveness in construction applications. Project WoodLCC was thus conceived to enable LCC through input from models for detailed service life planning of wooden components and buildings. The project is a continuation of the service life planning research conducted in Europe over the last three ...
P B van Niekerk, G Alfredsen, T Kalamees, R Modaresi, A Sandak, J Niklewski, C Brischke


Assessment of the condition of wooden mill in the area of Kovačevići in Bosnia and Herzegovina
2023 - IRG/WP 23-11030
An excellent example of cultural and technical heritage is almost 100 year old wooden mills near Cazin in Bosnia and Herzegovina. These mills played an important role, especially in times of Bosnian war (1992-95), when this region was cut off from electricity. The laboratory analysis revealed that the respective mill was made of chestnut (Castanea sativa) and oak (Quercus sp.) wood. The sufficient...
B Lesar, R Hasanagic, M Humar


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