Your search resulted in 121 documents. Displaying 25 entries per page.
Performance classification of wood in construction – drafting a user friendly European standard
2014 - IRG/WP 14-20545
The performance classification for wood products in construction is an extremely important topic in Europe and beyond – warranty providers and end users demand service life and performance information in the face of competition with other materials. The European project PerformWOOD has formalised and drawn together the on-going research to focus on generation of a material resistance factor for ...
E Suttie, C Brischke, L Meyer, J Van Acker, M Kutnik, E Heisel, F Englund, J Jermer, S Thelandersson, M Polášek, D Lorenzo
Termite Management and the U.S. Experience: A Case for Wood Treatment & Integrated Control
2015 - IRG/WP 15-30678
A brief overview of termite control is given using specific experiences from the U.S.A. Five major types of termite treatment now prevail: soil applied chemical barriers, in-structure chemical barriers (in-situ applied wood and foundation treatments), physical barriers, treated wood and termite baits. In general, ‘stand-alone’ pretreatments or ‘primary’ treatments are often discussed and ...
J D Lloyd, K van den Meiracker
Moisture induced risk and fungal development in various field test set-ups in and above ground
2016 - IRG/WP 16-20577
A high number of studies on the decay performance of wood in outdoor exposure have been conducted in the past. However, no testing methodology for wooden components exposed above ground reflecting the variety of different loads has been established so far. Many test protocols were modified in different ways throughout the years and results were often published in an encoded or incomplete way. This...
L Meyer-Veltrup, C Brischke
Cryptotermes brevis - a silent earthquake for the wood structures in a World Heritage city in the Azores Islands
2016 - IRG/WP 16-50316
In the Azores archipelago the exotic drywood termite Cryptotermes brevis, detected in early 2000’s, is destroying the wood structures of the typical buildings and is already considered the main urban pest in these islands. This work aims to show the spread evolution of this pest along the last six years in the first Portuguese city classified as world heritage by UNESCO, Angra do Heroísmo. For ...
O Guerreiro, P A V Borges, L Nunes
Environmentally Sustainable Method of Termite Management using a baiting system: A case study in the Philippines
2016 - IRG/WP 16-50317
Environment and sustainability are key words for achieving product and business success. Use of chemicals in human vicinity such as homes and buildings are on the increase, thanks to a growing consciousness on pests. Using chemical insecticide is the main stay to counter these pests, but its role in environment is being scrutinized.Insect baiting technology has proven its success around the world ...
P Dhang
For the understanding of biological strategies to sustainable pest management: the case of Nasutitermes corniger
2018 - IRG/WP 18-10907
Termites have long been a serious pest of wooden constructions, timber products and are still causing an important problem in most of tropical regions. The genus Nasutitermes is among the most abundant wood-feeding Termitidae in South of America. The first aim of this review was to gain new insights into the management of N. corniger, considered to be the most economically detrimental pest of this...
I Boulogne, N Amusant, R Constantino, M Falkowski, A M S Rodrigues, E Hoël
Termite species associated with processed wood in South America
2018 - IRG/WP 18-10934
Termites as an eusocial insect group play an important role in the decomposition of organic matter of cellulose origin and in the modification and quality of soils. Some species are xylophagous, and therefore are considered an important urban pest due to their ability to attack not only wooden building structures but also synthetic materials such as PVC, polyethylene or polyurethane, causing great...
C Jorge, M Ibáñez
Quantifying the effect of microclimatic parameters on the moisture-induced decay risk of wooden structures
2019 - IRG/WP 19-20649
Wood exposed outdoors is prone to fungal degradation. Besides its material-inherent resistance, numerous factors are impacting on its service life with both, climate and design having a major effect. In addition, topography, shading, wind barriers, and other local parameters have an effect on the microclimatic conditions at site and therefore need to be quantified for service life prediction of wo...
L Emmerich, C Brischke
Visual assessment of longitudinal wheel timbers and assessing the feasibility of extending wheel timber service life in the UK railway network
2019 - IRG/WP 19-20651
Timber has been a versatile building material for centuries and during the start of the Railway Age in the nineteenth century it was in considerable demand for use in the railway network, particularly bridge building. Timber is still in service and widely used throughout the UK railway network. The resilience and favourable strength to weight ratio and its relative ease of fabrication make it an...
J R Williams
Effect of damage to polyurea coatings on metal losses from ammoniacal copper zinc arsenate treated Douglas-fir pile sections
2019 - IRG/WP 19-40867
Metal-based preservatives remain the most widely used treatments for protecting wood in soil or water contact. While these treatments are highly effective, one drawback is a tendency for small amounts of metal to migrate into the surrounding environment. The greatest risk in this regard is copper because many organisms are highly sensitive to this metal. While post treatment practices can reduce ...
M J Konkler, J J Morrell
The impact of additional interior layers to the moisture dry-out and mould growth risk of CLT walls
2019 - IRG/WP 19-40876
The objective of this study was intended to determine the maximum allowable initial moisture content for CLT walls having both exterior and interior thermal insulation. A laboratory test was conducted, for which four test walls with two different insulation solutions and two different initial moisture contents were built. Based on the test results a simulation model was configured and simulations ...
V Kukk, J Kers, T Kalamees
Assessing the risk of marine borer attack of the timber trestles and decay of timber above the intertidal zone of the Barmouth Viaduct
2021 - IRG/WP 21-10974
The Barmouth Viaduct is a Grade II* listed structure which carries the single track of the Dovey Junction to Pwllheli line and footway over the Mawddach estuary. It is in a marine environment where timber below the high tide mark is at most risk in Use Class 5 and all timber above in Use Class 3.2, permanently exposed to the risk of wetting. The structure consists of a timber trestle viaduct of ...
J R Williams
Assessing the Performance of Wood-based Materials Exposed to Termite Risk – A New Experimental Approach
2022 - IRG/WP 22-10989
Termites are able to degrade a large number of building materials including wood, wood-based panels, biobased insulation, and polymers. The risk for a material of being degraded by termites depends on its composition, on its accessibility, and also on the behavior and the biology of the termite species considered. Within the EU project Click Design, we investigated the durability, under laboratory...
M Kutnik, I Paulmier, C Brunet, D Ansard, M Montibus
Using satellite-retrieved soil moisture data to model the decay risk of in-ground timber
2022 - IRG/WP 22-20689
Satellite-derived soil moisture data from the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) was extracted for a 9 x 9 km point grid over Europe. The data was then used as input to a dose-response wood decay model based on terrestrial microcosm (TMC) tests. The resulting hazard map plotted dose as an indicator of in-ground wood decay based on differences in annual temperature and soil moisture characteristic...
P B van Niekerk, M Schönauer, B N Marais, C Brischke
The influence of climate changes on Central European forests with an emphasis on Slovenia
2022 - IRG/WP 22-50368
When forests are managed sustainably, they play an essential role in protecting climate and biodiversity. They protect soils and water resources, provide livelihoods, and contribute to the well-being of rural and urban communities. European forests are multifunctional and provide a range of ecosystem services. These include the production of renewable materials that can replace materials with a la...
J Gričar, L Krajnc, M Westergren, S Rus, H Kraigher
Management of invasive West Indian drywood termite in Queensland: Transition from mandatory to voluntary treatment
2023 - IRG/WP 23-11002
Cryptotermes brevis, the West Indian drywood termite (WIDT) is the most destructive drywood termite globally. It is capable of infesting both softwoods and hardwoods in timber structures. In Australia C. brevis was first discovered in 1940s and later an established infestation was discovered in Maryborough, Queensland in 1966 and then in Brisbane and Bundaberg in 1975. In 1977 the Queensland Gover...
C Fitzgerald, B Hassan
Susceptibility of selected Australian commercial timbers to West Indian drywood termite Cryptotermes brevis
2023 - IRG/WP 23-11003
West Indian drywood termite (Cryptotermes brevis) is a globally distributed timber pest and is invasive in Queensland, Australia, causing widespread damage to structures and large economic impacts in control and repair costs. Despite this, the knowledge of which specific timbers are susceptible to attack is limited and requires investigation. Two six-week feeding trials were performed, exposing se...
W Haigh, R A Hayes, B Hassan
Subterranean termite control management in urban areas in Spain. Example of management in the old town of Vigo, Spain
2023 - IRG/WP 23-11006
Termites are wood destroying insects always present in the nature with an important wood decomposition function. In Europe, they are mainly located in the Mediterranean area. In Spain, termites are an important problem in urban areas. It is estimated about 80% of old historic towns in Spain are affected by subterranean termite attacks and it is the most important damage in wood structures and wood...
D Lorenzo, A Lozano, M Touza, J Benito
Protocol of action in urban areas affected by subterranean termite attacks in Spain. Example of management in the old town of Areatza
2024 - IRG/WP 24-11037
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 termites are an important problem in urban areas. It is estimated about 80% of old historic towns in Spain are affected by subterranean termite attacks and it is the most important damage in wood structures and wood elements. The...
D Lorenzo, J Benito, J Arancon, D Luengas
Investigating moisture dynamics and fungal decay risk: integrating X-ray CT visualization and simulation benchmarks through a Fungal Control Unit
2024 - IRG/WP 24-11045
Wood is susceptible to fungal attack and over time the structural integrity can be compromised. This risk is of course strongly related to moisture dynamics, as moisture is needed for fungal growth. While existing methodologies, such as lab and field tests, provide valuable insights into wood decay, they often fall short in replicating real-life conditions, particularly within the intricacies of t...
J Van den Bulcke, J Van Acker, M Delbeke, A Blommaert, N Van Den Bossche, M Steeman, L De Ligne
Changes in decay risk of wood in ground contact over Europe, from analysis of historic climate conditions
2024 - IRG/WP 24-41008
Changing climate conditions will affect global temperature and precipitation patterns, shifting some geographical areas into states that are more suitable for fungal wood decay. Climate normals, which are taken over a 30-year period, capture vast spatial and temporal variations in these conditions and comparing these can show changes over time. Importantly, being able to identify locations that ha...
P B van Niekerk, B N Marais, G Alfredsen, C Brischke