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Colour changes in unpainted wooden façades – Fifty Shades of Grey
2018 - IRG/WP 18-10903
In Norway the use of weathered unpainted, wooden façades has increased in popularity the last 20 years, both in single family houses as well as in multi-story and non-residential buildings. The benefit of using unpainted wood as façade material can be several: low maintenance costs, low environmental impact and low carbon footprint as well as contemporary and trendy aesthetic appearance. The va...
K Zimmer, L R Gobakken, O Flindall, M Nygaard


Impact of sapwood portions on the durability of adjacent heartwood of Pinus sylvestris, Pseudotsuga menziesii and Quercus robur. Part 1: Laboratory studies
2018 - IRG/WP 18-10922
Sapwood is generally considered as non-durable and assigned to durability class DC 5 according to European standards independent from the wood species. It is commonly agreed that sapwood decays faster than adjacent heartwood, but it is controversially discussed whether sapwood serves as feeder material and thus accelerates onset and progress of decay in more durable heartwood or decays independent...
C Brischke, P Homann, A Gellerich


In-service performance of wood claddings and windows – a Norwegian survey
2018 - IRG/WP 18-20632
The overall aim of the study was to strengthen the empirical data on decay frequency and in-service performance of claddings and windows in Norway. Data from a survey of claddings and windows from 38 Norwegian houses is presented. The main findings for wooden claddings: 1) predominance of decay was detected in east facing claddings, while the largest decayed areas were located on south facing clad...
L Ross Gobakken, G Alfredsen


Simulation and visualization of aesthetic performance of bio-based building skin
2018 - IRG/WP 18-20633
Performance of 120 selected façade materials provided by over 30 industrial and academic partners is under evaluation. The experimental data, acquired during BIO4ever project duration are used for development of the numerical models simulating the material degradation in a function of time and exposure. The weather data calculated according to the ASHRAE 2013 database allows numerical simulation ...
J Sandak, A Sandak, P Grossi, M Petrillo


Transfer of research results on the performance of wood and wood-based composites in outdoor applications into praxis
2018 - IRG/WP 18-20634
Forest-based industries have the potential to become an engine for a sustainable and competitive bioeconomy in Danube region. To reach this goal FORESDA projects was proposed. Main aim of respective project is transforming the traditional forest-based areas into innovative, modern and sustainable manufacturing areas; develop innovation-friendly ecosystems aiming to significantly improving and reco...
B Lesar, J Gričar, D Kržišnik, M Humar


The impact of coatings on the service life of wood decking
2018 - IRG/WP 18-20635
The durability of wood decks depends on the nature of the environment in which they are exposed to, the dimensions and configuration of the components, the resistance of the wood to degrading factors in that environment, and the maintenance performed on the deck. The present work seeks to better understand the performance of selected wood decking systems when maintained and unmaintained. This expe...
R Stirling, D Wong


Testing the durability of timber products above ground using the block-test method – A critical review
2018 - IRG/WP 18-20637
The block-test method for testing the durability of wood and wood products above ground is reviewed critically with respect to practical aspects, moisture loads, corresponding decay development, and the possibilities of assessing test specimens by determining the dynamic modulus of elasticity (MOEdyn) of wood. In total, 36 blocks representing different modifications of the original set-up and a wi...
C Brischke, A Gellerich, H Militz


Self-Extinguishment Phenomena of Mass Timber in Medium-Scale Compartment Fires
2018 - IRG/WP 18-30729
This paper presents a review of the fire safety risks that mass timber construction may introduce in buildings, with special consideration to medium- and high-rise buildings. These main risks are represented by an effect to the classical fire safety strategy for buildings: (1) Compartmentalisation, to ensure that the fire will not spread farther than the compartment of origin, (2) Preventing verti...
C Gorska, J P Hidalgo


Enhancing service life performance of oak decking and cladding using organosilicon treatments
2018 - IRG/WP 18-40838
The Life+ project SILEX, in full “Improving sustainability of construction materials using innovative Silicon based treatment” started in April 2013 and was finalized mid 2017. The aim of this project was 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. Ultimately, it was the intention to de...
J Van Acker, J Van den Bulcke, J-P Lecomte


Visual appearance of unpainted wooden claddings during the first year of outdoor exposure: Evaluation of surface mould growth, lightness (L*) and wasp attack
2018 - IRG/WP 18-40841
This study addresses changes in visual appearance of unpainted wood materials exposed outdoors. Specimens of Norway spruce (Picea abies) Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), aspen (Populus tremula), acetylated Radiata pine (Pinus radiata) and DMDHEU-modified Scots pine sapwood were exposed facing south in Ås, Norway for 60 weeks. During this period, surface mould growth development and wasp attack were...
S Karlsen Lie, L Ross Gobakken, G I Vestøl, O Høibø


Thermally modified timber treated with methacrylate
2018 - IRG/WP 18-40849
Thermally modified timber (TMT) from Scots pine sapwood similar to Thermo-D quality was impregnated with methacrylate resin by the hot-and-cold method and subsequently cured at elevated temperatures. The results showed that methacrylate resin could be used to reduce colouring of painted TMT wood during accelerated weathering probably by hindering the migration of extractives. The resin itself did ...
O Karlsson, O Myronycheva, DJones, D Elustondo, D Sandberg


Long service life or cascading? The environmental impact of maintenance of wood-based materials for building envelope and their recycling options
2018 - IRG/WP 18-50336
A major restraint in choosing bio-based materials (i.e. wood-based) for external use, is the lack of confidence that architects, designers and customers have toward these materials. In particular, the limit state of bio-based materials, which defines the frequency of maintenance operations, might be reached earlier for wood than for other materials (i.e. concrete). On the other hand, resource and ...
M Petrillo, J Sandak, P Grossi, A Kutnar, A


Environmental protection and long term in-service sustainability of preserved wooden poles is secured by non-toxic barrier protection system – History and case studies in South Africa
2018 - IRG/WP 18-50340
Non-toxic flexible sheeting systems have been developed to encapsulate the ground contact regions of preserved wooden poles and prevent their premature failure in South Africa since 1992 but the technology also has a long history of resistance by individuals with vested interests in the built-in redundancies of such poles. The concept has, however, been simultaneously validated by many independent...
A A W Baecker


Determining the natural durability on xylarium samples: mini-block test, wood powder and chemical profiling
2019 - IRG/WP 19-10944
Xylaria, or wood collections, can be considered sleeping beauties in terms of wood technological and biological output. In this study we focus on determining the natural durability of xylarium specimens from the Federal Xylarium in the Royal Museum for Central Africa. The Federal Xylarium contains over 80,000 specimens, covering more than 13,000 species, mainly from Central Africa. These specimens...
V Deklerck, L De Ligne, J Van den Bulcke, E Espinoza, H Beeckman, J Van Acker


Performance of wood decking after 5 years of exposure: verification of the combined effect of wetting ability and durability
2019 - IRG/WP 19-20647
Wood is one of the most important construction materials and its use in building applications has further expanded in recent decades. In order to enable even more extensive and reliable use of wood, factors affecting wood’s service life need to be understood. More recently, a new concept to characterize the durability of wood-based materials and to predict the service lives of wood was proposed,...
M Humar, D Krzisnik, B Lesar, C Brischke


Durability by design – a case study of the performance of wooden decks after 9.5 years of natural weathering
2019 - IRG/WP 19-20648
The service life expected for wood decking manufactured with poorly durable wood species, left untreated and exposed to severe environmental conditions such as high humidity and active biological agents, is usually assumed to be short (less than 10 years). The current classification of wood’s natural durability is based on EN standardised tests which do not fully reflect the real end-use conditi...
M Kutnik, M Montibus


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


Validation by micro-computed tomography of an assessment method to measure the residual strength of anobiids infested timber
2019 - IRG/WP 19-20650
In this article a quantitative correlation study of pine timber structural elements, which have been subject to attack by anobiids, is presented. The main objective of the study was to establish a valid empirical correlation between the lost material percentage (consumed by beetles) and original/residual apparent density. Since the beetles’ attack produces a diffuse damage with a set of tunnels ...
J L Parracha, M F Pereira, A Maurício, P Faria, L Nunes


Performance of modified wood in service - multi-sensor data fusion and its multi-way analysis
2019 - IRG/WP 19-20660
Recent developments in the field of electronic sensors and analytics provide new opportunity for accurate characterization of materials often based on portable and non-destructive methods. By using several complementary techniques, the material description is precise and complete. The data provided by multiple equipment, however, are often not directly comparable due to different resolution, sensi...
A Sandak, J Sandak, M Cocchi


Performance based specification of wood – Introducing project CLICKdesign
2019 - IRG/WP 19-20661
This paper introduces the new ForestValue research project CLICKdesign – delivering fingertip knowledge to enable service life performance specification of wood. This European consortium is working on the primary innovation to move from the complex, fragmented and general to the easy-to-use, consolidated and specific by provision of an accessible digital tool for specifiers. Competing materials ...
E Suttie, C Brischke, E Frühwald Hansson, S Fortino, J Sandak, M Kutnik, G Alfredsen, C Lucas, R Stirling


Service life planning of wooden structures: Mathematical prediction models versus professional experience
2019 - IRG/WP 19-20663
During the last 15 years, enormous efforts have been made in developing models for predicting the service life of wooden structures and components. Currently, a framework of how exposure, dimension, design details and the material-intrinsic and the ability to take up and release water can be linked to model the moisture risk in wood products is in principle available. The aim of this study was to...
C Brischke, J Niklewski, M Humar, G Alfredsen


Development of accelerated decay test for CLT using a fungus grown on agar medium
2019 - IRG/WP 19-20664
CLT is a large-scale wooden board which consists of several layers of sawn lumber stacked in altering directions. Therefore, a lot of large cross sections appear on all narrow faces of CLT. As water penetrates easily into timber from cross section, wooden material whose cross section is exposed to water in in a usage environment is susceptible to deterioration by organisms. Wood deterioration orga...
T Miyauchi, K Kambara, W Ohmura, T Mori, H Matsunaga, N Hattori


Treatability of native and exotic alternative timber species
2019 - IRG/WP 19-40864
The service life of moderately durable species can be extended significantly if the challenge of effective treatment of refractory wood species can be overcome. Along with preservative effectiveness, the performance of preservative in treated wood depends on factors such as retention and penetration in treated wood, the wood anatomy, the uniformity of penetration and micro-distribution within the ...
D Page, T Singh


Preservative Treatment of CLT: An Example at Shimojishima Airport
2019 - IRG/WP 19-30748
Cross laminated timber (CLT) is a relatively new construction method that allows multi-storey construction using solid wood instead of concrete or steel. It is a method favoured by progressive architects and recognized for its much lower environmental footprint. Wood is an excellent construction material and is a long-term carbon sink that also performs well in the event of earthquakes and fire....
J Lloyd, N Yamashita, A Taylor


Color change of timber exposed outdoors - Influence of season exposure test starts
2019 - IRG/WP 19-40865
For the client the material and color of the exterior wall are important, because they affect the impression of the building [1]. However, discoloration of the exterior wall begins as soon as the building is completed, by various factors such as rainfall. We tried to quantitatively evaluate the changes of the exterior wood, and to organize the influences of climate conditions, in order to use the ...
K Usami, H Ishiyama


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