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Mould growth on spruce claddings and the effect of selected influencing factors after 4 years of outdoor testing
2015 - IRG/WP 15-30671
Norway spruce (Picea abies) is the most frequently chosen wood species as claddings in façades in Norway, and is used both coated and uncoated. The visual changes that occur during weathering can be colour changes, abrasion or wear, blistering, flaking, and even cracks in the wood or coating, but more often growth of mould and blue stain fungi is the main challenge. A field test with synchronous monitoring of relative humidity, air temperature, material temperature and wood moisture content in Norway spruce claddings has been performed in southern Norway as part of the ClimateLife project. Visual evaluation of blue stain and mould growth according to EN 927-3 was performed, and evaluation data after 46 months exposure is presented. The objectives were to study the effect of 1) environment, 2) cardinal direction and 3) colour of the coated surface on growth of blue stain and mould fungi and to study the variation in relative humidity, air temperature, wood moisture content and material temperature. After 46 months exposure, the red coating system had generally the lowest mould ratings and the uncoated claddings had the highest. Of the white coloured claddings the ones facing south had lower mould ratings than those facing north, but the opposite were found for red coloured claddings. The relative humidity was higher in front of claddings exposed northwards and in a shaded environment compared to an open environment against south. In an open environment red coloured claddings had the lowest wood moisture content and highest material temperature, and red coloured claddings against south had the highest maximum material temperature.
L Ross Gobakken, G I Vestøl


Buffered Amine Oxide Treatment Systems for Imparting Water Based Azoles/Insecticides in Douglas Fir and Eucalyptus
2015 - IRG/WP 15-40707
In today’s world, wood remains the most versatile, practical and sustainable building material. In contemporary countries, wood is a well-managed renewable resource that has a remarkably small carbon footprint compared to those of steel, aluminium, composites, and concrete. These alternative materials have continued to emerge as viable building materials given the durability issues of untreate...
R W Clawson Jr


Performance of copper treated poles and posts after three to fifteen years of exposure
2016 - IRG/WP 16-20595
Copper based wood preservatives are one of the most important wood preservatives for heavy-duty applications. Wood treated with copper-based preservatives performs excellent if applied according to preservative specifications. If used improperly premature failures might appear. In order to elucidate properties of copper treated wood in use, utility poles and posts treated with copper-based preserv...
M Humar, N Thaler


Moisture monitoring in WW2 partisan hospital Franja
2016 - IRG/WP 16-20596
Material climate of wood used for construction of WW2 Partisan hospital Franja was monitored for approximately one year. Partisan hospital is located in the bottom of tiny gorge Pasice in Slovenia. Hence, wood moisture content on eight respective location and wood temperature was determined twice per day with Scanntronik equipment Gigamodul and Thermofox. The results clearly showed that despite of...
M Humar, N Thaler, B Lesar, A Žagar


Investigation of enzymatic effect on pit membranes by light and scanning electron microscopy
2016 - IRG/WP 16-40721
Spruce wood, one of the refractory wood species has pit membranes, which has an influence on the permeability of wood providing liquid flow between the wood cells. However, these membranes tend to close under the fiber saturated point (FSD), which makes impregnation more difficult. In this study spruce sapwood samples were treated with two different commercial enzymes to improve the permeability o...
S Durmaz, Ü C Yildiz, M Öztürk, B Serdar


Superhydrophobic treatment of Norway spruce wood for improvement of its resistance against brown rot and moulds
2016 - IRG/WP 16-40734
Water repellence of wood can be increased and its some other properties influenced by introduction of hydrophobic chemicals into and on cell walls without affecting the wood’s bulk density due to lumen filling. Herein, a simple dipping method to insert octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) into cell walls and to deposit the self-assembled hydrophobic monolayers (SAMs) of OTS is reported. It was found o...
A Kumar, P Ryparová, P Hajek, B Kričej, M Pavlič, A S Škapin, M Šernek, J Tywoniak, J Žigon, M Petrič


Effect of Furfurylation on Shear Strength of Bond Line and Screw Withdrawal Resistance of Beech and Fir Wood
2016 - IRG/WP 16-40757
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of furfurylation on shear strength of bond line and screw withdrawal resistance of beech (Fagus orientalis) and fir (Abies alba) species. In this regard, specimens with two different values of furfurylation i.e. low (fir 14% and beech 20%) and high (fir 38% and beech 65%) levels were prepared and evaluated in comparison with untreated specimens....
A Talaei, H Abdolzadeh, M Saleh Zare


Improvement of wood properties by impregnation with liquefied spruce bark based resins
2016 - IRG/WP 16-40761
In this paper, biobased phenolic thermosetting resins are designed to be used as wood stabilization treatment. The originality of the study stands in substituting part of phenol by spruce (picea abies) bark: this is achieved by a liquefaction process in phenol in the presence of sulfuric acid as catalyst. Next, thermosetting resins are synthetized from liquefied bark by condensation on formaldehy...
X Duret, E Fredon, E Masson, P Gérardin


A Treatability Study of Western Wood Species with Water Based Azoles and Insecticides Using Buffered Amine Oxides
2016 - IRG/WP 16-40766
The use of Western U.S. Wood Species remains small in today’s global wood product market when compared to the use of other commercially available softwoods. One reason that other fiber sources, those that may be less naturally durable or exhibit slightly inferior mechanical properties, are utilized is ease of treatment. In an attempt to ensure adequate penetration in commercially important an...
R W Clawson Jr, C N Cheeks, K A Cutler


Dynamics of biofilm formation on wood impregnated with vegetable oils
2016 - IRG/WP 16-40769
Biofilms can be used as a living protective coating for wood, showing advantages compared to traditional wood-coatings regarding sustainability and self-repair. Biofilms can be formed on oil impregnated wood. Such an oil-biofilm system has the potential of protecting the wood against UV and bio degradation, creating a homogeneously black surface with self-healing properties. Results of biofilm for...
K Filippovych, H Huinink, L van der Ven, O C G Adan


Case study: “Riesenbühlturm”
2017 - IRG/WP 17-20599
In this case study four 7 m long Douglas fir crossbeams were investigated regarding the remaining metal and moisture content. The crossbeams were replaced from a timber tower after 10 years of service in the Black Forest region (South Germany) due to fungal decay. From each of the crossbeams five stem discs were taken and relevant parameters (density, moisture and remaining metal content) were de...
E Melcher, J Müller


Monitoring Diversity and Colonization Patterns of Wood-Inhabiting Fungi Using Field Stake Tests
2017 - IRG/WP 17-20614
Advances in molecular identification of microbial communities enabling rapid microorganism determination have allowed ecological data to be increasingly incorporated into standardized wood performance tests. Combining standard field tests with molecular methods to study wood-associated microflora can help to better understand fungal colonization and decay processes of wood in service. The potentia...
P Torres-Andrade, J Cappellazzi, J J Morrell


COST FP 1303 Cooperative Performance Test – Results after two years outdoor exposure
2017 - IRG/WP 17-20620
COST Action FP 1303 ‘Performance of Bio-Based Building Materials’ started in October 2013 and an ambitious program was set up for four years. Among this a collaborative field test was planned. The idea of the cooperative performance test was to distribute a fairly simple test set up to as many places in Europe as possible in order to collect performance data reflecting the full range of climat...
B Lesar, M Humar, C Brischke, L Meyer-Veltrup, D Jones, N Thaler, J M Abascal, G Alfredsen, B Brunnhuber, E Grodås, M Irle, J Kers, M Klamer, K-C Mahnert, E Melcher, S Palanti, M Noël, E Suttie, N Pfabigan, M Touza


Performance of Norway spruce bridge in North-West Spain after 12 years exposure
2017 - IRG/WP 17-40796
Across Europe is very common to find bridges build in sawn and glue-laminated wood. Most of these bridges used softwood wood species such as: fir, spruce, larch and pine. In Spain wooden bridges, became more and more popular since nineties, when sawn and glue-laminated wood were utilized for building exterior wooden structures in overall Spain. This material, sawn and glue-laminated wood, are ma...
D Lorenzo, J Fernández-Golfín, M Touza, M Guaita, A Lozano, J Benito


Physico-Mechanical and Biological Properties of Cement Bonded Particleboards from Nordmann Fir
2017 - IRG/WP 17-40798
Wood species, wood-cement ratio and curing accelerator types are the major factors effecting properties of wood-cement composites. This paper investigates the effects of wood-cement ratios and cement curing accelerator types on some properties of cement bonded particleboards (CBPBs) from Nordmann fir [Abies nordmanniana (Stev.) Spach. subsp. Nordmanniana]. A total eight groups of the experimental ...
H Yel, U Aras, H Kalaycioglu


The Effects of Pre-Microwave Treatment on Retention Levels And Some Mechanical Properties of Spruce Wood Treated with CCA
2017 - IRG/WP 17-40800
Microwave (MW) treatment of wood has been evaluated in recent years for different purposes by several scientists. Microwave conditioning improves permeability, reduces density and heat conductivity and changes dimensional stability. Furthermore, it could even improve the permeability of refractory wood species such as spruce and Douglas fir. In this study, MW pre-treatment was applied to spruce wo...
E D Gezer, S Kuştaş, S Durmaz


Decay resistance of beams made from thermally modified Scots pine and Norway spruce after 6 years’ exposure in ground contact
2017 - IRG/WP 17-40806
In the present study the resistance of beams treated by ThermoWood® process was studied in ground contact and the results given are based on a “modified” EN 252 test. After six years’ exposure clear differences were found between untreated Scots pine and Norway spruce beams and treated ones. In all cases thermal modification improved the performance. Thermally modified pine heartwood showed...
S Metsä-Kortelainen, H Viitanen


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


Interaction of Boultonizing and through-boring of Douglas fir sapwood
2018 - IRG/WP 18-40833
The interaction of combining through-boring and Boultonizing treatment effects on strength properties was investigated. Small, clear Douglas fir beams were through-bored and/or Boultonized in full factorial design and evaluated for toughness, MOE and MOR. The simulated through-boring treatment lowered the mechanical properties but the Boultonizing process did not. There was also no evidence for a ...
F Gasteiger, J Lloyd, A Taylor


Study of the Factors Influencing the Treatability of Fir (Abies alba)
2018 - IRG/WP 18-40850
A study of some factors influencing the treatability of fir (Abies alba) was carried out in order to add better value to fir sawn timber coming from the Jura country, which is an abundant natural resource. In this part of France, fir wood as construction material is highly challenged by another softwood species, spruce Picea abies. In order to carefully assess the treatability of fir sapwood and h...
E Raphalen, J-D Lanvin, M Kutnik, T Delobel, D Michaud, C Dubois


Boron dual-treatments for Douglas-fir utility poles: Tracking boron migration over time
2019 - IRG/WP 19-30739
The potential for using boron pressure-treatment prior to over-treatment with conventional, heavy-duty wood preservatives to limit internal decay in-service was investigated in two field tests on Douglas-fir utility poles. Pole sections were pressure-treated with disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT) and then over-treated with either pentachlorophenol or copper naphthenate in oil. Alternatively, ...
J Cappellazzi, M J Konkler, J J Morrell


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


Charring of Norway spruce wood surface – an alternative surface modification technique?
2019 - IRG/WP 19-40870
Charring is an old wood surface treatment technique, mainly performed on wooden façade elements with the aesthetical aims, but also with the purpose of protection. This flame treatment method can be grouped into heat treatment processes. Below the top charred layer of damaged wood there is a layer which is during flame treatment exposed to high temperatures in anoxic or semi-anoxic conditions. Th...
M Petric, M Pavlic, J Zigon


Performance of a water-borne stain on beech, spruce, MDF and OSB improved by plasma pre-treatment
2020 - IRG/WP 20-40897
Coatings are an important part of wood protection, especially for outdoor applications. In order to provide a good protection, protective coatings need to exhibit good adhesion, mechanical resistance, and weathering resistance. Plasma pre-treatments are an established method to increase the performance of existing coatings including those on wood and wood-based substrates. Moreover, plasma deposit...
S Dahle, J Žigon, I Uranjek, M Petrič


Monitoring uptake and penetration of pesticides during impregnation of pine (Pinus sylvestris) and spruce (Picea abies) wood with bio-based microemulsion gel formulations
2020 - IRG/WP 20-30756
Even in dry state wood is susceptible to biological degradation. Preservation against biological decay in exposed conditions is conventionally achieved by impregnating the wood with pesticides applied at professional and industrial levels. Impregnation of wood with preservatives is a complex process that involves wood macro- and microstructure, and the physical characteristics of woods. Here we fo...
D Messaoudi, K Ruel, J-P Joseleau


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