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Testing service life for use class 3: accelerated L-joint performance of commodities
2012 - IRG/WP 12-20500
Above ground testing is considered important for the assessment of treated wood intended for use class 3. Laboratory testing of efficacy of biocides as well as of natural durability focussing on such applications has to be linked to performance and service life. An accelerated L-joint test was some 15 years ago developed at the Ghent University to allow worst case assessment under semi-controlled ...
J Van Acker, J Van den Bulcke, I De Windt, L De Vetter


Field-testing of Norway Spruce Claddings with Monitoring of Moisture Content, Material Temperature and Microclimate
2012 - IRG/WP 12-20502
The physical function of a cladding is to protect the interior construction. Under normal circumstances the performance requirements can be met for a very long time, meaning that the technical service life of a wooden cladding can be very long. Since the cladding is a major part of the facade, it also has visual requirements that may define the aesthetic service life, and often it is much shorter ...
G I Vestøl, L Ross Gobakken


Statistical analysis of durability tests - Part 1: Principles of distribution fitting and application on laboratory tests
2013 - IRG/WP 13-20504
Service life prediction is an important topic in wood research, especially with regard to the Construction Products Regulation (CPR). Both laboratory tests as well as in-service performance testing are therefore essential in combination with proper monitoring and analysis tools. A crucial concept is variability in testing and analysis, especially for a biological material such as wood. The larger ...
I De Windt, J Van den Bulcke, C Brischke, C R Welzbacher, A Gellerich, S Bollmus, M Humar,


Quasi-in-situ durability tests on oak timber bridges
2013 - IRG/WP 13-20510
This study aims on developing a method for determination of wood durability on samples taken from real structures in service. Therefore quasi-in-situ durability tests have been conducted exemplarily on timber bridges made from English oak (Quercus robur L.). Drilling cores were found to be a feasible alternative to standard specimens for laboratory durability tests against pure cultures of Basidio...
C Brischke, C J Behnen, M-T Lenz, K Brandt, E Melcher


Statistical analysis of durability tests - Part 2: Principles of time-to-failure and application on field test data
2013 - IRG/WP 13-20512
Service life prediction is an important topic in wood research, especially with regard to the Construction Products Regulation (CPR). Both laboratory tests as well as in-service performance testing is therefore essential, in combination with proper monitoring and analysis tools. A crucial concept is variability and the incorporation of variability in tests and analysis. In this paper we focus on t...
J Van den Bulcke, I De Windt, C Brischke, C R Welzbacher, A O Rapp, J Van Acker


Testing the performance of timber using 27 different field test methods
2013 - IRG/WP 13-20517
Numerous test methods to determine the durability of timber and timber products have been described in relevant literature. However, only some of these methods have been standardized and thus only very few are regularly used for resistance tests in the field. Since results from extensive comparative field studies have shown differences in moisture performance between different test methods, the ai...
L Meyer, C Brischke, J Rieken


Image analysis for mould and sapstain detection on wood
2013 - IRG/WP 13-20519
Laboratory tests for mould growth on wood products are time consuming and rely on visual assessments of specimens utilizing subjective rating systems. Accelerated laboratory methods are needed that can provide rapid, quantitative assessment of mould and sapstain growth on solid and composite wood products. Image analysis of scanned spore imprints from southern pine or oriented strandboard (OSB) sp...
C A Clausen, V W Yang


Accelerated H3 above-ground decay testing
2013 - IRG/WP 13-20520
An above-ground H3 fungal field trial was installed at two sites in Australia and one in New Zealand, as well as in two Accelerated Field Simulators. The aim was to find a method that would shorten the time required for evaluating new preservatives and protection systems. One-quarter H3 retentions were installed, as first results suitable for registration occur when these reach 70% soundness. Twel...
L J Cookson, D Page, T Singh


Visual Inspection – How Important is the Influence of the Evaluator?
2013 - IRG/WP 13-20521
Visual inspection is often a crucial means of judging the efficacy and performance of a preservative. It is used in non-destructive testing in long term exposure trials or simply, when the practical use and precision of the human eye is a good means of measure. As for the procedure described in EN 252, the impression of softness due to decay of the wood has also to be considered. Although, a thumb...
M Klamer, P Larsson Brelid, I Stephan


Predicting the Rate of Decay, and the Potential for Misinterpretation of Proper Scientific Method
2013 - IRG/WP 13-20525
Predicting the rate of fungal attack in wood-based materials and its effect on properties remains the holy grail of wood products pathologists; however, achieving this goal is difficult because of the many variables associated with the process. This paper reviews some of the more important aspects of the decay process in relation to test methodology and then discusses how data are sometimes used b...
B S Goodell, J J Morrell


Micronized Copper Wood Preservatives: Strong Indications of the Reservoir Effect
2013 - IRG/WP 13-30609
Micronized copper wood preservative systems were launched commercially in May 2006. Now, over 75% of the residential lumber produced in the USA is treated with micronized wood preservative formulations. Although considered controversial at first, the mode of action of micronized copper has been clearly defined by multiple authors over the years, as well as a need for a co-biocide in water-borne sy...
M H Freeman, C R McIntyre


Performance testing of DMDHEU-modified wood in Australia
2013 - IRG/WP 13-30613
Chemical wood modification with dimethyloldihydroxy-ethyleneurea (DMDHEU) or its derivatives has been researched for many years and shown to be applicable to improve certain wood properties to both solid lumber and wood-based composites. Earlier research proved a high biological resistance of DMDHEU-modified wood against biological degradation in laboratory and field tests in Europe. Due to the ve...
H Militz, J Norton


Preliminary testing of spiroborate esters as wood preservatives
2013 - IRG/WP 13-30614
Fungicide and insecticide properties of boric acid are known since 30’s of the last century, but high solubility and leachability of inorganic borates limit their use for only applications not directly exposed to liquid water. A number of attempts were made to fixate borate salts into the wood structure but this research topic is still up to date and undiscovered. Water insoluble organoboron est...
D Panov, N Terziev


Performance of Coatings on Wood Treated with Carbon-Based Preservatives
2013 - IRG/WP 13-40638
Wood treated with carbon-based preservatives is often used in applications where coatings are required, yet few studies have examined the effect of such treatment on coating performance. Users need to be confident that coatings on carbon-based preservative-treated wood will perform as well as or better than those on untreated wood. The present study examines the performance of three coatings on un...
R Stirling, P I Morris


Durability of alternatives to CCA-treated wood - Results from field tests after 11 years exposure
2013 - IRG/WP 13-30633
The present study was initiated as a consequence of restrictions against the use of CCA-type wood preservatives in Sweden in the 1990s. New copper-based formulations were introduced on the market and to some extent, also alternatives to preservative-treated wood, such as thermally and chemically modified and linseed oil treated wood as well as heartwood of non-tropical naturally durable wood s...
P Larsson Brelid, M-L Edlund


Estimation of service life of treated wood in ground contact based on early indicators
2013 - IRG/WP 13-20536
A well-known problem with field testing is that it takes a long time before meaningful and reliable results are achieved. Only when a trial has come to an end the so called average life for the samples in a group can be calculated and compared with other samples. The aim of the present study was to investigate if it is possible to get a reasonable and good estimation of the average life long befor...
M Hansson, J Jermer, P Larsson Brelid, N Terziev


Critical moisture levels and mould resistance of five different wood treatments
2013 - IRG/WP 13-30632
Mould resistance of five different treatments were tested using two methods, a recently developed method for the determination of critical moisture levels of building materials (RHcrit), and ASTM D3273-94. The critical moisture level method exposed samples at 22 °C and 98, 92, 86 and 82% relative humidity (RH) for 12 weeks. ASTM D3273-94 was performed at 29 °C and about 95% RH. Treatments c...
G Bok, P Johansson, A Ekstrand Tobin, S Bardage


Moisture performance testing of wood – Practical experiences
2014 - IRG/WP 14-20546
Different methods are used to characterize the moisture performance of wood and to quantify the effect of moisture loads on the resulting service life. These methods can be divided into direct and indirect methods. Furthermore they can be distinguished by characteristics like continuous or periodical measurements and measuring local or global moisture content (MC). Furthermore each measuring metho...
L Meyer, C Brischke, M Kasselmann, C Rösmann


Statistical analysis of 40 years of preservative in-ground stake testing in Australia
2014 - IRG/WP 14-20552
Wood is widely recognized as a valuable material, yet the natural durability of some wood species limits its use for certain outdoor purposes. For decades, a wide range of methods and chemicals have been developed to increase the resistance of wood against degrading microorganisms and termites. Preservative treatment has a long and widespread tradition in wood protection. Proper testing of the eff...
J Van den Bulcke, L J Cookson, I De Windt, W Li, J Van Acker


Ammoniacal Copper Zinc Arsenate Preservative Treated Wood Ties Their Performance in Testing and Track
2014 - IRG/WP 14-30636
While not a new preservative system, Ammoniacal Copper Zinc Arsenate (ACZA), had not previously been used to protect crossties. Its performance in treating difficult or refractory species of wood has been documented through its wide range of uses approved in AWPA. The establishment of appropriate testing for railroad material use was put in place and includes laboratory, field as well as commercia...
T Carey


Biocidal Products Regulation – Structure and Impact for Product Authorization and Testing in EU
2014 - IRG/WP 14-50308
Since September 2013 the Biocidal Products Regulations (BPR) has been in force in Europe. BPR replaces the Biocidal Products Directive (EC/98/8) and in some respect marks a turning point in the European legislation concerning registration of all types of biocides. BPR introduces some changes both for suppliers of active substances and for companies that produce and place biocide containing wood p...
M Klamer


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


Above ground field testing: results of experiments in Brazil after one year
2015 - IRG/WP 15-30660
After the development of new products they need to be field-tested to assess their efficacy under diverse conditions of climate, comparing them with a preservative with proven efficacy. In some testing sites, decay occurs very slowly. The solution would be to bring these tests to locations that are conducive to biodeterioration, like tropical climates. Tropical sites provide higher temperature and...
M F Natale, J M Vidal


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


Some comments on durability testing of WPC according to EN 15534-1
2015 - IRG/WP 15-40695
The standard EN 15534-1 (2014) gives advice for broad characterization of WPC materials and products. It contains instructions for test procedures concerning different properties e.g. mechanical properties, thermal properties, as well as durability. In this paper some WPC materials from the market were tested for their resistance against brown rot. Furthermore, the water uptake and bending prope...
S Bollmus, A Gellerich, H Militz


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