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Sterilization of Large Timbers during Preservative Treatment: How Quickly We Forget
2020 - IRG/WP 20-40902
Air seasoning is a common method of moisture management in utility poles and is done de facto during pole storage prior to treatment. However, extended air drying prior to treatment encourages fungal attack and can facilitate establishment of decay fungi in poles before a protective preservative barrier is applied. This problem can be mitigated by proper air-seasoning methods coupled with heat ste...
G Presley, J Cappellazzi, M Konkler, K Maguire, R Nelson, J J Morrell


Performance of resin-treated solid wood and laminated veneer lumber (LVL) under marine conditions
2021 - IRG/WP 21-10973
Wood is a traditional building material in the marine environment, where it is exposed to extremely harsh conditions. Most of the indigenous softwood and hardwood species in Europe are not durable against attack by marine organisms. Recently, wood modification has been considered as an alternative to protect non-durable wood species under use class (UC) 5 (EN 335, 2013) conditions. The present stu...
L Emmerich, C Brischke, S Bicke, H Militz


Experience Experience from over 20 years of field trials of resin treated wood – Marine borer resistance of MMF and DMDHEU modified wood
2021 - IRG/WP 21-10976
In 1999 a field test of Scots pine treated with MMF (Methylated Melamine Formaldehyde) resin and acetylated Scots pine post treated with MMF resin was started. Six years later a commissioned full NWPC test for BASF of Belmadur® (DMDHEU resin treated wood) was started at the same site. The testing, according to European Standard EN 275, was done in a bay by Kristineberg Marine Research Station o...
M Westin, P Larsson Brelid, A O Rapp, J Habicht


Mechanical and biological durability properties against soft-rot and subterranean termite in the field (grave-yard test) of beech wood impregnated with different derivatives of glycerol or polyglycerol and maleic anhydride followed by thermal modification in an opened or in a closed system
2021 - IRG/WP 21-40917
This paper presents mechanical and biological durability properties in soil beg test (soft-rot test) and field test (grave-yard test) against subterranean termite of the wood modified with an aqueous vinylic derivative of glycerol/polyglycerol or maleic anhydride cured in an opened or in a closed system. Wood modification was performed through impregnation of European beech (Fagus sylvatica) with ...
M Mubarok, H Militz, S Dumarcay, I W Darmawan, Y S Hadi, P Gerardin


Treatability of South African-grown Eucalyptus grandis with water-borne copper azole and disodium octaborate tetrahydrate wood preservatives
2021 - IRG/WP 21-40920
This study investigated the treatability of the sapwood and heartwood of sawn Eucalyptus grandis with copper-azole (CuAz) and disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT) water-borne preservatives towards improving its durability for enhanced use in structural solid wood applications. The results obtained showed that, at a moisture content of 12 ± 1%, sawn E. grandis sapwood can be impregnated to a mea...
A A Alade, Z Naghizadeh, C B Wessels


Combining MRI and X-ray CT to monitor fungal decay of plywood and OSB in a lab test
2022 - IRG/WP 22-20683
Bio-based building materials, such as wood and wood-engineered products, are susceptible to degradation by decay fungi. In-depth knowledge on the intricate material-fungus relationship as well as performance data for many bio-based building materials are still lacking, and especially knowledge on how a material’s structure and moisture properties affect the degradation process is missing. Althou...
L De Ligne, T Núñez Guitar, C Vanhove, J Van Acker, J Van den Bulcke


Field tests of different tropical wood species in sea water
2022 - IRG/WP 22-30773
A number of tropical timbers have been tested according to EN 275 at Kristineberg Marine Research Station in Sweden since 1999. Most of these tests have started during the last 5-8 years. Wood species included have been Lophira alata (Azobé/Ekki), Minquartia guianensis (Manwood/Acaria), Chlorocardium rodiei (Greenheart), Cyclodiscus gabonensis (Okan/Denya), Shorea spp. (Bankirai), Dicorynia guia...
M Westin, P Larsson Brelid


Durability against fungal decay of sorbitol and citric acid (SorCA) modified wood
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40928
Most European-grown wood species are susceptible to biological degradation, specifically, they suffer from a poor resistance against wood-destroying fungi. Therefore, prior to outdoor exposure, wood has to be treated either by applying a protective coating on its surface or by full-volume impregnation with antifungal chemicals. However, due to environmental and health concerns, the most frequently...
K Kurkowiak, L Emmerich, H Militz


Biological assessment of bio-based phase change materials in wood for construction applications
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40935
Solid wood can serve multi-functionality for energy savings in buildings. The study reveals the results of bio-deterioration and degradation of solid Scots pine wood used to incorporate single or multicomponent fatty acid mixtures as bio-based phase change materials (BPCMs). The sapwood samples were impregnated with capric acid (CA), methyl palmitate (MP), lauryl alcohol (LA) and a mixture of coco...
S Palanti, A Temiz, G Köse Demirel, G Hekimoğlu, A Sari, M Nazari, J Gao, M Jebrane, T Schnabel, N Terziev


Effect of nano-particle characteristics and concentration on UV protection of timber: A field exposure test
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40941
Wood has a well-known susceptibility to ultra-violet light degradation, leading to premature replacement. A variety of products have been developed to protect against this damage, but most provide less than 12 months of protection and must be regularly reapplied. Developing improved coatings would help reduce wood losses and reduce maintenance costs. Nano-particles have a variety of attractive pro...
T Yi, J J Morrell


Laboratory durability testing of preservative treated wood products – first attempts and observations
2023 - IRG/WP 23-20697
In the past, durability classes (DC) had been assigned to wood species, sometimes also to homogenously modified wood-based materials such as thermally modified wood. More recently, some standards allow for classifying the biological durability of chemically modified wood, preservative treated wood and wood composites. Even treated products may be subject to durability classification, but necessary...
C Brischke, M Sievert, M Schilling, S Bollmus


Suitability of boron preservative treatment of minor species as framing in New Zealand buildings
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30778
The inclusion of alternative species to radiata pine, predominantly exotic species, in the building code (NZS 3602) raises questions as to whether they require preservative treatment and, if so, whether they can be adequately treated using current industry processes. Early research with boron indicated that the dip/diffusion method for green timber would give adequate preservative retention in sa...
D Page, I Simpson, T Singh


Establishing the minimum effective penetration of wood preservatives in the refractory heartwood of E. nitens
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30780
Conventional pressure treatment of many Australian hardwoods results in little to no penetration of heartwood and a non-uniform envelope treatment of <5 mm surrounding a mostly untreated core. This is a major issue for many of the low durability plantation hardwood timbers that are grown in Tasmania, which contain high percentages of heartwood. Long term studies on softwoods such as spruce decking...
J R Vargas, J J Morrell, L Yermán, K C Wood


Long-term field performance of a carbon-based preservative in ground contact test conditions
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30781
Carbon-based preservatives have demonstrated reasonable long-term field performance in above ground testing. This study examines the performance of a carbon-based preservative formulation containing quaternary ammonium compounds and tebuconazole as a treatment for three softwood species exposed in ground contact at two sites in Canada. The treatment was associated with improved decay resistance an...
C Wilson, J Zhang, R Stirling


Performance of treated Malaysian semantang bamboo (Gigantochloa scortechinii) - field and laboratory durability evaluation
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30788
Field performance of sematan bamboo, Gigantochloa scortechinii was evaluated under the Malaysian tropical climate, along with laboratory evaluation to white-rot fungi and mold. Starch was removed from the bamboo by submerging the bamboo in the river for 6-8 weeks, kiln-dried and cut to 300 mm (L) round bamboo and 25 mm (W) x 50 mm (L) stripe for the field and laboratory test respectively. Bamboo w...
S Lipeh, T Khadiran, Z Jalaludin, M K Anwar U


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


Investigating wood anatomical factors influencing the treatability of refractory southern pine- an imaging approach
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40975
Southern pine sapwood is non-durable, and preservative treatment is necessary to protect it against biological degradation. According to AS 1604.1 2021, timber products must have their sapwood fully treated with preservatives for various applications and hazard classes. However, there is a growing industry concern over the refractory sections of sapwood, which are untreated pockets of wood that do...
M Shirmohammadi, M R Karbaschi, B Hassan, W Leggate


The appropriateness of central one-ninth or core retentions as a means of demonstrating penetration compliance
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40976
Treatment quality is in general terms dependent upon the preservative retention, and how the preservative is distributed throughout the cross-section of the treated article in question, i.e. the penetration of the preservative. Of these two fundamental qualities that are intrinsically linked to treatment quality, penetration is in general terms the most subjective. The determination of retention i...
D Humphfrey, B Skewes


On the use of miniaturized wood specimens in fungal decay experiments – mini-blocks versus EN 113 test specimens
2024 - IRG/WP 24-11044
Preliminary evaluation and classification of wood durability against decay fungi using laboratory monoculture experiments has been a longstanding practice because these tests offer quicker results than field tests. Various methods, including miniaturized specimen formats and different incubation periods, have been explored to expedite decay processes and assess wood preservation efficacy. The 'min...
C Brischke, G Alfredsen


X-ray fluorescence microscopy of copper ion distribution in decay of copper-treated wood by Fibroporia radiculosa
2024 - IRG/WP 24-11047
Copper is an essential metal ion for eukaryotic life and must strictly be regulated as excess levels can cause oxidative damage, enzyme inhibition and denaturation, interruptions in nutrient transport and even cellular death. Copper-based wood treatments have efficacy against a wide range of biological organisms including decay fungi and are used in the majority of preservative formulations for ou...
K M Ohno, J Jakes, A B Bishell, L Li, Q Jin, E Maxey


Benefits of borate dual treatment
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20710
Treatment of railroad ties with borate followed by over-treatment with creosote or copper naphthenate, called dual treatment, has become standard practice for ties being installed in higher decay hazard areas of the U.S. This paper provides an overview of why that has happened. Borate preservative presents very low human health and environmental risk. It diffuses through even hard to treat hear...
S T Smith, J D Lloyd, S McKinney


Potential of heartwood extracts as wood preservatives combined with linseed oil in 8-year above-ground and in-ground field trials
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20719
The current study assessed the efficacy of heartwood extracts from Tectona grandis, Dalbergia sissoo, Cedrus deodara, and Pinus roxburghii, combined with linseed oil, as protectants for two non-durable wood species against termites and decay fungi. Stakes measuring 45.7 × 1.9 × 1.9 cm and blocks measuring 12.5 × 3.75 × 2.5 cm of the sapwood of southern pine (Pinus sp.) and cottonwood (Populus ...
M E Mankowski, G T Kirker, B Hassan


Evaluation of the water exclusion ability and inherent bioactivity of heartwood against decay in Japanese and European wood species via above-ground exposure and water absorption tests
2024 - IRG/WP 24-40998
The natural durability of wood has been thought to mainly depend on bioactive extractives and the water exclusion ability. To clarify the contribution of each factor to wood durability, above-ground exposure tests were conducted on Japanese and European wood species. A double-layer test was carried out using heartwood specimens of four wood species, i.e., Japanese cedar, Japanese cypress, Scots pi...
T Osawa, R Noda, K Yamamoto


Outdoor termite resistance performance of zinc borate (Borogard® ZB) treated parallel strand lumber (PSL) – 15 years field test results
2024 - IRG/WP 24-40999
This report discloses the outdoor termite resistance performance of PSL samples treated with zinc borate at a dosage of 0.85% BAE and 1.72% BAE in Wuxi, China. The outdoor field trial lasted for 15 years and observations were made after 6 months, 3 years, 5 years 1 month, 6 years 6 months and 15 years. The retaining rates of B2O3 and ZnO in the final samples were also tested, and the hypothesis wa...
S Shi, E Laval, K Lung, F Ascherl, R Williams, W Li, X Li


Modelling the service life of wood in ground contact – Verification of remotely sensed soil data from the reanalysis dataset ERA5-Land using in-situ measurements at a test site of utility poles in Eastern Norway
2024 - IRG/WP 24-41003
This study compared soil moisture and temperature estimates from the 5th European reanalysis (ERA5-Land) dataset with in-situ measurements to assess the accuracy and applicability of ERA5-Land data for modelling the service life of wood in ground contact. The ERA5-Land soil temperature estimates showed a moderate correlation with the in-situ temperature measurements (Spearman’s ρ of 0.73) and a...
U Hundhausen, P B van Niekerk, B Marais


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