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Effect of long-term immersion in fresh and salt water on mould growth on Scots pine (Pinus Sylvestris L.) wood
2020 - IRG/WP 20-10962
Wood exposed outdoors will eventually be degraded by fungi, depending on exposure and material characteristics. Numerous wooden constructions in the Røros municipality have existed since the 17th century, but wood used in recent repairs have decayed faster than expected. Before 1970 timber was mainly transported by log driving or rafting, and the logs were immersed in water for longer or shorter ...
M Sand Austigard, J Mattsson


Performance of naturally durable decks after 15 years of field exposure
2020 - IRG/WP 20-10963
A decking test of Canadian species considered to be naturally durable was inspected after 15 years of exposure at test sites in Ontario and British Columbia. Based on the materials used in this experiment, Douglas-fir and yellow cypress had the greatest decay resistance, followed by eastern white cedar and western redcedar, and then by western larch and tamarack. All materials tested were more dur...
R Stirling, D Wong


The role of specimen format in wood durability testing
2020 - IRG/WP 20-20672
The experimental basis for testing the biological durability of wood are often incubation experiments with wood-destroying basidiomycetes. Numerous parameters can affect the mass loss by fungal decay (MLF) in laboratory durability tests and therefore being decisive for the resulting durability classification. Among others, the dimension of the wood specimen and the time of incubation impact on fun...
C Brischke, L K Grünwald, S Bollmus


Development of procedures for sampling, testing, and classification to determine the biological durability of wood and wood products
2020 - IRG/WP 20-20676
This paper informs about a research project, which deals with several shortcomings and a lack of clarity within EN 350:2016. The project started in January 2020, will run for 3 years, and is operated by the Institute of Wood Technology Dresden (IHD) and the University of Goettingen (UGOE). Determination and classification of durability of wood and wood products against wood-destroying organisms ...
W Scheiding, K Jacobs, S Bollmus, C Brischke


Biofinish: A Functional Wood Surface Treatment based on Aureobasidium
2020 - IRG/WP 20-40903
Xyhlo Biofinish is a natural and environmentally friendly wood protection concept based on linseed oil impregnation and a fungal-based coating. It emerged in the late 1990s and has been developed over the past 15 years into an industrially applicable process in the Netherlands. The combination of linseed oil impregnation and a surface treatment with the living fungus Aureobasidium extends the serv...
S Rensink, M Sailer, S Roukens, J Gerber, H van der Mel, K Potgieter, J Spit, R Bulthuis, C Struck, M Bennink


The influence of chemical compounds on wood cell wall to surface cracks
2020 - IRG/WP 20-40908
Degradation due to cracking and dimensional changes caused by drying, have a significantly negative impact on the preservation and durability of wood. Therefore, the prevention of surface cracking, which tends to occur during the drying process, is vital. High temperature set drying is one of the most effective methods for preventing wood surface cracking. It begins with softening the wood at a hi...
R Suzuki, Y Mori, K Yoshihiro, K Yamashita, M Kiguchi


Plasma treatment of wood - a review of 15 years of research in Göttingen
2021 - IRG/WP 21-40913
Wood is an important renewable resource and can be found omnipresent in everyday life. Its natural properties offer numerous advantages regarding physical, mechanical but also aesthetic aspects, but also challenges that one has to address with various modification methods. Driven by the desire to promote the use of promising new technologies using plasmas, there has been a close research network ...
P Sauerbier, R Köhler, G Avramidis, W Viöl, H Militz


Influence of weathering on surface roughness of thermally modified wood
2021 - IRG/WP 21-40915
Thermally modified wood is exposed to weathering similarly as other wood-based building materials. It has been reported that if thermally modified wood is exposed to weathering, its moisture performance might decrease fairly fast. The aim of this study was to determine whether this phenomenon is associated with crack formations or roughness. Norway spruce, thermally modified spruce, wax-treated th...
E Kerzic, B Lesar, M Humar


Surface morphology and short-term water uptake of charred and coated wood
2021 - IRG/WP 21-40916
Charring of the wood surface represents a traditional alternative surface treatment technique with the purpose of aesthetics and protection. By the treatment with flame the surface of wood becomes carbonized and a few millimetres thick charred layer is formed on the top of the wooden element. Further, the charred layer can be removed by brushing, which accentuates the structure of the surface. Add...
J Zigon


Post-layup protection of mass timber elements in above ground protected exposures: 2-year results
2022 - IRG/WP 22-30766
Mass timber has seen increased use as a building material for low and mid-rise construction in recent decades. The durability of mass timber elements has not been fully examined and the effects of wood destroying organisms on this these materials merits attention. The effectiveness of currently labeled soil termiticides and passively applied biocides at post-construction or as remedial agents need...
M E Mankowski, T G Shelton, G T Kirker, J J Morrell


Above-Ground Termite Resistance of Naturally Durable Species in Ontario and Mississippi
2022 - IRG/WP 22-30767
A collaborative above-ground protected termite field test was initiated by FPInnovations and the USDA Forest Service at sites in Ontario and Mississippi. The aims of the experiment were to compare the rate of attack in protected, above-ground exposures by the subterranean termite species, Reticulitermes flavipes, between northern (Ontario) and southern (Mississippi) test sites and to generate perf...
R Stirling, M Mankowski


Impact of wetting agents on polyelectrolyte complex impregnation for wood fire-retardancy
2022 - IRG/WP 22-30768
Wood fire performance is a great concern in interior finishing due to the high risk of flame spread. To increase the use of wood in high building while ensuring the safety of building occupants, fire retardant (FR) treatments are required. Traditionally, two fireproofing strategies are employed: impregnation and coatings. They have been widely studied but they, respectively, are time and chemicals...
M Soula, J B Grenier, S Duquesne, F Samyn, V Landry


Surface chemical wood densification through in situ electron beam polymerization: description and dose study
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40933
Traditional wood chemical densification processes can be used to improve wood mechanical properties by increasing density of the material throughout its thickness. While mechanical surface densification has heavily been investigated, surface treatments involving impregnation of monomers remain unexplored. This study describes a new material, surface densified through lateral impregnation of acryla...
J Triquet, P Blanchet, V Landry


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


Comparative study of the properties of silicate coatings with different mineral pigments (titanium dioxide, iron (III) oxide, copper (II) oxide) on the surface of wood
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40936
Silicate coatings are attractive alternatives to conventional organic-based coatings for wood protection. In this work, silicate coatings were prepared with a potassium silicate binder modified with a methyl siliconate solution, and three types of mineral pigments titanium dioxide, iron (III) oxide and copper (II) oxide. The coatings were applied on beech wood and cured under ambient conditions. T...
A M Cheumani Yona, M Petrič


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


The influence of thermal modification and surface charring to different levels on wettability of Norway spruce wood
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40942
The wood can alternatively be protected from water absorption by thermal modification and charring. Both techniques cause certain chemical and physical changes in the wood, the extent of which depends on the level of temperature applied. The objective of this study was to determine how the combination of charring to different levels and thermal modification affects the chemical, morphological, and...
J Žigon, C Gerardin, M E P Wålinder, P Gerardin


Phenol formaldehyde modification and termite resistance under laboratory testing
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40952
The development of phenol formaldehyde (PF) resins as a means of impregnating solid wood is one that has been explored for several decades, both in terms of conventional impregnation processing (Impreg) or compressional impregnation (Compreg). However, it is only recently with advances in processing conditions that the method truly affords a means of achieving conventional modification for solid t...
L Nunes, A Pitman, M Duarte, B Stefanowski, D Jones


A Comparison of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) Floor Panels using Finite Element Analysis and Experimental Fire Testing
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40955
Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is a relatively new timber product and has gained popularity in North America and Europe as a construction material. As a sustainable engineered timber product, CLT offers many advantages over solid wood, concrete, or steel construction. However, the use of timber in medium to high rise buildings is often avoided mainly due to its combustible nature. In this paper, a n...
M Yasir, A Macilwraith, K Ruane


Glued laminated poles - Progress report after 43 years of testing
2023 - IRG/WP 23-20692
In 1979, a number of glued laminated poles treated with CCA and creosote were placed in a greenhouse in Uppsala, in the Simlångsdalen test field in south-western Sweden and in a power lane in Vuollerim in northern Sweden, in order to study their resistance against biological degradation. The test poles were treated in a two-step process. All laminations of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) were first...
J Jermer, M Westin, N Terziev


Optimisation of accelerated weathering procedure as an alternative to natural weathering
2023 - IRG/WP 23-20693
Comprehensive tests need to be performed to obtain the most accurate data possible on the durability of wood. The most reliable performance tests are field tests. However, since this is very time-consuming, we frequently rely on laboratory tests. To increase the reliability of the laboratory tests, samples are preconditioned with natural or artificially accelerated weathering methods that simulate...
E Keržič, M Humar, V Vek


Field durability testing of wood above ground - Part 1: 15 years’ experience with the Bundle method
2023 - IRG/WP 23-20695
A ‘jack of all trades’ method for above-ground wood durability testing has been sought for decades, but until now no method has found its way into standardization. The method of choice shall be applicable for untreated and treated wood – ideally also for wood composites. It shall be reproducible, objective, fast, easy, and inexpensive. Finally, it shall provide high predictive power. This s...
C Brischke, G Alfredsen, L Emmerich, M Humar, L Meyer-Veltrup


Field durability testing of wood above ground - Part 2: The full guideline of the Bundle method
2023 - IRG/WP 23-20696
To determine the biological durability of wood above ground, numerous approaches for test methods have been pursued and tried out in the field in the past. So far, no method has managed to find its way into a European standard. During the last 15 years, experience with the Bundle method has been gained. As described in Part 1 of this paper, the method is recommended as a suitable tool for determin...
C Brischke, G Alfredsen, L Emmerich, M Humar, L Meyer-Veltrup


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


Challenges in managing very long-term field tests
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30779
Field testing of wood preservatives has been on-going in Petawawa, Ontario, Canada since at least 1937. Many of the treated roundwood posts from these early experiments are still in test, and include preservatives still used today, including creosote, copper naphthenate, pentachlorophenol and CCA. Performance data from selected experiments more than 50 years old are reported and we discuss some of...
R Stirling, D Wong


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