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Australian timber durability research needs
2023 - IRG/WP 23-50385
Australia was once a world leader in timber durability research, but prolonged disinvestment resulted in a gradual decline in capacity. Forest and Wood Products Australia recognized this problem and supported the development of the Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life to help reverse this decline and begin to educate the next generation of Australian researchers. The Centre is a collabor...
J J Morrell


Assessment of the condition of wooden mill in the area of Kovačevići in Bosnia and Herzegovina
2023 - IRG/WP 23-11030
An excellent example of cultural and technical heritage is almost 100 year old wooden mills near Cazin in Bosnia and Herzegovina. These mills played an important role, especially in times of Bosnian war (1992-95), when this region was cut off from electricity. The laboratory analysis revealed that the respective mill was made of chestnut (Castanea sativa) and oak (Quercus sp.) wood. The sufficient...
B Lesar, R Hasanagic, M Humar


Characterisation of fungal decay in cable car trestles in Svalbard
2023 - IRG/WP 23-11031
The Arctic will be strongly affected by climate change. In Svalbard the coal mining industry were established in the early 20th century. All man-made structures and sites dating before 1946 in Svalbard are protected by law and considered as cultural heritage. This included the massive cable car trestles that are constructed from untreated Norway spruce and mounted directly into the soil. We hereby...
G Alfredsen, L Ross, M Altgen, I A Yakovlev, A-C Flyen, M S Austigard, J Mattsson, N B Pedersen


Cellulose nanomaterials in growth media for wood decay fungi
2024 - IRG/WP 24-11035
Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) were investigated as a partial substitution for agar in growth media for wood decay fungi. Radial growth measurements of eight basidiomycete fungi were taken on solid growth media with and without CNFs. Additionally, fungal strain virulence was evaluated using the European CSN Standard EN 113-2 wood decay durability test. The inclusion of CNFs did not significantly aff...
K M Ohno, R A Arango, R Sabo, C M Clemons, G T Kirker, A B Bishell


Cellulose nanomaterials in growth media for wood decay fungi
2024 - IRG/WP 24-11035
Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) were investigated as a partial substitution for agar in growth media for wood decay fungi. Radial growth measurements of eight basidiomycete fungi were taken on solid growth media with and without CNFs. Additionally, fungal strain virulence was evaluated using the European CSN Standard EN 113-2 wood decay durability test. The inclusion of CNFs did not significantly aff...
K M Ohno, R A Arango, R Sabo, C M Clemons, G T Kirker, A B Bishell


Unlocking the potential of paulownia in Malaysia: Durability assessment to mold
2024 - IRG/WP 24-11043
Paulownia is one of the species included in the plantation program in Malaysia due to its fast growth (three to four years) and excellent properties suitable for wide application including furniture, biofuel, musical instruments, and decoration. However, data on its durability to biodegradation is scarce, especially for tropical usage. In this study, a paulownia clone known as Revotropix Paulownia...
S Lipeh, T Khadiran, N A Siam, R Jalil, N F N M Isa


Investigating moisture dynamics and fungal decay risk: integrating X-ray CT visualization and simulation benchmarks through a Fungal Control Unit
2024 - IRG/WP 24-11045
Wood is susceptible to fungal attack and over time the structural integrity can be compromised. This risk is of course strongly related to moisture dynamics, as moisture is needed for fungal growth. While existing methodologies, such as lab and field tests, provide valuable insights into wood decay, they often fall short in replicating real-life conditions, particularly within the intricacies of t...
J Van den Bulcke, J Van Acker, M Delbeke, A Blommaert, N Van Den Bossche, M Steeman, L De Ligne


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


Enhancing UV resistance and decay resistance of wood by nanoparticle dispersed linseed oil nanoemulsion
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20706
Enhancing increasing demand for eco-friendly and cost-effective wood coatings and preservatives has led to the development of water-borne formulations and use of non-toxic and natural materials such as vegetable oils and waxes. The aim of this study was to improve the UV resistance and decay resistance of wood by nanomaterial dispersed linseed oil emulsions. Highly stable nanoemulsions of linseed ...
R Bansal, R Kumar, K K Pandey


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


The potential of Wacapou (Vouacapoua americana) extracts to develop new biobased protective solutions for white woods
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20724
The valorisation of Amazonian wood residues into active chemical compounds could be an eco-friendly, cost effective and valuable way to develop wood preservatives formulations in order to enhance the decay and termite resistances of low durable wood species, by impregnation processes. Wacapou (Vouacapoua spp., Fabaceae) is a well-known Guianese wood species for its use in local wood construction ...
E Kieny, K Candelier, L Milhe, Y Estevez, C Sophie, R Lehnebach, J Damay, D Florez, E Hoël, M-F Thevenon, J Bossu


Elevated pressure hybrid wood modification: Synergistic effects on durability performance
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20725
The combination of different wood modification technologies to obtain improved performance is increasingly receiving attention in research. In this study, Scots Pine was impregnated with furfuryl alcohol (FFA) in pure aqueous 20, 40 and 60% solution strength without adding any catalyst. In a second step, the FFA was polymerized while simultaneously performing thermal modification in a closed syste...
P Klaas, D Jones


Preservative properties of boron-treated paulownia wood
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20729
This research was performed to investigate the preservative retention properties of paulownia wood treated using boric acid/borax at mass ratio of 1:1.8. Different portion of paulownia wood (top, middle, bottom) were used as a sample throughout of this study. In the treatment process, the paulownia wood was dipped in the 1% boric acid/borax solution for 1, 24, 72, 120 and 240 hours to achieve requ...
T Khadiran, M A M Abdullah, S Lipeh


Properties of thermal modified wood of Pinus pinaster, Pinus radiata and Pinus sylvestris from Galicia, Spain
2024 - IRG/WP 24-30800
This paper provides the results of a research about the properties of thermal modified wood of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.), radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) from Galicia, Spain, thermal treated in the industrial vacuum-heat autoclave plant of FINSA group in Galicia, Spain. These three pine wood species are used in different solid products but due the...
D Lorenzo, J Benito, J Arancon, J Crespo


Physical, durability and chemical characterization of Gmelina arborea (Roxb.) wood treated with lactic acid
2024 - IRG/WP 24-30803
The increase in demand for durable wood has drawn attention to the use of fast-grown plantation species across the globe. Chemical modification was used to treat Gmelina arborea wood with lactic acid for property enhancement. The treated samples were obtained from two different ages of 15 and 10 years and sawn into (20 x 20 x 60) mm and (20 x 20 x 20) mm for physical, durability and chemical chara...
T O Akinwamide, J M Owoyemib, E A Iyiolac


Preliminary investigation of the durability and performance of 1,3-dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethylene urea (DMDHEU) treated aspen strandboard
2024 - IRG/WP 24-30804
Wood modification technologies are growing in popularity because of their potential to improve wood properties by permanent covalent chemical modifications rather than chemical impregnation. These features can be utilized in wood composites to help improve dimensional stability and composite resistance to fungal decay. In this study, 1,3-dimethylol-4,5-dihydroxyethylene urea (DMDHEU) was used to m...
S Johnson, F Kamke, G Presley


Citric acid and sorbitol treatment: A comparative study of Canadian and Norwegian species
2024 - IRG/WP 24-30806
Dimensional instability can reduce the competitiveness of wood in exterior applications such as cladding and decking. The objective of this work was to evaluate the dimensional stability of permeable and refractory softwoods from Europe and North America modified via a sorbitol and citric acid treatment. White spruce and Norwegian spruce, refractory species, and jack pine and Scots pine, relativel...
D Schorr, Erik Larnøy, R Stirling, G Boivin


Durability of acetylated beech (Fagus sylvativa L.) laminated veneer lumber (LVL)
2024 - IRG/WP 24-30807
Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) is one of the most abundant hardwood species in Germany and other European countries. It has been demonstrated as suitable raw material for structural products, like laminated veneer lumber (LVL). However, the use of these products is typically restricted to interior applications due to its high susceptibility to weathering and biological attack. Therefore, acetylation w...
M Slabohm, H Militz


Bio-durability and weathering performances of cardanol-treated wood
2024 - IRG/WP 24-30809
Cardanol is an excellent insecticide, fungicide, and termiticide derived from thermally treated cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL) and has been extensively explored in the chemical industry and for medicinal uses. However, its potential for wood protection remains unexplored. This study aims to understand the bio-durability and weathering properties of cardanol-treated wood. The southern pine and yello...
L Liang, McDonald, A G, L Cai


International joint field trial on the moisture performance of wood – Set up and first results
2024 - IRG/WP 24-40996
Wood durability to decay stems from its inherent resistance to fungi resistance to fungi. In this regard, wood's ability to withstand moisture uptake plays an important role as the lower threshold for wood decay is a moisture content of 25%. However, the aspect of moisture resistance is not yet sufficiently emphasized as a durability factor, both in the assessment of durability as a material prope...
C Brischke, et al. (33 co-authors)


How personality traits influence the perception of fungal decay in a wooden cladding – A survey in three Modelling wood moisture content in outdoor conditions from measured data
2024 - IRG/WP 24-41002
This study examined perceptions of fungal decay damage on wooden cladding across Norway, Sweden, and Germany. The majority of respondents across all countries did not find the fungal decay damage in question acceptable, with the least acceptance in Norway. This could be due to Norway having the highest frequency of wooden residential buildings and the most experience with maintaining wooden claddi...
G W Gustavsen, G Alfredsen, P B van Niekerk, J Niklewski, C Brischke


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


Modelling wood moisture content in outdoor conditions from measured data
2024 - IRG/WP 24-41005
Sustainable use of wood requires an understanding of expected service life, particularly when the material is exposed to outdoor conditions and, thus, fungal decay. Since moisture is the primary vector for fungal decay, accurate moisture prediction is a key component in service life assessment. For this purpose, the present study leverages existing measured data for linear regression of in-field m...
J Niklewski, P B van Niekerk, L Meyer-Veltrup, J Sandak, C Brischke


Service life of poplar, a low durability hardwood
2024 - IRG/WP 24-41007
Hybrid poplar is the most common plantation hardwood of the temperate climate zone and is complementary to natural stands of aspen with mainly plantations in Europe and China. Poplar wood has been considered as a valid alternative for many of the construction applications of softwoods especially when considering engineered wood products. The natural durability of hybrid poplar is low and for a ra...
J Van Acker, X Jiang, L De Ligne, J van den Bulcke


Changes in decay risk of wood in ground contact over Europe, from analysis of historic climate conditions
2024 - IRG/WP 24-41008
Changing climate conditions will affect global temperature and precipitation patterns, shifting some geographical areas into states that are more suitable for fungal wood decay. Climate normals, which are taken over a 30-year period, capture vast spatial and temporal variations in these conditions and comparing these can show changes over time. Importantly, being able to identify locations that ha...
P B van Niekerk, B N Marais, G Alfredsen, C Brischke


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