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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


The influence of climate changes on Central European forests with an emphasis on Slovenia
2022 - IRG/WP 22-50368
When forests are managed sustainably, they play an essential role in protecting climate and biodiversity. They protect soils and water resources, provide livelihoods, and contribute to the well-being of rural and urban communities. European forests are multifunctional and provide a range of ecosystem services. These include the production of renewable materials that can replace materials with a la...
J Gričar, L Krajnc, M Westergren, S Rus, H Kraigher


Sustainable wood products development in a bio-refinery perspective: case studies in French Guiana
2022 - IRG/WP 22-50370
French Guiana, by its belonging to the Amazon region and the Guiana shield, has very specific environmental and social characteristics in the French regional ensemble. In this context, it is thus necessary to find how to reconcile the economic development of the territory, the conservation of biodiversity and the recognition of local knowledge and practices. Bringing together multidisciplinary ski...
E Houël, N Amusant, J Passelande, J Bossu, R Lehnebach, E Wozniak


Make do and mend: Re-using timber in Smithfield Market
2022 - IRG/WP 22-50371
Historic buildings are part of our built environment. They are a record of how construction and use of materials have evolved and provide excellent opportunities for regeneration of urban areas. Moreover, re-using these buildings and as much of the material within, contributes to the Green Revolution. Currently, there is tremendous growth in green construction and as Bob Dylan once said, “the t...
J R Williams


A novel method for assessing radial variation in termite resistance of timber
2023 - IRG/WP 23-11005
Australia has many timbers whose heartwood is highly resistant to fungal and termite attack; however, changing public policies have resulted in restricted access to many native forests where these species are found. Plantations of these same species are expected to replace these resources, but there are questions concerning whether timber from these trees will have the same resistance as the nati...
S Kleinschmidt, R McGavin


They might be boring: pests of timber-in-service deserve more attention
2023 - IRG/WP 23-11007
Insects affecting timber-in-service, particularly bostrichid borers and termites, are among the most frequently intercepted organisms at international and national borders, associated with wood packaging, wooden furniture and artefacts, and timber and timber products. There are more than 25 non-native insect species in the Bostrichidae, Ptinidae, Cerambycidae and Kalotermitidae, and at least 12 no...
H F Nahrung, F Tovar, A Carnegie


Durability of fast- and slow-grown Douglas fir in above ground exposures in Australia
2023 - IRG/WP 23-11009
Natural durability is a key property for untreated timber used outdoors and exposed to the weather. The natural durability of fast- and slow-grown Douglas fir heartwood was compared in an above-ground L-joint field test near Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The L-joint test provides conditions that are favourable to decay. Fast-grown (regrowth) Douglas fir had ≤ 10 growth rings per 50 mm, while ...
L P Francis


Effect of Moisture Cycles and Timber Treatment on the Performance of Screwed Connections
2023 - IRG/WP 23-20694
The impact of moisture in timber structures is associated with the deterioration of timber, and loss of mechanical performance. Methods have been developed to treat timber using chemicals to inhibit deterioration, however, water intrusion has much more immediate effects on the mechanical properties of timber associated with swelling and shrinkage of the wood. The effects of moisture on the mechani...
L Yermán, M Xiao, Z Yan, L-M Ottenhaus


Reuse of discarded wood and alternative wood species to replace spruce in the development of wooden windows for complete disassembly – REWINNUSE
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30785
The REWINNUSE project focuses on the reuse of discarded wood and alternative wood species and on the development of wooden windows that can be easily disassembled into their basic components. In cooperation with the project partners (M Sora, the University of Ljubljana Biotechnical Faculty (BF), the Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy - NIBIO and the Slovenian Forestry Institute (GIS)), the project ...
B Lesar, M Humar, J Levanič, A Treu, A Ugovšek, L Kramarič, B Štrakel, L Križnar, B Šubic, J Gričar


Identifying compatible waterborne timber preservatives and fire retardants for use in a VPI system: a practical approach
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30796
To enhance the use and suitability of timber in all applications in both exterior and interior settings, timber typically needs to be treated with a preservative and/or a fire retardant chemical. Combining fire retardants with preservatives into a single treatment process has been a long-term aim of researchers in the timber preservative industry because of the significant logistic and economic ad...
R Robinson, S Meldrum


Outdoor performance of Tanalith® K treated timber: Dimensional stability and corrosivity towards metal fasteners
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30798
This study was carried out to investigate dimensional stability and corrosivity towards metal fasteners in radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) treated with Tanalith® K to Hazard class 4 (H4) retentions in comparison with chromated copper arsenic (CCA) treated timber. For corrosion test, untreated and treated matched specimens were prepared from Australian-grown radiata pine, tested with mild stee...
G Rassam, J Hague, D Humphrey


Through-boring to improve the performance of low durability Eucalyptus species for utility poles: 10-year field test results of pole stubs exposed in Southeast Queensland
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40972
An impending shortage of naturally durable hardwood electricity pole timbers in Australia has encouraged investigation of alternatives containing less durable, untreatable heartwood. Through-boring or drilling holes perpendicular to the long axis before treatment, has been used successfully on refractory softwood poles in North America and might have application in Australia. The use of through-bo...
J Norton, L P Francis, J J Morrell


Multi-scale Experimental Study on Self-sustained Smouldering of CCA-treated Timber Poles
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40988
While it is accepted that appropriate treatment with chromated copper arsenate (CCA) will extend the design life of wood markedly, there are concerns regarding the effect of treatment on fire performance. Smouldering combustion in CCA-treated timber infrastructure can self-sustain, destroying the timber elements, as the chromium and copper present in the CCA can act as catalysts of the smouldering...
W Wu, L Yerman, J J Morrell, F Wiesner


Modification of wood by fast pyrolysis bio-oil – the NewWave project concept for bio-based wood treatment
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40990
The NewWave project aims to contribute to building a circular economy by introducing sustainable raw materials in different manufacturing lines, replacing toxic chemicals and lowering the environmental footprint of the products. The raw materials are obtained from the thermochemical fractionation of biomass. This process converts biomass residues by fast pyrolysis into Fast Pyrolysis Bio-Oil (FPBO...
A Sandak, J Sandak, F Poohphajai, R Herrera Diaz, A Gubenšek, K Butina Ogorelec, L Kiezebrink, K J Swager, H Heeres, B van de Beld


Evaluation of the effectiveness of soaking of high-temperature plywood in low-temperature oil-based wood
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40991
We conducted a preliminary investigation to determine if soaking high-temperature plywood in a low-temperature preservative solution could achieve deeper penetration of the preservative, even in plywood made with refractory wood species such as Japanese larch. Specimens cut from commercial plywood (Japanese larch) were stored at various temperatures before being soaked in the preservative solution...
T Miyauchi, S Isaji, H Shibui, N Furuta, J Miyazaki, H Matusnaga


Towards a microactuator-sensing network for the structural health monitoring of wood
2023 - IRG/WP 23-50380
Timber structures decay over time with degradation in their structural integrity. Changing environmental conditions, varying loads, exposure to moisture or insect attacks lead to changes in their vibrational response behaviour. Here we present a low-cost device used as a triggered exciter to enable the monitoring of the structural integrity of timber bearers or even power poles in electricity netw...
S Oberst, S Sepehrirahnama, C Nerse, Z Brodzeli, J C S Lai, M Mankowski, T Atkinson, R Arango, G Kirker, T Evans


End-of-life options for engineered wood products / Treated timber in a circular economy
2023 - IRG/WP 23-50383
Australians are excellent consumers of products. These products ultimately end up as waste materials and need to go somewhere. Australia produces around 28 million tons of waste per year with around 50% currently ending up in landfill, including a significant amount of timber, engineered wood products (EWP’s), and preservative treated wood (PTW). Limited landfill capacity, increasing costs, and ...
H Brooke


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


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


Intra-species variability of moisture dynamics in wood
2024 - IRG/WP 24-11040
Moisture dynamics of wood and wood-based materials play a major role in wood durability against different decay organisms. Their impact becomes particularly evident when wood is exposed, but not permanently wet. To date, however, this has only been taken into account indirectly and therefore inadequately when testing the durability of wood. While test methods are available, for example to determin...
C Brischke, H Purps, L Emmerich


Effects of phosphoric acid and diammonium phosphate treatments on the physical and fire-retardant properties of five selected Nigerian wood species
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20713
Wooden products in buildings are major sources of fuel for fire outbreaks. Effects of phosphoric acid and diammonium phosphate treatments on the physical and fire-retardant properties of wood species commonly used in buildings were evaluated. The timber species utilized in this study were sourced from the sawmill sector located in Akure, Nigeria, encompassing Brachystegia laurentii, Khaya ivorensi...
J Owoyemi, T O Akinwamide, O M Ibrahim, E A Iyiola


Surface treatment of cross-laminated timber to improve water repellency and UV resistance
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20716
Cross-laminated timber (CLT) has emerged as a revolutionary building material, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional construction methods. By layering and bonding multiple layers of wood at right angles, CLT creates a robust and versatile structural element capable of supporting significant loads while promoting eco-friendliness and design flexibility. However, despite its numerous adv...
M Chen, S Uphill, J Hilsenbeck, A Hughes


Studies on the treatability of selected pine species and corresponding efficacies of a new non-biocidal treatment
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20721
Wood decay caused by fungi may reduce the service life of wood in outdoor applications. Since moisture conditions in wood occur as one of the most crucial parameters for fungal decay, chemical modifications, which affect the latter, may increase the resistance of wood against such organisms. Usually, pine sapwood is easier to chemically treat than heartwood, as the former generally shows good perm...
T R da Silva Lins, L Emmerich, H Militz, P H Gonzales de Cademartoni, R J Klizke, M Pereira da Rocha


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


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


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