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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


Changes of fungicidal, mechanical and sorption properties of wood during above ground outdoor exposure
2013 - IRG/WP 13-20513
The aim of this preliminary study was to investigate differences in mechanical, fungicidal, and sorption properties of four different wood species (sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa), common beach (Fagus sylvatica), Norway spruce (Picea abies), and copper-ethanolamine (CuE) impregnated Norway spruce (Picea abies)) that were exposed in the 3rd use class (CEN, 1992) for periods between 4 and 30 months...
N Thaler, M Humar


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


Cell wall properties of softwood deteriorated by fungi: combined chemical analyses, FT-IR spectroscopy, nanoindentation and micromechanical modelling
2013 - IRG/WP 13-20527
Mechanical properties of wood are determined by its inherent hierarchical microstructure, starting at the nanometer scale, where the elementary components cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin build up the wood cell wall material. Fungi cause degradation and decomposition of these components and, thus, alter the mechanical properties of wood. The aim of this study is to gain new insight into these...
L Wagner, T K Bader, K de Borst, T Ters, K Fackler


Development of a rapid method to assess the rate of fungal colonization of wood
2013 - IRG/WP 13-20531
Testing of wood durability is today done mainly with accelerated exposure tests under rather realistic conditions (in ground, outdoors with moisture traps etc). Although such tests are accelerated with respect to the conditions that outdoor exposed wood structures are exposed to, they tend to take rather long time. The present paper presents the development of a rapid method intended to assess at ...
L Wadsö


Fungal laccases as a tool for wood functionalization
2013 - IRG/WP 13-20533
Wood degrading fungi are the most important production organisms for laccase, a promising oxidative biocatalyst with numerous biotechnological applications in the forest products industry. Laccases are multi-copper containing oxidases (EC 1.10.3.2), which catalyse mono-electronic oxidation of phenols, polyphenols and anilines at the expense of molecular oxygen. Interest in these essentially ‘eco...
M Schubert


Application of a model for the prediction of fungal degradation of thermally modified beech timber by Trametes versicolor
2013 - IRG/WP 13-40622
Colour measurement technology is found to be feasible for characterization of the property changes of thermally modified timber (TMT). In opposite to time-consuming and expensive laboratory tests a non-destructive test represents an improvement for the manufacturer of TMT. Therefore the aim of this study was to develop a method which allows sorting the different treatment intensities after the man...
Clauder, L., Richter S., Unger, W., Pfriem, A


Influence of Heat Treatment Medium on Fungal Resistance of Beech Wood
2013 - IRG/WP 13-40643
Hydrothermal treatment of beech wood (Fagus orientalis) performed in acidic, neutral and alkaline buffered mediums in 160 and 180°C. White rot fungi (Coriolus versicolor) and brown rot fungi (Coniophora puteana) were used to determine the influence of heat treatment mediums on the behaviour of fungal resistance. White rot of wood digest lignin rather than cellulose; while brown rot digests the ce...
A Talaei, A Karimi, M-F Thévenon


Moisture and Fungal Durability of Wood-Plastic Composites Made With Chemically Modified and Treated Wood Flour
2013 - IRG/WP 13-40648
Evaluating the fungal durability of wood-plastic composites (WPCs) is complicated by the influence of slow moisture sorption. Recently, the American Wood Protection Association (AWPA) Standard Method E10, Testing Wood Preservatives by Laboratory Soil-Block Cultures, was modified to incorporate not only solid wood, but also wood-based composites and WPCs. To simulate long term WPC performance, cond...
B K Segerholm, R E Ibach


Using hyperspectral imaging to detect and quantify mould and blue stain on coated and uncoated wood
2014 - IRG/WP 14-10822
Hyperspectral imaging has been applied on the surface of samples of coated and uncoated Norway spruce (Picea abies) as a new technique to detect and quantify growth of mould and blue stain fungi. Principal Component Analysis of the hyperspectral images resulted in a clear visualization of the fungi and the amount of mould coverage could be estimated. This indicates that NIR hyperspectral imaging c...
L Ross Gobakken, I Burud, A Flø, K Kvaal, T K Thiis


Communities of mold fungi in moisture damaged building materials
2014 - IRG/WP 14-20542
The critical conditions needed for the development of mould and decay fungi have been modelled for different building materials. However, current knowledge of indoor microbes growing on building materials relies on culture-based methods and more advanced molecular biological techniques should be employed to study the complex microbial communities in building materials. In this paper molecular biol...
E Sohlberg, H Viitanen


Changes in mechanical and chemical properties of wood exposed outdoors
2014 - IRG/WP 14-20550
The aim of this study was to investigate differences in certain mechanical and chemical properties of three different wood species (common beach (Fagus sylvatica), Norway spruce (Picea abies), and copper-ethanolamine (CuE) impregnated Norway spruce (Picea abies)) that were exposed in use class 3 (CEN, 2006) for periods between 4 and 30 months. The results show, that changes in the investigated me...
N Thaler, C Brischke, D Žlindra, V Vek, M Humar


Coconut shell pyrolytic oil as wood protectant against biodeterioration
2014 - IRG/WP 14-30648
Extensive research on various plant and microbial extracts has been conducted as an alternative to using synthetic or inorganic chemicals for wood protection. Development of effective and low environmental impact products and technologies for wood protection is imperative. In the present study, the efficacy of coconut shell pyrolytic oil as a wood protectant is analysed in terms of its antifungal,...
K S Shiny, O K Remadevi


Resistance of fungal derived pigments to ultraviolet light exposure
2014 - IRG/WP 14-30642
The potential for using fungal derived pigments as surface treatments for limiting photodegradation of wood was investigated. Extracts from Chlorociboria aeruginosa and Scytalidium cuboideum were compared with a traditional aniline dye and chromic acid treatment. Hybrid poplar sapwood samples treated with these solutions were exposed to 86.4 kj/m2 of UV radiation and assessed for lignin degradatio...
H G Beck, S Freitas, G Weber, S C Robinson, J J Morrell


Reducing Extractives Stain in Western Red Cedar Sidewall Shingles
2014 - IRG/WP 14-30654
One of the aesthetic challenges that western red cedar shingles face is extractives redistribution stain, particularly in unpainted sidewall applications. Dip and pressure treatments with a mixture of quaternary ammonium compounds and alkyl amine oxides were investigated for their ability to prevent this stain. After nine months of exposure in Vancouver, extractives stain was present on nearly all...
R Stirling


Experiences with an industrial system for controlled thermal wood modification in pressurized unsaturated steam
2014 - IRG/WP 14-40678
Thermal wood modification in pressurized reactors has a long history, but these processes are to date industrially scarcely used, because of the relatively complicated process equipment, compared to the more common high-temperature processes in kilns at atmospheric pressure. However, based on our practical experience with the FirmoLin® process, supported by recent scientific findings, it is foun...
W Willems


The role of hydrophobins in surface growth by the Blue Stain fungi Aureobasidium pullulans
2015 - IRG/WP 15-10837
Hydrophobins are small proteins found exclusively in filamentous fungi. These proteins are able to assemble spontaneously into amphiphilic monolayers at hydrophobic–hydrophilic interfaces. Hydrophobins have a diverse role, e.g. allowing the fungi to break through interfaces during aerial hyphae formation, sporulation, fruit body production and cell penetration. In this ongoing study, we are look...
J Stenbæk, L Riber, J Blæsbjerg Nielsen, C Møller Hansen, B Jensen


Interpretation of moisture monitoring data - Relevance of moisture content thresholds for fungal decay
2015 - IRG/WP 15-10839
It is widely accepted that besides temperature wood moisture content (MC) is the key factor when it comes to durability of wooden structures exposed to weathering. Many approaches to predict the service life of wooden structures have therefore been based on using wood MC as one major input-variable to develop dose-response relationships between material climate and decay response. However, to impr...
L Meyer, C Brischke


The whitening cause of Korean wooden heritage by flame retardant treatment
2015 - IRG/WP 15-20560
Korean wooden heritage used to treat by flame retardants in order to protect fire. There are 2 types flame retardant using for wooden heritage. These flame retardants treatment are basic measure that apply to wooden heritage along with other fire protection. The flame retardants cause white stains by reacting with Korean traditional wood painting (Dancheong) and increase wood humidity. The Korean ...
Jin Qyu Kim, Gyu-Seong Han, Yong Jae Chung, Hwa Soo Lee, Dong Won Son


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


Foundation piles: analysis of beech wood decay in service life conditions
2016 - IRG/WP 16-10858
Wood piles foundation system was largely used over decades. Thus, numerous buildings over the world are based on this constructive system. In the context of reduction of CO2 emissions in the building field of constructions, substitution of concrete by wood as material for foundation piles seems to be a promising alternative. However, fluctuation of the water table level in soil may promote fungal ...
Q Kleindienst, A Besserer, M-L Antoine, C Perrin, J-F Bocquet, L Bléron


Production of reactive oxygen species in the presence of oxidized iron and oxalate under conditions mimicking brown-rot fungal degradation of wood
2016 - IRG/WP 16-10861
The biochemical role of oxalate in the fungal solubilization of iron is well known, but additional information is needed on the role that oxalate plays in the brown-rot decay of lignocellulose. In this study iron sequestration from iron and iron oxide-hydroxides was assessed with regard to the function of a chelator-mediated Fenton (CMF) reaction and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS)...
Yuan Zhu, Liangpeng Zhuang, B Goodell, Jinzhen Cao, J Mahaney


Susceptibility of wood substrates to Aurebasidium pullulans at different temperatures
2016 - IRG/WP 16-10863
There is an increasing awareness of how the aesthetical performance of wood exposed outdoors changes over time and especially in the first few years after installation. Mould and blue stain fungi are biological agents that contribute to the weather grey colour on a wooden façade, and the blue stain fungi Aureobasidium pullulans is commonly identified as colonizer on coated and uncoated wood expos...
L Ross Gobakken, G Alfredsen


Identification of the key factors influencing development of the blue stain fungi
2016 - IRG/WP 16-10872
Service life of wood is more and more frequently affected by aesthetic requirements than functional ones. In order to elucidate various aspects of service life, model house with façade elements made of 22 materials was built on the field test site at Department of Wood Science and Technology in Ljubljana. Colour and fungal disfigurement is among other parameters monitored on this house. In parall...
D Kržišnik, B Lesar, N Thaler, M Humar


Fungal decay of archaeological waterlogged oak timber: role of the mineral content
2016 - IRG/WP 16-10873
In service, wood foundation poles are subjected to water level fluctuation in soil. While wood is saturated by water only bacterial decay occurs. When oxygen content increases and moisture content decreases, severe fungal attack may occur. To evaluate the long term fungal durability of wood foundation pole in the context of service, 300 years waterlogged archaeological wood poles were used. The oa...
A Besserer, M Letellier, E Fredon, Q Kleindienst, M-L Antoine, C Perrin, J Lallemand, C Rose, M-C Trouy


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