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Effect of barriers on moisture content of treated and non-treated utility poles
2007 - IRG/WP 07-40369
The potential for non-biocidal barriers to slow moisture sorption was investigated using butt treated western redcedar poles immersed in either water or moist soil over a 2 year period. Moisture sorption was initially slowed by the barriers, but openings at the bottoms of the barriers eventually allowed moisture to migrate upward. Moisture levels in wrapped poles eventually reached those found in...
C S Love, J J Morrell


Field Liners as physical barriers to prevent wooden utility pole decay in soil: An accelerated field simulation trial
2008 - IRG/WP 08-20384
Field Liners (FL’s), plastic sleeves used to protect in-ground wooden poles from fungal and termite damage, have been tested before as physical barriers to prevent contact between soil and wood and to retain wood preservative treatment. These earlier studies concentrated mostly on creosote preserved poles and early generation FL’s which were cumbersome in their application. The newer generatio...
A R Howgrave-Graham, L J Cookson, T Hale


Cantilever bending test of furfurylated poles
2008 - IRG/WP 08-40424
Ten, 8 m long poles of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) were treated with furfuryl alcohol to a WPG of approximately 40 %. A bending test was performed according to the principles in the draft European standard for wooden poles, prEN 14229 - Structural timber - Wood Poles for overhead lines. The bending strength and stiffness (MOE) for the poles tested were compared to an earlier study by the Swedish Wood Preservation Committee. In the latter study untreated, CCA-treated, ammoniacal Cu-PCP treated and creosoted poles were tested in bending. These types of poles were considered not to differ in strength and stiffness. The results of the furfurylated poles fit well with the results from the previous study. The bending strength and MOE values obtained are compared to the upper and lower 95-percentile values of the results from the previous study and all poles treated with furfuryl alcohol fit within this interval.Thus, this study indicates that a treatment with furfuryl alcohol does not result in a decrease of strength or stiffness. Further testing with a larger population of poles is necessary in order to get a statistically reliable result. In addition to further demonstration of the durability, the treatment process must be optimised to ensure full sapwood penetration and measures have to be taken to avoid the serious cracking observed in this trial before furfurylation can be considered for treatment of Pinus sylvestris poles.
R Ziethén, J Jermer, A Clang


Estudio comparativo entre postes de Eucalyptus saligna Smith, Pinus caribaea Morelet (pino macho) y Hormigón
2008 - IRG/WP 08-40436
As consequence of the Energy Revolution and the amplification of the communication networks, Cuba carries out significant expenditures of foreign currencies in the import of public service posts. It is presented in this work a synthesis of the current problem in Cuba of the public service posts (PSP), since as answer to the stocks of improvement of the national Electric System, the demand of this ...
C Sosa Suárez, I D Velázquez Viera, K Manzanares Ayala


Laboratory and field evaluation of Laminated Strand Lumber treated with Borogard® ZB against termites
2009 - IRG/WP 09-30498
A laboratory bioassay and subsequent field trial was undertaken to determine the termiticidal effectiveness of a Laminated Strand Lumber (LSL) composite when treated with Borogard® ZB. The bioassay and field trial were conducted against two of Australia’s most economically important species of termite, Mastotermes darwiniensis and Coptotermes acinaciformis. Against both species of termite, LSL ...
D K Scown and J W Creffield


Assessment of antagonism between lignicolous microorganisms: Research on possible use to preserve wood poles
2010 - IRG/WP 10-10718
Biological environments contain a certain number of microbial populations which, within a given ecological niche, display various relations ranging from symbiosis to parasitism. Researchers have been interested in these types of relations for around fifty years, especially in one very particular type of relationship: the antagonism exerted between individuals of the same microbial population. Toda...
J-F Labrecque, A Zaremski, L Gastonguay, Y Prin


Natural Durability of Fence Poles from Fourteen Semi-Arid Land Species after Six-Month Exposition
2010 - IRG/WP 10-10724
A sample of thirty fence poles from each of fourteen tree native species from Northeast Mexico were tested in ground contact in a wood-cemetery area located in Linares, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. The samples were submitted to six treatments (control, debarked, chemical treated, used cooking oil, thermal and creosote) and randomly distributed in five blocks. The effectiveness of using a bark gauge tool â€...
A Carrillo, F Garza, V Bustamante, S Sandoval, H Villalón


Influence addition of boron compounds to adhesives on the bonding quality and fungicidal properties of glued wood
2010 - IRG/WP 10-40497
Wood is one of the most important construction materials. However, users of wood face two issues: limited dimensions and insufficient durability. These issues have been overcome with the development of bonding and wood preservation. The preservation of glued wood is elucidated in this paper. Through the addition of boric acid to adhesives, we tried to improve the fungicidal properties of glued woo...
M Humar, B Lesar, A Ugovsek, M Kariz, P Kralj, M Å ernek


Metal Migration from Douglas-fir Poles Treated with Ammoniacal Copper Zinc Arsenate According to Best Management Practices
2010 - IRG/WP 10-50272
The potential for migration of metal components from ammoniacal copper zinc arsenate treated (ACZA) poles was examined using pole sections treated using Best Management Practices. Copper and zinc levels were highest in runoff collected following the first rainfall events, then declined. Copper and zinc levels in runoff averaged 20 ppm and 5 pm respectively. The metal levels were then used to pr...
J J Morrell, C S Love, C Freitag


Termite Resistance of Different Wood Panels Treated with Bifex® under Laboratory and Field Trials
2011 - IRG/WP 11-10745
The effects of Biflex® on termite resistance of laminated chip Board, MDF (Medium Density Fiber), Ply Wood and Veen Board at 50 ppm were evaluated. Laboratory and field trials resistance tests showed that all woods treated with Biflex were resistant to termites as compared to untreated ones. It was concluded that as chemical loadings increased, termite mortalities increased, and at the same time...
F Manzoor, S A Malik, B M Ahmed Shiday, A Liaquat, N Naz


Investigating extraction of bifenthrin from composite wood products
2011 - IRG/WP 11-20467
Bifenthrin is added to resin prior to lay-up of plywood and laminated veneer lumber to provide termite protection. Analysis of this chemical in resins can be challenging. The potential for using ground wood in place of sawn material to recover bifenthrin was investigated using laminated veneer lumber composed of Douglas-fir veneers analyzed by three laboratories. Although the results differed amo...
J J Morrell, L Bell, J Norton, C Shaw


Novel Approaches to the Development and Testing of Anti After-glow Additives for CCA-based Treatments of Poles
2011 - IRG/WP 11-30561
In this paper, a field fire stake testing screen method is described. This method uses stake samples from matched wood sources allowing replicates from different boards to be included. The method is easy to control and can provide quick comparative fire resistance test results. The parameters measured from the tests are percentage weight loss, minimum residual circumference and residual thicknes...
L Jin, P Walcheski, A Preston


Biological and mechanical performances of particleboard panels made from maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) and glued with cornstarch-mimosa tannin-urea formaldehyde adhesive
2011 - IRG/WP 11-40542
The objective of this work was to demonstrate the utility of cornstarch-mimosa tannin-based resins designed for application as an adhesive in the particleboard production. Bond qualities of cornstarch-mimosa tannin- urea formaldehyde (UF) (10:4:86, weight ratios) resins and commercial UF resin were assessed by using an automatic bonding evaluation system, prior to production of particleboard panel...
A Moubarik, F Charrier, A Pizzi, A Allal, B Charrier


Performance superiority of CCA-C treated wooden jetty poles and piles used for 30 years in Bangladesh against marine borers
2012 - IRG/WP 12-30582
Observational study along with previous investigation and records revealed that chromated copper arsenate type C (CCA-C) impregnated southern pine poles and piles of jetty constructed in most vulnerable brackish water in Bangladesh are stable and resistant to attack of all types of marine borers after 30 years of use. It is evident from the service records of other construction materials that CCA-...
A K Lahiry


Analyses of premature failure of utility poles
2012 - IRG/WP 12-40584
In this study a total number of 18 utility poles of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) impregnated with a copper-chromium containing preservative were investigated. They were part of different lower voltage transmission lines in the western part of Germany and failed before predicted minimum service life. All poles in this study were less than 15 years in use. The type of decay and fungi were evaluated...
S Bollmus, N Rangno, H Militz, A Gellerich


Copper naphthenate treatment for wood pols - a review and update
2012 - IRG/WP 12-30600
This paper reviews copper naphthenate (CuNap) and its utility as a treatment for wooden utility poles. One of the principal reasons that CuNap has gained market acceptance, in addition to its efficacy against decay fungi and wood-destroying insects, is its low mammalian toxicity. CuNap is a well-proven non-restricted use preservative, used extensively and specified for environmental reasons by ut...
J A Brient, M H Freeman


Effect of preservative treatment on mechanical performance of round and square poles made of small diameter Scots pine
2012 - IRG/WP 12-40612
A growing proportion of harvested Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) timber originates from the first or second commercial thinning stands. There is a need to find economically viable and high quality wood products that can be manufactured from this raw material. Small log volume means not only demands of increased efficiency for material handling in logistics and manufacturing processes, but also c...
V Möttönen, R Stöd, K Heikkilä, H Heräjärvi


An assessment of soft rot in preservative-treated poles in two test sites and two network areas in New South Wales
2013 - IRG/WP 13-10801
This document presents an extended summary of recent investigations into soft rot attack of preservative treated power poles from the re-inspection of samples selected from two field sites and two in-service trials located in New South Wales, Australia. The in-ground sapwood of selected poles was assessed by probing and, after core sampling, by microscopy to determine the severity and extent of s...
W D Gardner, M A Powell, C Kirton


CT scanning of decay in creosoted poles for overhead lines
2013 - IRG/WP 13-30634
Creosote-treated poles have been examined by means of CT scanning in order to investigate the nature of soft spots that have been found more frequently during the last five years in Sweden. CT scanning provides a very good picture of the interior of the poles and decay can easily be detected. It was concluded that the soft spots in most cases were caused by decay which in turn had to do with extre...
C-J Johansson, A Clang, I Johansson, G Berggren


Conclusions and Summary Report on an Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Utility Poles
2013 - IRG/WP 13-50299
The Treated Wood Council has completed a quantitative evaluation of the environmental impacts associated with the national production, use, and disposition of pentachlorophenol-treated wood, concrete, galvanized steel, and fiber-reinforced composite utility poles using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies and following ISO 14044 standards. The results for treated wood poles are significant. ...
AquAeTer, Inc.


An Overview of Western Red Cedar as a Wood Pole Species
2014 - IRG/WP 14-10815
This paper reviews the characteristics of western red cedar, with particular emphasis on its use in utility poles. Western red cedar naturally grows primarily in British Columbia, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho and Montana. Compared to other commercial softwoods it has low density, increased corrosivity, weaker mechanical properties, high dimensional stability, and high natural dura...
M H Freeman, R Stirling


Incidence of soft rot attack on preservative treated Douglas-fir poles: a preliminary survey
2014 - IRG/WP 14-10818
Occurrence of soft rot decay in Douglas-fir poles treated with ammoniacal copper zinc arsenate (ACZA) or pentachlorophenol in oil was studied. Soft rot was less prevalent in poles treated with penta, but some soft rot was found in approximately 20 % of poles examined. Soft rot was more common in poles treated with ACZA, and, when present, was found in almost 20% of the cells examined. The potenti...
P Torres Andrade, J J Morrell


CreoSub – New protection technology to substitute creosote in railway sleepers, timber bridges, and utility poles
2014 - IRG/WP 14-30644
Creosote oil is one of the oldest industrially used wood preservatives. Due to its toxic profile, the European Commission has restricted the use of creosote specific applications, but it is highly controversial within the European Commission. Its approval for use after 2018 is very questionable and may depend on derived research results until then, i.e., the viability of alternatives developed to ...
U Hundhausen, K-C Mahnert, A Gellerich, H Militz


Potential for migration of boron from fused boron rods used as internal remedial treatments of utility poles
2014 - IRG/WP 14-50301
The distribution of boron in Douglas-fir utility poles and in the surrounding soil was assessed over a 54 month period following application of fused boron rods. Boron levels in the wood never reached the levels that might be predicted if diffusion were to produce a uniform chemical distribution, nor did levels in the soil suggest that boron was becoming more concentrated. The results suggest th...
M Konkler, C Freitag, C S Love, J J Morrell, J Renfroe


Migration of copper from copper naphthenate treated Douglas-fir poles during storage
2014 - IRG/WP 14-50302
Preservative migration from treated wood products has raised concerns among regulators, especially when the biocides move into surface waters. In most cases, chemical levels are well below the acceptable minimum level, but can become a concern if large quantities of treated wood are stored in one location. One such case would be a location where utility poles are stored for use in emergency repai...
C S Love, C M Freitag, J J Morrell


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