Your search resulted in 606 documents. Displaying 25 entries per page.
Investigating wood anatomical factors influencing the treatability of refractory southern pine- an imaging approach
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40975
Southern pine sapwood is non-durable, and preservative treatment is necessary to protect it against biological degradation. According to AS 1604.1 2021, timber products must have their sapwood fully treated with preservatives for various applications and hazard classes. However, there is a growing industry concern over the refractory sections of sapwood, which are untreated pockets of wood that do...
M Shirmohammadi, M R Karbaschi, B Hassan, W Leggate
Failure characteristics of thermally modified poplar wood subjected to mechanical tests
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40983
Poplar (Populus spp.) are among the fastest growing timber species and have been widely planted for use in plywood, composites, pallets, furniture components and paper production. However, the low density of the wood limits many structural applications and the wood has little resistance to biodegradation. Thermal modification represents one approach to improving durability by changing the moistur...
E Bari, M Ghorbanian Far, N Moradi, J J Morrell, G Daniel, B Mohebby, R Hosseinpourpia, M Humar
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
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
Wood above ground project – Results and future plans
2024 - IRG/WP 24-11041
In 2000, the Danish Technological Institute (DTI) initiated an extensive study to investigate the natural durability of wood. The study involved exposing wood in various orientations to assess its performance. A total of 35 wood material types were exposed at DTI test site in Taastrup, Denmark. Moisture content (MC) was measured through weighing for the initial five years, decay was assessed follo...
A W Christof, R Digaitis, P Fynholm, J Stenbaek, N Morsing, B Lindegaard
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
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)
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
Assessment of historical pilings from Lisbon
2024 - IRG/WP 24-41004
The renovation and rebuilding of areas in Lisbon has led to work on buildings constructed in the Pombaline downtown district. These buildings were constructed on wooden pilings, as a means of stabilising unstable soils and transfer the loads from buildings to soils with adequate bearing capacity. These methods also increased the resilience of the reconstruction works to future possible earthquakes...
D Jones, S Duarte, J A J Huber, L Nunes
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
Determining the minimum water vapor permeability of exterior wood coatings by means of hygrothermal and decay models
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20717
The objective of this study was to determine the minimum water vapor permeability of exterior wood coatings for log homes using hygrothermal and decay modeling. The approach is based on a worst-case scenario assumption, namely a moisture trap at a given wood moisture content in a coated wall log. The minimum limit of vapor permeability of the coating system was determined by simulating the time re...
U Hundhausen, S Ullah, D Kraniotis
Fungal degradation of oak timber bridges
2025 - IRG/WP 25-11058
Wood is increasingly recognised as an eco-friendly building material, but its organic nature makes it vulnerable to degradation, especially in outdoor applications exposed to moisture. This study investigates wood-decaying fungi affecting oak timber bridges in Hanover, Germany. The study aimed to identify the fungal species using culture-independent methods and to examine the impact of poorly exec...
L Schrader, J Trautner, C Brischke
DURALARCH – Suitability of selected coloured coniferous heartwoods of different origin for their use in outdoor applications
2025 - IRG/WP 25-11064
For outdoor above-ground applications with high demands on biological durability, there are only a few softwoods available that also have high density and strength characteristics. One of the most important timbers with these material properties is Siberian larch (Larix sibirica, Larix gmelinii), which is available in sufficient quantities due to its large distribution area. Imports of Siberian la...
C Brischke, J Appelt, G Koch, S Majer, M Nopens, R Stirling, D Wong
Multifactorial analysis of the reasons behind wood natural durability
2025 - IRG/WP 25-11065
Physical, chemical and biological properties of several wood species were investigated in order to highlight the main factors involved in wood natural durability and wood characteristic using a principal component analysis. Interaction of wood with water were evaluated using contact angle measurements to determinate wood wettability by water and wood impregnability tests with water allowing to cal...
L-F E Nkogo, M S M Mouendou, S Dumarçay, P E Engonga, F Zannini, E Gelhaye, P Gérardin
Durability and molecular analysis of fungal communities in wood exposed above ground
2025 - IRG/WP 25-11068
The objective of the study was to explore the durability of wood exposed above ground, comprising a wide diversity of wood species and treatments and extensive assessment data on wood durability in ongoing long-term testing. Larch species and Scots pine heartwood, two tropical species ntholo and ncurri and a number of treated wood by copper-based formulations and alternatives (silanes, spiroborate...
N Högberg, D Panov, G Daniel, N Terziev
Functional Analysis of Cellobiose Dehydrogenase from the Saprotrophic Basidiomycete Coprinopsis cinerea
2025 - IRG/WP 25-11076
The plant saprophytic fungi including wood rotting fungi secrete various extracellular hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes to degrade wood cell wall. Among these, cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH) is known as a flavoheme enzyme composed of a flavin domain with FAD and a b-type heme domain. CDH oxidises the reducing end of cellobiose, and transfers electrons to redox partners such as lytic polysaccharide...
Y Sakka, A Hosaka, M Yoshida
Mitigating the risk of decay in CLT buildings affected by trapped construction moisture using a diffusible borate preservative
2025 - IRG/WP 25-20735
Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) is also known as a mass timber construction material. It is fabricated by gluing together multiple layers of timber lamellae with each layer oriented perpendicular to the one below it. This enhances strength, stability and dimensional rigidity. CLT is seen as an excellent ‘low carbon’ alternative to using steel and concrete and is growing in popularity as a sustain...
J R Williams
Transmission poles - Analysis of causes of premature failure in Slovenia
2025 - IRG/WP 25-20745
The study focuses on analysing the causes of the premature collapse of wooden transmission poles in Slovenia, where there have been several cases of rapid fungal decomposition of poles despite the planned lifespan of 30 to 50 years. The poles were made of Scots pine wood and impregnated with a copper-ethanolamine wood preservative. The research aimed to assess the condition of standing poles and e...
M Humar, B Lesar, N Kregar, S Drnovšek
The iTrussT project – Advancements in timber bridge design, preservation, and monitoring
2025 - IRG/WP 25-20751
The Norwegian research project iTrussT (2025–2028) aims to advance timber bridge design and unlock wood’s full potential as a sustainable solution for modern infrastructure. It addresses three critical challenges: First, fatigue testing of glued laminated timber lamellae will provide deeper insights into shear failure mechanisms, supporting the development of safer, more efficient structures a...
K-C Mahnert, U Hundhausen
Durability Analysis of Bio-based Phenol-Formaldehyde Resin-Treated Wood
2025 - IRG/WP 25-20753
The aim of this study is to explore the application of bio-based materials in outdoor construction. Enhancing the durability of wood products effectively extends their carbon storage lifespan, making it essential to investigate their long-term durability. The study used commercial resin (CPF) and laboratory-synthesised petro-based phenolic resin (LPF) as control groups. Japanese cedar specimens we...
T-H Lin, P-Y Kuo
Curing Behaviour of Bio-based Phenol Formaldehyde Resin and the Durability Performance of Treated Wood
2025 - IRG/WP 25-20758
The aim of the study is to investigate the curing behaviours of bio-based PF resins treated Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica). Compared to conventional wood preservatives such as metal-based ACQ, bio-based PF resin was more environmentally-friendly and can store more plant-based carbon inside treated wood. However, all these preservatives have the risk of being leached out. This study conducte...
Y-S Lee, P-Y Kuo
Evaluation of moisture exclusion ability of wood using double-layer outdoor exposure tests
2025 - IRG/WP 25-41021
The material resistance of wood to decay must be due to the combined effects of heartwood extractives and the moisture content state. Evaluating the moisture exclusion ability of wood is important for assessing its durability in outdoor use. We conducted previously double-layer outdoor exposure tests and investigated the relationship between moisture content over time and the progress of decay usi...
T Osawa, R Noda, K Yamamoto
Effect of biodiesel-containing solvents on the performance of Copper Naphthenate and Pentachlorophenol: 118-month assessment and depletion analysis
2025 - IRG/WP 25-41022
Solvent systems are incredibly important in determining the performance of oilborne wood preservative systems and they can cause early failures in commodities treated with an otherwise effective preservative system. It is important to assess new solvent performance with oilborne preservative systems to ensure these systems continue to function with the changes. One solvent/preservative combination...
J Cappellazzi, M J Konkler, J J Morrell, C S Love, G Presley
A multi-dataset validation study of moisture prediction in Norway spruce wood exposed outdoors
2025 - IRG/WP 25-41029
Wood used in outdoor construction undergoes continuous cycles of wetting and drying, resulting in fluctuating moisture contents that directly influence its long-term durability. Excess moisture above a critical threshold leads to deterioration by fungal decay, limiting the service life of the structure. Service life models thus rely on accurate predictive models of moisture behaviour. However, cap...
J Niklewski, C Brischke
Linking treatability with moisture dynamics
2025 - IRG/WP 25-41031
Wood preservation is inherently linked to the ability to penetrate treating liquids. The EN 147374 (2022) standard provides a methodology to assess treatability and allows to identify wood species in relation to treatability classes. Over the past decades, performance of wood species in applications in use class 3 has been linked both to the impact of moisture dynamics and the resistance against f...
J Van Acker, K De Vriendt, M Durimel, L De Ligne, J Van den Bulcke