Your search resulted in 232 documents. Displaying 25 entries per page.
Environmental Fate of Micronized Copper
2015 - IRG/WP 15-50310
The environmental fate of wood preservatives is an important aspect to estimate the health and environmental impact. Although biocides from treated wood may be released into the soil, water or air, the latter pathway is frequently neglected in favour of leaching studies. Nonetheless, wood dust is well known to cause a variety of adverse health effects, in particular diseases to the respiratory tra...
C Civardi, L Schlagenhauf, J Benz, C Hirsch, J Van den Bulcke, M Schubert, J Van Acker, P Wick,
Transfer of microorganisms from wooden crates to foodstuffs: assessment of a transfer threshold
2016 - IRG/WP 16-20574
Wood is commonly used in contact with foodstuffs, for example for packaging fruits or vegetables. Most common species used are beech, pine, spruce and poplar. Wood is often considered as being less safe than plastic because it is less easy to clean whereas several studies have demonstrated that microorganisms cannot survive easily on wood (Milling et al., 2005; Revol-Junelles et al., 2005). Nation...
M Montibus, R Ismail, I Le Bayon, A Jasick, M Gabille, F Aviat, V Michel, M Federighi, M Kutnik
Expert versus multi-sensor evaluation of wood samples after short term weathering
2016 - IRG/WP 16-20587
Understanding the influence of weathering factors and the material degradation mechanisms are fundamental for modelling the weathering process of wood. The goal of this work was to investigate the combined effect of time and exposure on the physical-chemical mechanisms of wood weathering. Four exposure directions (North, South, East and West) were investigated. Experimental tests were performed fo...
A Sandak, J Sandak, I Burud, L Ross Gobakken, M Noël
Assessment of the biological durability of wood treated with organosilicon compounds
2016 - IRG/WP 16-30685
The European wood construction market is in need of environmentally friendly wood-based products whose service life meets the expectations of end users. Non-biocidal silicon-based water repellents, which can be applied to different materials, help minimize their vulnerability/susceptibility to liquid water. Consequently, they have the potential of increasing wood’s resistance against decay fungi...
M Kutnik, M Montibus, S Derocker, S Salivati, J-P Lecomte
Life cycle assessment of creosote treated wood and tall oil treated wood with focus on end-of-life
2016 - IRG/WP 16-50320
The use of creosote for protecting wood products in heavy-duty application outdoors has been common for many years, but stricter regulations have limited creosote’s use. Life cycle assessments (LCA) have shown that in some applications alternatives to creosote treated products do not have less environmental impacts. Searching for alternatives to creosote, tall-oil-based preservatives have been ...
L G F Tellnes, U Hundhausen
Assessment of the quality and lifetime of wooden pile foundations
2017 - IRG/WP 17-10883
The development of wooden pile foundations started centuries ago and enable man to build and live in strategic and fertile areas. Although the building methods, the building materials and the building regulations chanced especially over the last decades, worldwide wooden pile foundations still fulfil their function to support above ground constructions of which many belong to our cultural heritage...
R W W M Klaassen, A Jorissen, H Keijer
Evaluation of surface cracks on wood – physical assessment versus subjective sensation
2017 - IRG/WP 17-20617
In the presented studies from the University of Goettingen (Study I) and the University of Hannover (Study II), the assessment of cracks with different methods and their acceptance in general as well as depending on different target groups are investigated. The aim was to determine which factors are relevant for a crack evaluation and which visual impression of a wooden surface is tolerable for co...
A Gellerich, C Brischke, L Emmerich, L Meyer-Veltrup, P Kaudewitz
Uncertainty in life cycle assessment of preservative treated wood – copper and freshwater ecotoxicity
2017 - IRG/WP 17-50331
Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a method for quantifying the environmental impacts of a product over the life cycle. In the last years, there have been a growing application of LCA in developments of environmental product declaration (EPD), which is utilised by professional procurement of materials for buildings. For legislative issues, LCA have also been used to assess application of creosote to t...
L G F Tellnes
Preliminary Investigation into the Natural Decay Resistance of Nigerian Grown Hevea brasiliensis and Mitragyna ciliata wood to Phanerochaete chrysosporium White-Rot Fungus
2018 - IRG/WP 18-10919
Wood is an important and versatile structural building material that finds applications in numerous uses. However, wood is also a biological material vulnerable to degradation by microbial activities; this is especially true in the tropics. Following the scarcity of highly durable species from our natural forests and the introduction of so many lesser used/durable wood species into the booming tim...
J M Owoyemi, U O Emmanuel
Assessment of the durability of a lesser known species (Borassus aethiopum Mart.) against termite and fungi from different ecozones in Nigeria
2018 - IRG/WP 18-10924
Scarcity of choice timber species in Nigeria necessitates research into alternative species. Efficient utilisation of alternative species such as Borassus aethiopum requires adequate understanding of their wood properties and within tree variations. However, information on potential of B. aethiopum as alternative to choice timber has not been adequately documented especially in the area of durabil...
O O Yekin, A R Ojo
Degradation of Eucalyptus transmission poles varies across regions in Zambia
2018 - IRG/WP 18-30727
Evidence from literature shows that Eucalyptus poles treated with creosote last over 30 years before replacement. However, in Zambia, the life span of such poles has reduced to 5-10 years. The aim of this study was to investigate factors associated with degradation of treated Eucalyptus poles and how these varied across regions in the country. A total of 1200 poles were assessed in three differen...
P Ng’andwe, D Chungu, E Ncube
Long service life or cascading? The environmental impact of maintenance of wood-based materials for building envelope and their recycling options
2018 - IRG/WP 18-50336
A major restraint in choosing bio-based materials (i.e. wood-based) for external use, is the lack of confidence that architects, designers and customers have toward these materials. In particular, the limit state of bio-based materials, which defines the frequency of maintenance operations, might be reached earlier for wood than for other materials (i.e. concrete). On the other hand, resource and ...
M Petrillo, J Sandak, P Grossi, A Kutnar, A
Declaring life cycle inventory of toxicity related emissions in environmental product declarations of preservative treated wood products
2018 - IRG/WP 18-50339
Life cycle assessment (LCA) including impacts on toxicity for preservative treated wood has been shown to have large uncertainties. With the growing demand for verified LCA in environmental product declarations (EPD), the need for reliable data is crucial for realistic assessment of wood products. Uncertainty is caused by several issues such as service life prediction, leaching rates and calculati...
L G F Tellnes, C Askham, P-O Flæte, M Klamer
Using X-ray micro-CT to evaluate density loss in anobiid infested wood
2019 - IRG/WP 19-10956
Considering the relevance of wood borers in construction, the present study had as main objective the evaluation of the impact of anobiid damage on timber elements by establishing an empirical correlation between lost material percentage (LM%, consumed by beetles) and apparent density (original – OTD and residual – RTD). Since the beetles’ attack produces a diffuse damage with a set of tunne...
J L Parracha, M F Pereira, A Maurício, P Faria, L Nunes
Validation by micro-computed tomography of an assessment method to measure the residual strength of anobiids infested timber
2019 - IRG/WP 19-20650
In this article a quantitative correlation study of pine timber structural elements, which have been subject to attack by anobiids, is presented. The main objective of the study was to establish a valid empirical correlation between the lost material percentage (consumed by beetles) and original/residual apparent density. Since the beetles’ attack produces a diffuse damage with a set of tunnels ...
J L Parracha, M F Pereira, A Maurício, P Faria, L Nunes
Visual assessment of longitudinal wheel timbers and assessing the feasibility of extending wheel timber service life in the UK railway network
2019 - IRG/WP 19-20651
Timber has been a versatile building material for centuries and during the start of the Railway Age in the nineteenth century it was in considerable demand for use in the railway network, particularly bridge building. Timber is still in service and widely used throughout the UK railway network. The resilience and favourable strength to weight ratio and its relative ease of fabrication make it an...
J R Williams
Identification of Antifungal Compounds in Konjac Flying Powder and Assessment against Wood Decay Fungi
2019 - IRG/WP 19-30737
The antifungal activity of konjac (Amorphophallus rivieri) flying powder (a by-product produced during mechanical processing of konjac flour) ethanol extract was evaluated against wood decay fungi in culture. Compounds associated with antifungal activity in the extracts were isolated and purified by silica gel column chromatography. The antifungal active fractions were identified by ultra-high-per...
Z Bi, F Yang, Y Lei, J J Morrell, L Yan
Application of diverse hyperspectral imaging systems for evaluation of heritage objects
2020 - IRG/WP 20-10971
Advanced imaging techniques are able to non-invasively characterize, monitor and evaluate the impact of conservation treatments on cultural heritage (CH) objects. In this specific field, hyperspectral imaging (HI) allows non-destructive characterization of materials by identifying and characterizing colouring agents, binders and protective coatings as constituents of an object’s original constru...
J Sandak, A Sandak, L Legan, K Retko, M Kavčič, J Kosel, F Poohphajai, R Herrera Diaz, V Ponnuchamy, N Sajinčič, Č Tavzes, P Ropret
Future development of durability assessment of wood, according to typical usage of preservative-treated wood and naturally durable wood in Japan
2020 - IRG/WP 20-20675
A market of preserved wood products in Japan has two unique histories. First is the market shift to residential ground sills from utility poles and sleepers; the other is the stop of CCA treatment caused by the new effluent standard. In 2018, around 85% of preserved wood products used for residential ground sills were treated with non-CCA such as Cu-based agents. Since the market of treated wood h...
T Osawa, W Ohmura, H Kurisaki
Is cascading of harvested wood products really an environmentally beneficial strategy in Finland and Norway?
2020 - IRG/WP 20-50364
The role of cascading wood waste in the bioeconomy is highlighted in the several strategic documents. The European Waste Framework Directive describes a waste hierarchy where re-use and recovery are considered more favourable options compared with energy recovery, and applies strict re-use and recycling targets to household waste and non-hazardous construction and demolition waste. It is not fully...
C A S Hill, G Alfredsen, M Hughes, L R Gobakken
Carbon footprint of a cross laminated timber building – Torvbraten school case study
2021 - IRG/WP 21-50366
Torvbråten school is a public school in Asker, Norway, that has reached many sustainability goals. The school was the second in Norway to have Nordic Swan Ecolabel and has a 60 % reduction in carbon footprint compared to the reference benchmark. The building is made of cross laminated timber (CLT) and extensive wood use in general. From a wood protection viewpoint, will this sustainability sustai...
L G F Tellnes, J K Naess, M R Hanssen, P-O Flate
Application of an Ultrasound-based Instrument to Evaluate Condition of Drywood Termite Infested Timber Components
2022 - IRG/WP 22-11000
The characteristics of ultrasound waves propagation from non-destructive ultrasound-based instrument on drywood termite infested wooden components were investigated. Features of wave propagation such as time-of-flight, velocity, and peak energy on three orthogonal wooden plane (longitudinal, radial, and transversal) were studied. The wooden components used on this study came from a traditional woo...
S Fauziyyah, L Karlinasari, D Nandika, R Wimmer
Biological assessment of bio-based phase change materials in wood for construction applications
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40935
Solid wood can serve multi-functionality for energy savings in buildings. The study reveals the results of bio-deterioration and degradation of solid Scots pine wood used to incorporate single or multicomponent fatty acid mixtures as bio-based phase change materials (BPCMs). The sapwood samples were impregnated with capric acid (CA), methyl palmitate (MP), lauryl alcohol (LA) and a mixture of coco...
S Palanti, A Temiz, G Köse Demirel, G Hekimoğlu, A Sari, M Nazari, J Gao, M Jebrane, T Schnabel, N Terziev
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
Assessment of the Material Durability and Structural Integrity of the Wooden Velodrome in Češča vas, Slovenia
2023 - IRG/WP 23-11012
Wood is a widely used material in the construction industry, and it has been utilized for thousands of years to create buildings and other structures. When wooden structures are designed, built, and maintained properly, they can be safe and long-lasting. Sports facilities, which provide athletes with a space to train, compete, and improve their abilities, are crucial in creating a strong and susta...
D Kržišnik, M Humar, B Lesar