Your search resulted in 471 documents. Displaying 25 entries per page.
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
Natural durability of 9 tropical species suitable for round wood timber building: fungi and termites laboratory screening tests
2023 - IRG/WP 23-11013
In numerous tropical forest species, wood properties are poorly described and wood is under-valorized. Especially very few is known about small diameter trees although they may be used, directly as round wood, in construction timber building. A selection of abundant species was done and characterization tests were performed to assess their usability as building material. The aim of this work was t...
M Leroy, K Candelier, J Damay, J Bossu, R Lehnebach, M-F Thevenon, J Beauchene, B Clair
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
Suitability of boron preservative treatment of minor species as framing in New Zealand buildings
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30778
The inclusion of alternative species to radiata pine, predominantly exotic species, in the building code (NZS 3602) raises questions as to whether they require preservative treatment and, if so, whether they can be adequately treated using current industry processes.
Early research with boron indicated that the dip/diffusion method for green timber would give adequate preservative retention in sa...
D Page, I Simpson, T Singh
Establishing the minimum effective penetration of wood preservatives in the refractory heartwood of E. nitens
2023 - IRG/WP 23-30780
Conventional pressure treatment of many Australian hardwoods results in little to no penetration of heartwood and a non-uniform envelope treatment of <5 mm surrounding a mostly untreated core. This is a major issue for many of the low durability plantation hardwood timbers that are grown in Tasmania, which contain high percentages of heartwood. Long term studies on softwoods such as spruce decking...
J R Vargas, J J Morrell, L Yermán, K C Wood
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
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
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
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
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
Evaluation of vacuum borate treated spruce or pine CLT in an above ground protected test in southern Mississippi
2024 - IRG/WP 24-41001
Cross laminated timber (CLT) has become a popular wood composite in large building applications that were previously limited to concrete and steel. To extend service and prevent biological attack, chemical protectants are often applied to wood. Cross laminated timber panels are not typically treated, in part due to a lack of data on efficient and effective methods for treating large panels. Ther...
M E Mankowski, A Taylor, G T Kirker
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
Evaluation of mass timber materials for military and commercial trailer decking
2024 - IRG/WP 24-41009
In this study, CLT trailer decking was manufactured to current military trailer decking specifications, verified using PRG320 performance criteria, and treated with either waterborne or oil borne wood preservatives. Preliminary results show adequate uptake of preservative solution and subsequent testing shows minimal effect due to treatment. Field durability tests are also being conducted of treat...
G Kirker, A Senalik, X Wang, K Ohno, R Arango, M Mankowski, X Xie, J Eskola, N Kamprath, S Karwaczynski, M Weaver
Performance of Douglas-fir cross laminated timber (CLT) subjected to elevated humidity in a ground proximity field test for 6 years
2024 - IRG/WP 24-41010
The ability of insecticidal soil drenches or spray-on insecticide/fungicide treatments to protect mass timber elements exposed in a high moisture environment but out of direct soil contact was assessed using a modified AWPA ground proximity test established in 2017. Three-ply Douglas-fir CLT pieces measuring 305 x 355 x 105 mm (L x H x W) were installed at the Harrison Experimental Forest (HEF) (S...
M E Mankowski, J J Morrell, T G Shelton, G T Kirker
Leaching and chemical redistribution of CCA components in refractory heartwood of E. nitens
2024 - IRG/WP 24-41011
Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA) is a wood preservative widely used to protect against fungal and insect attack. The fixation mechanism of CCA involves complex chemical reactions, including the reduction of chromium (VI) to chromium (III) and the formation of insoluble complexes. Despite fixation efforts, a portion of CCA components tends to leach from treated wood, influenced by factors like wood ...
J R Vargas, L Yermán, K C Wood, T Singh
Evaluating the potential for re-using timber from deconstructed sea defence groynes from the Bournemouth groyne field
2024 - IRG/WP 24-50397
In the shadow of a looming climate crisis, the modern age construction industry is evolving. The for implementing sustainable practices has never been greater and the potential role of the circular economy is front and centre. It can play a pivotal role in transforming the industry by promoting sustainable practices which emphasise the need to reduce consumption of natural resources. Re-using timb...
J R Williams
Timber circularity discussion: Waste hierarchy and prioritising reuse opportunities!
2024 - IRG/WP 24-50398
By following the waste hierarchy and prioritising reuse opportunities first before resorting to disposal in landfills, we can effectively sustainably manage timber resources. This approach helps to conserve natural resources, reduce energy consumption, minimize greenhouse gas emissions, and minimize the overall environmental footprint associated with timber production and disposal. It also promote...
T Singh