IRG Documents Database and Compendium


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Criteria for basidiomycetes testing and ways of defining natural durability classes
1998 - IRG/WP 98-20144
Within the framework of a European research project several laboratories have tested a series of 17 wood species covering the total range of natural durability. Basidiomycete tests are part of the total set up. Although generally based upon standard methods some minor differences in execution of the tests were evaluated for their impact on the results. This variation was superimposed with the fac...
J Van Acker, M Stevens, J K Carey, R Sierra-Alvarez, H Militz, I Le Bayon, G Kleist, R-D Peek


Assessment of wood decay in small-scale unsterile soil-bed tests
1997 - IRG/WP 97-20111
This study is concerned with the investigation of wood decay in small-scale unsterile soil-bed tests. Tests were performed with untreated heartwood samples from five hardwood species of different natural durability classes ranging from highly perishable to very resistant. Our results confirmed the critical role of soil moisture content on wood decay. The highest decay rates were observed at moistu...
L Machek, A M Derksen, R Sierra-Alvarez


Laboratory testing of wood natural durability - In soil-bed assays
1998 - IRG/WP 98-20141
Laboratory methods for assessing wood decay resistance are being investigated in the framework of an ongoing European research project. This paper summarizes the main results obtained for soil-bed tests based on the European prestandard ENV 807-Test 2. The data suggest that this testing methodology is suitable for evaluating the natural durability of timber species in soil-contact under conditions...
R Sierra-Alvarez, I Le Bayon, J K Carey, I Stephan, J Van Acker, M Grinda, G Kleist, H Militz, R-D Peek


A dynamic approach to assess the modulus of elasticity in wood decay testing
1998 - IRG/WP 98-20139
In this study, the changes in elastic behaviour and mass losses of different hardwood and softwood species exposed to decay in a laboratory soil tests were assessed. Wood decay was monitored using different assessment methods, namely: mass loss and changes in elastic behaviours (MOE) determination. Elastic changes were determined by static and dynamic methods, for the latter, acoustic technique wa...
L Machek, H Militz, R Sierra-Alvarez


Screening of fungal strains for wood extractive degradation
1998 - IRG/WP 98-10254
Fungal strains were screened for their ability to degrade apolar extractives in wood from scots pine. The degradation of total wood extractives by 91 different strains was monitored in stationary batch assays incubated for 6 weeks. The results obtained show that the ability of wood-inhabiting fungi to utilize wood extractives varied greatly, even for different isolates of the same species. Fungal ...
J Dorado, M J Martinez-Inigo, T A van Beek, F W Claassen, J B P A Wijnberg, R Sierra-Alvarez


Degradation of resin constituents in various wood species by the white rot fungus Bjerkandera sp. strain BOS55
1999 - IRG/WP 99-10301
In previous studies, the white-rot fungus Bjerkandera sp. strain BOS55 was shown to cause extensive degradation of lipophilic extractives (resin) in Scots pine wood. Further research was carried out in order to investigate the ability of Bjerkandera sp. for reducing resinous constituents in various softwood (Douglas fir, larch and spruce) and hardwood species (birch, beech and poplar). The greates...
J Dorado, T A Van Beek, F W Claassen, R Sierra-Alvarez


Effect of fungal degradation on the chemical composition of acetylated beech wood
2003 - IRG/WP 03-40267
This study investigated the impact of fungal attack on the chemical composition of acetylated wood. Beech wood acetylated to different degrees was exposed to decay by the white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor under solid-state fermentation conditions. Laboratory soil-bed assays were also conducted to study the degradation of acetylated wood by soft rot fungi and other soil-inhabiting microorganisms...
H Militz, Dong-won Son, L Gómez-Hernández, R Sierra-Alvarez


Acoustic technique for assessing decay in preservative treated wood
1998 - IRG/WP 98-20138
This study investigated the suitability of vibration techniques to assess the performance of wood preservatives in ground contact. Small stakes (10 x 5 x 100 mm3) of treated and untreated Scots pine sapwood were exposed to decay in lab-scale terrestrial ecosystems. Tests were conducted using three different soils including a garden compost soil, and soils obtained from a test field and a conifer f...
L Machek, M-L Edlund, R Sierra-Alvarez, H Millitz


Decrease in the mechanical resistance of blue stained and "orange stained" Pinus radiata wood
1999 - IRG/WP 99-10313
It is recognised that sapwood attacked by Ceratocystis pilifera increases its permeability to pressure preservative treatments. Since hiphae not only utilise pits, but also the cell wall for crossing from one cell to another, the mechanical resistance of the stained wood might be affected. The orange colour very commonly present in Pinus radiata logs heartwood under water sprinklers, has not recei...
M C Rose, L Reyes, J Alvarez, A Andaur, C Beltran, D Rivera


Comparative study of lignocellulolytic activities of Pleurotus spp. and white rot and brown-rot fungi
1997 - IRG/WP 97-10210
In this work, the in vitro species of Pleurotus (P.eringii, P. cornucopiae and P. ostreatus), from structures of degraded wood have been studied. This degradative activity was compared to those presented by Trametes versicolor (fungus characteristic of white rot) and Gloeophyllum trabeum (fungus representative of brown rot). The activities studied were the following: cellulase, xylanase, pectinase...
D Muñoz-Mingarro, F Llinares, M T De Troya, F Rubio, M Yuste, C Rodríguez-Borrajo, J E Garcia de los Rios, F Alvarez, P Jiménez, A Rojas, A Navarrete, P Reche


Comparative study of the degradative ability of autochthonous and standardized strains of wood decay fungi
1996 - IRG/WP 96-10178
This study is intended to assess the biomass, the extracellular protein production, and the carbohydrate degradating ability of three standarized (Chaetomium globosum, Trametes versicolor and Gloeophyllum trabeum) and six autochthonous wood decay fungi strains, with unknown degradating effects. The carbohydrate sources used were those that are usually found in wood cells (glucose, galactose, manos...
F Llinares, D Muñoz-Mingarro, J E Garcia de los Rios, M T De Troya, M Yuste, F Rubio, F Alvarez, P Jiménez, C Rodríguez-Borrajo, A M Navarrete


Wood protection in the Sierra Nevada National Park, Venezuela
2012 - IRG/WP 12-50290
The use of wood without the respective protection inevitably leads to its replacement. When this wood is used in a national park call attention to public opinion because the consequences generated by the very short life service, and replacement is required, means more wood not preserved, rapidly deteriorated in a constant repeated cycle. This becomes an environmental problem, especially when the ...
O Erazo, O Encinas, Y Molina


Decay of wood in outdoor above ground applications: Preview of results on the effect of climate and species in Spain
2017 - IRG/WP 17-20600
Within the framework of the Project BIA-42434R titled ‘Evaluation of the functional performance of wood in outdoor above ground applications’, seven trials containing seven pieces of sawn wood measuring 750x100x20mm3, belonging to seven different wood species (Scots pine, Radiata pine, Laricio pine, sweet chestnut, eucalyptus, Thermo-treated radiata pine and Spruce), were exposed to unprotecte...
J I Fernández-Golfin Seco, M Conde García, M R Diez Barra, M Conde García, L Acuña Rello, E Torres Álvarez, E Perea Alonso, M T Troya


Physical barriers against marine borers based on synthetic polymers
2020 - IRG/WP 20-30754
Currently in Spain there are no chemical treatments that are really effective against attacks of marine bores in civil constructions within more or less permanent contact with seawater. On the other hand there are also no physical barriers that allow easy placement or execution, and much less offer a minimum guarantee of performance in the medium or long term. In fact, in these recent years there ...
A Lozano, D Lorenzo, M Alonso, J J del Coz, F Álvarez


Joints design considerations in indoor high humidity conditions
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40950
In recent years, a number of cases of degradation by wood destroying fungi have been detected in covered timber structures such as pools, wineries, bathrooms, etc. – in fact, any building where indoor air may reach high humidity values during certain periods of time. The origin of this kind of decay was not related to water leaks, but to the condensation of the water vapor over the steel connec...
A Lozano, D Lorenzo, M Alonso, F Álvarez, J E Martínez


Effect of enzymatic inhibitors on the population of Reticulitermes grassei and their associated microbiota
2023 - IRG/WP 23-11008
Termites are pests that invade urban, agricultural and forest environments worldwide. They are economically important owing to the damage they cause to wood, wood products, building materials, agricultural products and forests. There are many methods for its control, but many of them cause negative environmental effects due to their toxicity. In termites, dietary change or antibiotic treatment may...
S M Santos, M T Troya, F Llinares, P Colina, E García, M Álvarez, L Robertson