IRG Documents Database and Compendium


Search and Download IRG Documents:



Between and , sort by


Displaying your search results

Your search resulted in 43 documents. Displaying 25 entries per page.


An investigation of the nutritional physiology of the wood-boring weevil Euophryum confine Broun
1994 - IRG/WP 94-10082
The digestion of Picea abies Karst and Pinus sylvestris L. by Euophryum confine, at two sites is reported in this study. The composition of sound wood, wood from the heads of the weevil tunnels and the frass egested has been determined by gravimetric analysis. A comparison of sound wood and wood ingested showed that weevils tunnelled in microbially decayed wood, while a comparison of the wood inge...
A J Pitman, S M Cragg, G S Sawyer


The functional anatomy of the digestive caecae and gut residence times for the marine wood borer Limnoria (Crustacea: Isopoda)
1997 - IRG/WP 97-10204
A scanning and transmission electron microscope study of the digestive caecae of the marine wood boring isopods Limnoria tripunctata and Limnoria quadripunctata, was undertaken. Two cell types were identified, containing structures indicative of absorption, secretion and storage. Cell types were distinguished according to size, the largest cell type having a large free surface area, a well develop...
C Wykes, S M Cragg, A J Pitman


Effects of CCA treatment on settlement and growth of barnacles under field conditions
1998 - IRG/WP 98-50116
As part of a field experiment at seven European marine sites evaluating the effects of CCA treatments on non-target marine organisms, panels treated to nominal loadings of 12, 24 and 48 kg/m3 CCA were exposed at marine sites around the coast of Europe. Within two weeks of exposure, a heavy settlement of barnacles took place on the panels exposed intertidally in France. The intensity of settlement ...
S M Cragg, C Brown, R M Albuquerque, R A Eaton, P Goulletquer


A questionnaire survey to establish the perceptions of UK specifiers concerning the key material attributes of timer for use in marine and fresh water engineering
2004 - IRG/WP 04-10519
Engineers have a key role in making informed decisions on the type of materials to be used in the schemes they design and construct. Currently, in England and Wales, it is believed that some £500m per year is invested in flood and coastal defence engineering. There is a lack of centralised data in the UK holding information on timber for usage in fluvial and, particularly coastal engineering. A...
J R Williams, G S Sawyer, S M Cragg, J Simm


Marine exposure assessment in southern Portugal of the natural resistance of a number of lesser known species of tropical hardwoods to teredinid and limnoriid borers
2007 - IRG/WP 07-10614
Naturally durable species of timber are used as an alternative to preservative treated timber for marine structures, but many species have not been evaluated for their potential for use in this environment. EN 275 specifies a 5-year test period - too long a period for screening tests to be economically viable. In this study, candidate timber species were selected for testing in the sea on the basi...
J R Williams, S M Cragg, L M S Borges, J D Icely, G S Sawyer


Variation of commercial timbers from Turkey in resistance to marine borers as assessed by marine trial and laboratory screening
2008 - IRG/WP 08-10668
Commercial timbers from Turkey used in coastal construction and boat building were tested for their resistance to marine wood-boring invertebrates in a marine trial and in a laboratory screening test. The timbers tested were beech (Fagus orientalis), oak (Quercus petraea), chestnut (Castanea sativa) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). The marine trial was conducted over a period of 5 months at Mers...
H Sivrikaya, S M Cragg, L M S Borges


Assessment of the marine borer resistance and abrasion resistance of lesser known hardwood timber species for use in marine construction
2010 - IRG/WP 10-10711
Naturally durable species of timber are used as an alternative to preservative treated timber for marine structures, but many species have not been evaluated for their potential for use in this environment. EN 275 specifies a 5-year test period - too long a period for screening tests to be economically viable. In this study, candidate timber species were selected for testing both in the laboratory...
J R Williams, G S Sawyer, G Malyon, S M Cragg, J D Icely, J Simm, M Meaden


New insights from NMR, FTIR, X-ray diffraction and physical chemistry into digestive processes in the wood-boring marine crustacean Limnoria quadripunctata
2010 - IRG/WP 10-10732
This paper summarises preliminary findings of a multi-technique exploration of the degradation of lignocellulose in the marine isopod Limnoria quadripunctata. Scanning electron microscopy revealed connections between the digestive gland and the hindgut that would permit the exchange of fluids between the two organs while the food mass is retained in place within the hindgut. This enables enzymes t...
G P Malyon, S LaBarre, N Kervarec, P Carey, J McGeehan, X Xie, A Klüppel, S M Cragg


What molecular biology can tell us about the biodegradation of lignocellulose: the utilization of molecular techniques for the detection, identification and enhanced understanding of wood degrading organisms
2013 - IRG/WP 13-20528
Molecular techniques are now routinely used in the identification, detection and analysis of wood degrading organisms. An overview of some of the early work on nucleic acid isolation and characterization will be followed by a discussion of the power of sequencing and other procedures for better understanding: the mechanisms involved in the biological degradation of wood, the metabolic basis of pre...
J Jellison, B Goodell, G Alfredsen, D Eastwood, G Daniel, S M Cragg, J K Grace


Performance of some wood modification treatments against marine borers
2014 - IRG/WP 14-40668
Since some years, new treatment technology to protect wood against wood destroying fungi is introduced. Limited knowledge on their resistance to water organisms is available. Therefore, the resistance of chemically modified wood was assessed in a field test according to the European Standard EN 275 over a period of 3 resp. 5 years at sites in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. Scots pine (Pinus syl...
A Klüppel, C Mai, H Militz, S Cragg


Marine Borer Resistance of Acetylated and Furfurylated Wood – Results from up to 16 years of Field Exposure
2016 - IRG/WP 16-40756
Furfurylated and acetylated Scots pine sapwood has been tested since 1999 in a marine field with high marine borer activity. In 2004, two test groups with acetylated southern yellow pine (product later known as Perennial Wood™) were put out and over the whole test period differently furfurylated wood (later marketed as Kebony®) test groups have been started. Furthermore, some combinations of mo...
M Westin, P Larsson Brelid, T Nilsson, A O Rapp, J P Dickerson, S Lande, S Cragg


Novel wood treatments improve resistance to the wood-boring marine isopod Limnoria quadripunctata
2017 - IRG/WP 17-10899
The marine isopod Limnoria quadripunctata degrades wooden structures in the sea and causes significant economic damage. Broad-spectrum biocides and naturally resistant tropical hardwoods have failed to prevent feeding by Limnoria and have caused ecological damage. Wood modification is now the favoured method, and resin-based modifications have been effective, while the efficacy of silica-based mod...
H Bowen, M Montibus, M Kutnik, S M Cragg


Hibernation or spring awakening? – The research on wood durability and protection in marine environment
2018 - IRG/WP 18-10929
Wooden structures in marine applications are exposed to severe degradation conditions caused by mechanical loads and wood degrading organisms. The present paper presents the use of wood in marine environments in Europe from a wood protection perspective and gives an overview over relevant research topics. It compiles the most relevant literature with an emphasis on new wood protection methods and ...
A Treu, K Zimmer, C Brischke, E Larnøy, L R Gobakken, F Aloui, S M Cragg, P-O Flæte, M Humar, M Westin


Resistance against marine borers: About the revision of EN 275 and the attempt for a new laboratory standard for Limnoria
2020 - IRG/WP 20-20669
Wood protection technology in the marine environment has changed over the last decades and will continue to do so. New active ingredients, newer formulations, and novel wood-based materials including physically- and chemically-modified wood, together with increasing concerns over environmental impacts of wood preservatives, urgently demand a major revision of EN 275 “Wood preservatives – Deter...
S Palanti, S Cragg, R Plarre


Validating a short-term laboratory method to assess the resistance of timber to biodegradation by marine wood-borers
2021 - IRG/WP 21-10975
Novel approaches to protecting wood in coastal and marine environments are needed as the use of traditional broad-spectrum biocides are now restricted. Wood is widely utilised in marine environments where it can be rapidly degraded by wood-boring organisms, causing billions of dollars of damage per annum. Biocidal compounds such as CCA and creosote have been popular treatments for timber products ...
L S Martin, J R Shipway, G P Malyon, S M Cragg


Wood modification reduces the feeding rate of the wood boring crustacean, Limnoria quadripunctata
2022 - IRG/WP 22-10993
Adult Adult Limnoria search for new wood once their current piece disintegrates from tunnelling. During this time, they do not have access to wood so experience a period of starvation and must feed again once settled. Wood modification offers protection to marine structures by reducing the feeding rate of Limnoria and therefore can reduce recruitment of adults from distant pieces of wood. Chemical...
L S Martin, S Lande, M Westin, S M Cragg


Assessing changes in hardness of furfurylated wood on a nano-scale to mimic levels experienced by the marine wood-boring crustacean, Limnoria
2023 - IRG/WP 23-11016
Wood-boring crustaceans and bivalves can cause severe damage to wooden structures in the marine environment, warranting the need for novel protection systems, such as chemical modifications. Furfurylation increases mechanical properties and resistance of timber species that would usually be susceptible to biodegradation by these borers, such as pine. In rapid laboratory and field testing, furfuryl...
L Martin, J Zekonyte, S Lande, M Westin, S Cragg


Reducing successful settlement by shipworm larvae on wood that has been modified using furfurylation
2023 - IRG/WP 23-11017
Shipworms are Teredinid bivalves that have a highly modified shell for boring into wood and an elongated, vermiform shape. Teredinids are marine wood-borers, utilising timber as both shelter and as a source of food. Wooden structures in the sea, such as piers and sea defences, are subject to severe damage by these borers, costing billions per year for maintenance and replacement. Traditionally, br...
L Martin, I Guarneri, S Lande, M Westin, S Cragg


Previous Page