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Biodegradation of wood in wet environments: A review
1997 - IRG/WP 97-10217
Wood in wet environments is attacked and degraded by soft rot fungi and erosion and tunnelling bacteria, which are more tolerant to high moisture and reduced oxygen conditions than basidiomycetes, such as white and brown rot fungi. Since basidiomycetes are normally more aggressive and can degrade wood faster than soft rot fungi and bacteria wood in wet environments can survive longer. In fact, arc...
A P Singh, Yoon Soo Kim


Confocal laser scanning microscopy of a novel decay in preservative treated radiata pine in wet acidic soils
1997 - IRG/WP 97-10215
Light microscopy of radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) field test stakes (20x20x500mm3) exposed in wet acidic (pH 3-4) soil for 12 - 24 months showed predominance of an unusual type of decay characte-rised by tunnelling attack of wood cell walls. After two years decay was moderate to severe in wood treated to ground contact CCA specifications and also equivalent retentions of creosote, and a numb...
R N Wakeling, Ying Xiao, A P Singh


Laboratory culturing and decay testing with Physisporinus vitreus and Donkioporia expansa orginating from identical cooling tower environments show major differences
1996 - IRG/WP 96-10184
Both Basidiomycete fungi Physisporinus vitreus (Pers.:Fr.) P. Karst. and Donkioporia expansa (Desm.) Kotl. & Pouz. were isolated from identical cooling tower environments. Azobé heartwood (Lophira alata), a very durable tropical wood species was totally deteriorated in cooling towers in a similar way by both fungi. First attempts to culture Physisporinus vitreus in laboratory circumstances sh...
J Van Acker, M Stevens


Bacteria and wood. A review of the literature relating to the presence, action and interaction of bacteria in wood
1971 - IRG/WP 101
S E Rossell, E G M Abbot, J F Levy


Evaluating the potential of modified wood for use in marine environments using a short-term laboratory bioassay
2004 - IRG/WP 04-10525
Chemically modified wood may be an alternative to preservative treated timber for marine structures. In this study a screening laboratory test using the wood-boring isopod crustacean Limnoria quadripunctata was used to assess the durability of chemically modified Pinus sylvestris, Pinus radiata and Picea sp. Most of the treatments used a combination of one of two of types of the resin dimethyloldi...
L M S Borges, S M Cragg, M van der Zee


Strategies of risk reduction in sensitive environments - Case studies
2001 - IRG/WP 01-50166-11
The application of risk assessment procedures is based on widely agreed criteria and, whenever necessary, default values. The assessment itself aims to cover a wide extent of situations through "reasonable worst case scenarios". The result, based on the ratio of predictive to no-effect concentrations "PEC/PNEC", is usually performed into various regulations on a pass/fail basis, practically by ban...
G Ozanne


An analysis of the effects of some factors on the natural durability of pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and spruce (Picea abies Karst.)
1986 - IRG/WP 1279
The effects of some factors on the natural resistance of pine and spruce sapwood against fungal decay and against attack of house-longhorn beetle larvae have been studied in laboratory tests and the results are evaluated by analysis of variance and regression analysis. Following conclusions were reached: Wood from summer-felled trees did not have a lower inherent natural durability against fungal ...
J B Boutelje, T Nilsson, S Rasmussen


Permeability measurements on surface layers for detecting wood with abnormally high permeability
1988 - IRG/WP 2298
Wet storage of timber during the warm period of the year may lead to an increased permeability of the wood, an undesirable phenomenon for several wood industries and also for many end-uses. Neither before nor after drying, such wood with "wet storage damage" can be visually distinguished from wood with a normal permeability. A non-destructive method for inspecting the permeability of surface layer...
J B Boutelje, G Hägglund


PCP in aquatic environments arising from historic contamination at wood processing and preservation sites
1995 - IRG/WP 95-50040-14
Three different studies are reported that assess the impacts of Pentachlorophenol (PCP) in aquatic environments arising from its historic use at sawmilling and wood preservation sites. These studies involved New Zealand wood processing facilities, and collectively they aimed to measure the transport of PCP from sawmill sites into the aquatic environment, determine the background environmental conc...
J S Gifford, P N McFarlane, M C Judd, S M Anderson


Ecotoxicological effects of exposed CCA preservative treated wood in environments
2001 - IRG/WP 01-50173
For the evaluation of environmental effect of CCA treated wood exposd in the field, the simulated soil pot system of the laboratory was used. The effective components of preservatives were leached and determined after artificially conditioning a soil pot of CCA treated wood with more than 500mm water, the average monthly precipitation. As the water passed through the soil, As, Cr and Cu in the soi...
Dong-heub Lee, Dong-won Son


Mould growth and permeability in relation to wet-storage
1989 - IRG/WP 1414
The positive influences of wet-storage of roundwood to avoid attack by blue stain fungi and insects and to avoid cracking of wood during storage are well documented. Comparatively little information is, however, available on the effects on microbial susceptibility of the material after the storage period. The permeability of the wet-stored and the non-wet-stored material was determined. Wood block...
J Bjurman, E L Holappa


Chemical Analysis in Production Quality Control at Wood Treatment Plants
2008 - IRG/WP 08-20396
Analysis methods for quality control analysis in wood treatment plants have evolved with the changes in treatment preservative chemistries and analytical instrument technology. The basic hydrometer specific gravity measurements used for solution strength and classic wet chemistry methods for wood have given way to instrumental techniques such as X-ray fluorescence, automatic titrator, and HPLC. No...
P Walcheski, L Jin


Wet and dry adhesion of coatings on modified and unmodified wood: comparison of the pull-off test and the cross-cut test
2010 - IRG/WP 10-40524
The objective of this paper is to study the influence of several types of modification (acetylation, furfurylation, thermal modification) on coatings adhesion and to compare two methods of assessing the adhesion: the cross-cut test and the pull-off test both tested in dry and wet conditions. The study also investigates the effect of other parameters of the wood substrates on adhesion like the ring...
L Podgorski, G Grüll, M Truskaller, J D Lanvin, V Georges, S Bollmus


Natural durability of wood tested in different environments in Northern Europe
2011 - IRG/WP 11-10747
Moisture is often recognised as a key factor regarding the long time performance of wooden products, and one of the main challenges for timber products is to predict accurate service life in use class 3 (not covered above ground) and use class 4 (in soil or fresh water contact). A range of durability classification studies have been performed both in field and laboratory. But for several wood spec...
P O Flæte, G Alfredsen, F G Evans


Protective Levels of Borates in timber Foundation Piles 5 – 18 Years after In-situ Remedial Treatment in Areas with Wet Clay Ground Conditions. The Jerbor and Eurobor Protocol, Part 1.
2011 - IRG/WP 11-30571
Timber has been used as foundation piles and grillages for decades or even centuries. Since the late 1970s a method for investigate, analyze and treat building timber foundations in soft clay grounds against decay fungus with a biocide have been developed and used by the late professor Allan Jerbo. Settling of buildings in soft clay grounds is continuously monitored and if damages to the building ...
M Theorin, K-M Bandh


Wet and dry adhesion of coatings on modified and unmodified wood: influence of 18 months of natural weathering on the pull-off test and cross-cut test results
2011 - IRG/WP 11-40569
The objective of this paper is to study the influence of several types of modification (acetylation, furfurylation, heat treatment) on coatings adhesion after 18 months of natural weathering according to EN 927-3 in Vienna (Austria). The paper compares two methods for assessing the adhesion: the cross-cut test (EN ISO 2409) which is the conventional method used and recommended in EN 927-3 and th...
L Podgorski, G Grüll, M Truskaller, J D Lanvin, S Bollmus


Wood-leather panels – A biological, fire retardant building material
2012 - IRG/WP 12-40615
The poor flame retardant properties of wood-based products are among the severest obstacles, hindering its use in the commercial building sector. Recently, some attempts to improve the fire properties, relying on inflammable salts or reactive halogen compounds, have been presented, although they either cause problems with machining or embody harmful compounds (halogen derivates). In this paper, ...
S Wieland, U Stöckl, T Grünewald, S Ostrowski, A Petutschnigg


Compatibility of Acetylated Wood and Wet Concrete
2014 - IRG/WP 14-40673
One of the newer commercial technologies to provide stability and durability to wood and wood composites is the process of acetylation (the reaction of acetic anhydride with wood). Wood is often used in contact with concrete, although only a very limited amount of species are suitable for this type of application because of durability issues. From this perspective durability class 1 timber such ...
R Rowell, C Lankveld, J Alexander


Introduction to the project ‘Deterioration and decay of wooden cultural heritage in Arctic and Alpine environments’ (ArcticAlpineDecay)
2022 - IRG/WP 22-10997
The Arctic is already affected by climate change, and this is expected to accelerate over the coming decades. Alpine regions in Norway are projected to face similar challenges. Current knowledge on Norwegian wooden cultural heritage in Arctic and Alpine regions is scattered and contains significant knowledge gaps. Historically, - scientists, sectorial governance, tourist trade and commerce have ma...
G Alfredsen, L Ross, A W Hegnes, M S Austigard, J Mattsson, N B Pedersen, A Sinitsyn, V V Martens, A-C Flyen


Accelerated surface mould testing for exterior wood treatment in Temperate, Tropical and Laboratory environments
2023 - IRG/WP 23-20699
Mould attack is a very common cause of discoloration on wooden surfaces and can subsequently promote development of wood decay by other organisms. Prevention of mould growth is relevant for both pigmented wood paints as well as more transparent systems with a high or low amount of binder. The use of commercial biocides has led to effective microbiological inhibition in many contexts, but the incre...
A Nazeri, J Stenbaek, T R Laursen, A H H Wong, B M Hasnul