Expected service life of outdoor wooden structures such as guard fences and noise barriers indicated by questionnaire survey
IRG/WP 07-20372
K Yamamoto, A Makita, A Yamaguchi, T Shiraishi, K Maeda, D Tezuka, S Katsumata, M Higaki
Forestry Agency, Japan has intended to expand the utilization of domestic wood in many areas such as not only housing constructions also outdoor structures. In order to respond the policy, actual durability and service life of these structures should be clarified, and the guide line for archiving planned service life also should be established. Japan Wood Preservers Industries Association carried out questionnaire survey to determine the planned service life of outdoor structures such as guard fences and noise barriers. Questionnaires collected from Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya in 2005 and 2006. Expected service life of outdoor wooden structures by respondents was around 15 years for any type of structures in 3 areas where the questionnaires obtained. Acceptable periods of maintenance interval shown by questionnaires were around 5 years.
Keywords: expected service life, outdoor wooden structures, durability