Performance of wood exterior structures above ground in Spain. Performance and durability of a shelter of spruce in a shopping centre after 20 years

IRG/WP 22-20680

D Lorenzo, A Lozano, M Alonso, J Fernández-Golfín, M Touza, J Benito

Across Europe is very common to find wood exterior structures mainly build in sawn and glue-laminated wood. Most of these exterior wood structures use softwood wood species such as: fir, spruce, pine or douglas. In Spain exterior wood structures, became more and more popular since nineties, when sawn and glue-laminated wood were utilized for building exterior wood structures in overall Spain. In most cases, damages due to early decays appear before ten years of service life and the magnitude and extent of the damages can be important and in some wood exterior structures, the magnitude and extent of the damage due to early decay is such that it has reduced the cross section and strength of wood components, affecting the safety of these structures. The aim of this study is to understand the key factors in the performance and durability of wood exterior structures in Spain affecting by early decays, showing the case study of an wood exterior structure located in the city of Ponferrada in the Northwest of Spain, analyzing the influence of the diversity wood species, preservative treatments and protection by design (detail designs); combined with the variability of environmental conditions (different climatic zones and exposure to weathering), use classes and position and thickness of wood elements and the influence in the emergence of early pathological processes associated primarily with fungal decay (wood destroying fungi) and wood destroying insects in lesser extent.


Keywords: wood, exterior, structures, performance, degradation, decays, design

Conference: 22-05-29/06-02 Bled, Slovenia


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