IRG Documents Database and Compendium


Search and Download IRG Documents:



Between and , sort by


Displaying your search results

Your search resulted in 68 documents. Displaying 25 entries per page.


Monitoring of wood preservatives exposed to weathering: Extraction and analysis methods of organic biocides from treated wood and collected rain runoff
2020 - IRG/WP 20-30753
Weathering is the cause of numerous damages for outdoor joineries. Protection of wood using a preservative treatment covered with a coating is a process widely used to limit these damages. However, biocides from preservative treated wood are prone to degradation and leaching, having a direct influence on the joinery service life. This document deals with extraction and analytical methods for bioci...
O Ouali, K Le Ménach, E Raphalen, L Podgorski, S Legay, H Budzinski


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


Yellow birch fire-protection using polyelectrolytes complexes
2020 - IRG/WP 20-30755
Fire protection has been a major challenge in wood construction for many years. The demand for high-performance, environmentally friendly treatments respecting the physical and chemical characteristics of the material has been accentuated in recent years. Halogenated fire-retardant (FR) compounds were commonly used from the 70’s for their low-cost and high efficiency. They are able to form radic...
M Soula, F Samyn, S Duquesne, V Landry


Water interactions in wood polyesterified with sorbitol and citric acid
2020 - IRG/WP 20-40888
Polyesterifcation of wood with sorbitol and citric acid seems to be a promising chemical wood modification technique that is both low-cost and produced from bio-based chemicals. An interesting aspect of the modification is the interaction of water with the polyesterified wood since the relationship with moisture appears to be unique compared to other wood modification systems. This communication p...
G Beck, A Treu, E Larnøy


Studying amount, location and state of water in modified wood at moisture levels relevant for fungal degradation
2020 - IRG/WP 20-40889
Water is an essential parameter for fungal degradation of wood, but degradation primarily occurs at high moisture levels at water potential in the range of -4 to -0.1 MPa, which corresponds to 97-99.9% relative humidity. At these moisture levels, water is present in the wood structure both in and outside of cell walls. The majority of previous studies on the interaction between wood and water for ...
M Fredriksson, E Engelund Thybring, Ramunas Digaitis


Limiting Polysaccharide Motion Protects Wood From Decay
2020 - IRG/WP 20-40890
It is well known that chemical modifications to improve decay resistance also reduce the equilibrium moisture content (EMC) of wood. The mechanism of this action, however, has been the subject of much debate. Several groups have suggested that decay resistance is a result of lower diffusion rates of fungal degradation agents through the wood cell wall. A recent paper explained the fundamental prin...
C G Hunt, S L Zelinka, J E Jakes


Investigations into the use of Maleic Anhydride/Sodium Hypophosphite as a Wood Modification Process
2020 - IRG/WP 20-40891
The formation of crosslinked bonds between wood constituents is believed to be an effective way to stabilize wood against wet conditions. The possibility to use maleic anhydride (MA) combined with sodium hypophosphite (SHP) as crosslinking agents was studied, using Scots pine sapwood and a model compound. The modified wood showed weight gain and bulking effect after treatment and subsequent Soxhle...
I Kim, D Jones, O Karlsson, D Sandberg, O N Antzutkin, F Ullah Shah


Elucidation of reactive sites of wood modified with acetic anhydride: Insights from density functional theory calculations
2020 - IRG/WP 20-40892
Density functional theory (DFT) was employed to investigate the interaction of cellulose and lignin with acetic anhydride for explaining the wood modification process. Atoms in molecules (AIM) and reduced density gradient (RDG) along with non-covalent interaction (NCI) plots were used to analyse the intermolecular bonding characteristics. Cellulose was modelled with a cellobiose unit (dimer of glu...
V Ponnuchamy, A Sandak, J Sandak, R Herrera Diaz


Evaluation of chemical densification of three hardwood species through in-situ electron beam polymerization
2020 - IRG/WP 20-40893
Hardwoods are the most suitable species for wood flooring for their appearance as well as their hardness. Yet, improving hardness can provide substantial benefit for the wood flooring market. Chemical densification of wood and in-situ polymerization through electron beam technology was chosen to increase hardness of three hardwoods (Yellow birch (YB) (Betula alleghaniensis Britt.), Sugar maple (SM...
J Triquet, P Blanchet, V Landry


Long-term field exposure of wood-plastic composites processed on a commercial-size extruder
2020 - IRG/WP 20-40894
Wood-plastic composites (WPC) contain wood fiber (or flour), thermoplastics and additives and are exposed to UV light, moisture, and biological deterioration in outdoor installations. Accelerated laboratory tests can help to predict the durability of WPCs, but long term evaluations are needed to validate these results. Field exposed above-ground WPC deck boards (30.5 x 139.7 x 609.6 mm) and in-gro...
R E Ibach, C M Clemmons, N M Stark


Self-regulating heating cables for conductive heat transfer in pest control
2020 - IRG/WP 20-40895
Pest control by means of conductive heating of wooden elements requires considerable measuring and control efforts in order to avoid overheating of wooden surfaces, damage of structural elements and risk of fire. The usage of self-regulating heating cables might overcome such problems. In laboratory tests and under real conditions the applicability of self-regulating heating cables is tested with ...
J Müller, E Melcher, J Welling


Impregnation of railway sleepers - Investigation of a system-sleeper as an alternative for creosote treated sleepers
2020 - IRG/WP 20-40896
For nearly 200 years wooden railway sleepers are impregnated with creosote. After initially using vacuum pressure processes for impregnation, empty-cell processes have been developed quickly and are used until today. Because of political developments, creosote will probably be banned on the European market in the near future. The Fürstenberg-System-Sleeper, which combines for Europe innovative as...
M Starck, A Heidel, C Brischke, H Militz


Performance of a water-borne stain on beech, spruce, MDF and OSB improved by plasma pre-treatment
2020 - IRG/WP 20-40897
Coatings are an important part of wood protection, especially for outdoor applications. In order to provide a good protection, protective coatings need to exhibit good adhesion, mechanical resistance, and weathering resistance. Plasma pre-treatments are an established method to increase the performance of existing coatings including those on wood and wood-based substrates. Moreover, plasma deposit...
S Dahle, J Žigon, I Uranjek, M Petrič


Biological durability of sapling wood
2020 - IRG/WP 20-10967
Sapling-wood products from different wood species such as willow (Salix spp.) and Common hazel (Corylus avellana) are frequently used for gardening and outdoor decoration purposes. Remaining bark is suggested to provide additional biological durability. Even for temporary outdoor use it seemed questionable that durability of juvenile sapwood can provide acceptably long service lives of horticultur...
C Brischke, L Emmerich, D G B Nienaber, S Bollmus


From wood protection to health protection: larvicidal potential of formulations containing Sextonia rubra wood residues extract against Aedes aegypti mosquitoes
2020 - IRG/WP 20-10968
French Guiana is a French overseas territory almost entirely covered by Amazonian rainforest and characterized by its incredible biodiversity. Several woody species harboured by this tropical forest are exploited sustainably for timber industry. They are commercialized notably for carpentry and outdoor applications because of their remarkable natural durability. Among them, stand Dicorynia guianen...
E Cervil, N Amusant, E Wozniak, I Dusfour, J-B Duchemin, D Azam, M Coke, E Houël


Longterm Performance of Treated Timbers in Marine Exposures
2020 - IRG/WP 20-10969
The performance of preservative-treated or modified woods in marine exposures was evaluated at test sites in Newport, Oregon, USA and Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. All samples have exhibited excellent performance at the Newport, Oregon site, while attack was more aggressive at the sub-tropical Brisbane site. Acetylated wood as well as samples treated with 7.3% chromated copper arsenate (CCA-T...
M Konkler, A R Zahora, J Norton, J J Morrell


Comprehensive protection of timber in seawater
2020 - IRG/WP 20-10970
The hazard of wood in seawater can be divided into two areas: Below the water level, shipworm (Teredo navalis) and gribble (Limnoria lignorum) can attack non-resistant or insufficiently protected wood; above the water level, there is a risk by wood-destroying fungi and, to a lesser extent, insects. In a national project funded by the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU, German Federal Environmenta...
E Melcher, J Müller, T Huckfeldt


Application of diverse hyperspectral imaging systems for evaluation of heritage objects
2020 - IRG/WP 20-10971
Advanced imaging techniques are able to non-invasively characterize, monitor and evaluate the impact of conservation treatments on cultural heritage (CH) objects. In this specific field, hyperspectral imaging (HI) allows non-destructive characterization of materials by identifying and characterizing colouring agents, binders and protective coatings as constituents of an object’s original constru...
J Sandak, A Sandak, L Legan, K Retko, M Kavčič, J Kosel, F Poohphajai, R Herrera Diaz, V Ponnuchamy, N Sajinčič, Č Tavzes, P Ropret


Potenzy of Azadirachta indica heart wood extracts as wood bio-preservative against termite attack
2020 - IRG/WP 20-10972
Extractives in wood are one of the main reasons for wood resistance against bio-degradation. The chemical compositions of extractives from matured Azadirachta indica that are known to be very resistant against bio-degradation were studied to assess their role as wood preservative. Ethanol and toluene were used in the extraction of these compounds from the heartwood of Azadirahcta indica. Chemical ...
L O Aguda, O B Olajide, O Y Aguda


Modelling decay rates of timber exposed above ground on four different continents
2020 - IRG/WP 20-20670
Durability performance data from an international decking trial were analysed to explore relationships with climate variables, particularly those related to temperature and rainfall. Matched decking samples of slash pine (Pinus elliottii) sapwood and heartwood, spotted gum (Corymbia citriodora), Norway spruce (Picea abies) and Scots pine sapwood (Pinus sylvestris) were exposed to the weather above...
L P Francis, J J Morrell, C Brischke, P B Van Niekerk, J Norton


Impact of fungal decay on the bending properties of wood
2020 - IRG/WP 20-20671
Wood used outdoors is generally prone to fungal degradation, and its impact on the structural integrity of wood is an immanent factor for service life planning with timber. Wood decayed to very small mass losses can suffer from a significant reduction in mechanical strength and elastic properties. Hence, the latter are preferred indicators to detect decay in wood durability studies. Numerous previ...
S Bollmus, P B van Niekerk, C Brischke


The role of specimen format in wood durability testing
2020 - IRG/WP 20-20672
The experimental basis for testing the biological durability of wood are often incubation experiments with wood-destroying basidiomycetes. Numerous parameters can affect the mass loss by fungal decay (MLF) in laboratory durability tests and therefore being decisive for the resulting durability classification. Among others, the dimension of the wood specimen and the time of incubation impact on fun...
C Brischke, L K Grünwald, S Bollmus


Extraction, identification and antifungal activity of polar extractives originated from various wood species
2020 - IRG/WP 20-20673
Extractives are non-cell wall small molecules present in wood and other lignocellulosic materials that can be removed by solvents. Although they represent a minor fraction in comparison with the structural cell wall components, they are an important source of functional groups or molecules with bioactivity or antioxidant properties, that could be used in medicine, cosmetic or wood preservation. T...
R Herrera, F Poohphajai, J Labidi, S Willför, A Sandak


Lab-scale termite damage synthesis using least squares generative adversarial networks
2020 - IRG/WP 20-20674
This manuscript investigated the feasibility of least squares generative adversarial networks (LSGAN) to generate synthetic images of lab-scale termite damage based on AWPA E1 standard, to push machine-learning forward into wood science field and to ameliorate the lack of a termite damage dataset. We leveraged LSGAN to learn the distribution of 203 uniquely termite damaged samples from previous ex...
D J V Lopes


Future development of durability assessment of wood, according to typical usage of preservative-treated wood and naturally durable wood in Japan
2020 - IRG/WP 20-20675
A market of preserved wood products in Japan has two unique histories. First is the market shift to residential ground sills from utility poles and sleepers; the other is the stop of CCA treatment caused by the new effluent standard. In 2018, around 85% of preserved wood products used for residential ground sills were treated with non-CCA such as Cu-based agents. Since the market of treated wood h...
T Osawa, W Ohmura, H Kurisaki


Previous Page | Next Page