IRG Documents Database and Compendium


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Treatment of wood with formaldehyde. Acid catalysis of the reaction between formaldehyde and wood
1980 - IRG/WP 3146
Formaldehyde reacts with the free OH-groups in wood forming cross-linking bonds. The reaction can be brought about without any catalyst but in that case the activation energy is very high and high temperatures and long reaction times are needed. Normally, the reaction is catalysed by different acids. Acid catalysts, however, tend to degrade the cellulose and the wood matrix causing reduction in th...
T Vihavainen, K Piispanen, P Mansikkamäki


Microscopical analysis of formaldehyde-acid modified wood
1981 - IRG/WP 3182
Cross-linking of wood with gaseous formaldehyde improves its hygroscopic and dimensional behaviour, and its resistance against micro-organisms. However, formaldehyde cross-linking reactions take place only in the presence of an acid catalyst, which results in losses in mechanical By optimization of a formaldehyde-sulfur dioxide vapour phase process the reaction conditions were established to limit...
M Stevens, N Parameswaran


Some experiences with attack of microorganisms on wooden constructions supporting foundations of houses and bridges
1997 - IRG/WP 97-10232
Reconstructions of bridges and public buildings or damage of houses during the construction of subway lines in Berlin have led to a number of inspections of wooden foundations, mostly pine or spruce piles, representing service lives of between ca. 70 and 140 years. In all cases bacterial attack was found both in wood submerged in ground water and in surface water. The extent of deterioration diffe...
M Grinda


The effect of hemicellulose degradation on the mechanical properties of wood during brown rot decay
2001 - IRG/WP 01-20219
Incipient decay of wood by brown rot fungi causes measurable strength losses in wood before measurable weight loss occurs. Previous studies have shown that the high levels of strength loss that occur during incipient brown rot decay may be related to loss in hemicellulose. This paper investigates the effect of decay on hemicellulose composition and the relationship to the mechanical properties of ...
S F Curling, C A Clausen, J E Winandy


Field stake test assessment with the Pilodyn
1980 - IRG/WP 2136
The Pilodyn, which was originally developed to estimate the degree of soft rot in wooden poles, was thought to have potential for giving a quantitative measure of the extent or depth of decay in field test stakes. In the present work a 2-joule Pilodyn with 2.0-mm diameter pin was used in an attempt to limit depth of pin penetration (to 10-15 mm) without reducing scale sensitivity. The results show...
M E Hedley, R W Naish


Paper for discussion - Incising of spruce to improve preservative penetration
1973 - IRG/WP 318
Large quantities of whitewood or Norway spruce (Picea abies) are regularly imported into the United Kingdom from continental Europe. In addition, increasing amounts of Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) are likely to become available over the next decade from the Forestry Commission. In many ways spruce is a good structural timber, eg it is relatively cheap and easily available, it has adequate stren...
W B Banks


Acetylated solid wood. Laboratory durability test (part 2) and field trials
1995 - IRG/WP 95-40048
Degradation of acetylated beech, pine and poplar by soft rot fungi was related to strength loss in a laboratory test. No strength loss was noticed for poplar acetylated to a weight percent gain (WPG) of more than 11.2% and beech with a WPG of 12.8%. Several field trials were set up to determine the durability of acetylated products in practice. They included a field test to determine the durabilit...
E P J Beckers, H Militz, M Stevens


Internal pressure monitoring during the treatment of Pinus radiata (D. Don)
1995 - IRG/WP 95-40049
The use of micro-transducers to monitor the internal pressure of wood during treatment is investigated. The rates of pressure transfer in radiata pine sapwood and heartwood are compared during Bethell treatment with copper chrome and arsenic preservative. The effect of pre-conditioning treatments are also evaluated using micro-transducer monitoring. It is anticipated that knowledge of the changes ...
P R S Cobham, P Vinden


The degradation of wood surfaces by water
1984 - IRG/WP 3289
Thin radial/longitudinal sections (~100 µ) of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) and lime (Tilia vulgaris), were exposed to deionised water over the temperature range 25-65°C. Losses in wet tensile strength and toughness occurred rapidly at temperatures from about 50°C upwards. After about 2 months' exposure pine lost some 10-30% of its tensile strength and 20-60% of its toughness. For lime...
W B Banks, P D Evans


Effect of Scytalidium lignicola on decay resistance and strength of wood
1994 - IRG/WP 94-10061
We reported previously that in laboratory tests, pretreatment of Douglas-fir and Southern Pine blocks with Scytalidium lignicola prevented decay. In the present work, we determined 1) the ability of Scytalidium lignicola to colonize and survive in wood exposed in the field, 2) the decay resistance of blocks removed from previously treated Scytalidium lignicola wood and 3) the effect of Scytalidium...
T L Highley


A novel device for detecting internal defects in wooden poles
1989 - IRG/WP 2329
The diagnosis of internal defects caused by termites and decay in hardwood transmission poles has been investigated using a novel Automatic Feed Drill (AFD) pole testing device. Internal defects were recognised by changes in drill feed-rate as the automatic air-driven drill traversed its 100 mm working stroke. The instrument is portable, simple to operate and recognises defects instantaneously. Te...
R A Eaton, R S Johnstone


The use of the Shigometer® and Pilodyn® as non-destructive test methods for detecting decay in CCA treated eucalypt poles
1981 - IRG/WP 2153
The groundline condition of sixty C.C.A. treated eucalypt poles comprising six different species was examined using the Pilodyn® and Shigometer®. Although sensitive to the presence of soft-rot decay, the Shigometer® would seem to offer little practical advantage in the eucalypt soft-rot decay situation, since a comparable visual examination could reveal the presence and extent of decay. Initial...
L E Leightley


Evaluation of the pulsed-current resistance meter (Shigometer®) for determination of the internal condition of utility poles
1979 - IRG/WP 2128
A number of Telecom poles, which had been removed from service to be replaced by a radio link, were inspected using an electrical resistance meter (Shigometer®). These poles were creosoted, non-durable Victorian species in service in New South Wales. Six of these poles, chosen to represent various internal conditions typical of the range of the population tested, are discussed here. Data, from tr...
J D Thornton, W G Seaman, M McKiterick


Strength properties of preservative treated pine and spruce wood after super-heated steaming
1984 - IRG/WP 3313
Possible changes of strength properties of CCF pressure impregnated pine and spruce with subsequent steaming at 110°C respective 120°C for 30 min were examined. For spruce analysis of variance indicated that none of the processes had a significant effect on bending strength, compression strength and the corresponding modulus of elasticity as well as on impact bending strength and shear strength ...
R-D Peek


The effect of extent and location of decay on strength loss in constructional timber
1994 - IRG/WP 94-30039
Radiata pine heartwood billets, 50 x 100 x 1000 mm³ were end-sealed and treated with copper-chrome-arsenate preservative (NZ Type I) to a range of retentions and penetration patterns. Cross-sections, 10 mm thick, were cut from the centre of each billet and used for determination of preservative distribution, for preservative analysis and for decay tests. The decay test consisted of laying samples...
M E Hedley, H Bier


Effects of alkali treatment on some mechanical and chemical properties of creosote treated oaks
1991 - IRG/WP 2366
To date, there is a lack of information on the effects of chemical treatment on the performance of creosote preservative treated oak sleepers. This factorial experiment was designed to analyze three main effects: species (Quercus alba and Quercus rubra) creosote treatment (treated and untreated), and alkali (NaOH) soaking (0, 1, and 10 percent). The modulus of elasticity (MOE) and fiber stress at ...
P Chow, A J Reinschmidt, E J Barenberg, L C Chang


A laboratory technique to measure the performance of preservative treated hardwoods in ground contact
1982 - IRG/WP 2172
A laboratory technique to measure the performance of preservative treated timber in ground contact is described. It uses partially sealed blocks of timber which are treated, leached and sawn into small stakelets for soil exposure in a fungal cellar. Performance is monitored by the loss of static bending strength with time, and a simple apparatus for measuring the deflection of a stakelet under a l...
E F Baines


Application of a novel strength evaluation technique during screening of wood preservatives
1986 - IRG/WP 2262
The effectiveness of CCA and ACA in treated aspen mini stakes tested using a novel bag procedure, with unsterile soil fortified with Chaetomium globosum and Ceratocystis albida, is reported. Good agreement between toxic limits determined using the standard weight loss procedure, and those determined by the strength technique were found, with some indication that the strength loss method is more se...
J N R Ruddick


The effect of primary blue-staining fungi on the strength properties of Scots pine sapwood
2004 - IRG/WP 04-10515
The fungi action may have influence on wood properties especially Basidiomycotina fungi causing wood decay. The investigation of influence of fungi causing mainly wood discoloration and disfigurement on wood properties is still in development process. There were determined the differences between the bending strength, the compression along the grains and impact strength of control and blue stained...
A Fojutowski


Effect of kerfing on performance of Douglas-fir utility poles in the Pacific Northwest
1990 - IRG/WP 3604
Preservative treatment produces an external layer of protection in Douglas-fir poles, but the development of deep checks as the wood dries after treatment can permit entry by fungi and insects. A variety of remedial treatments can arrest this decay; however, it is far more efficient to prevent checking. Kerfing represents one potential method for limiting the development of deep checks. In previou...
J J Morrell


In-ground field test of scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) sapwood and heartwood
2004 - IRG/WP 04-30336
Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) sapwood and heartwood stakes treated with CCA-C and creosote were tested for one- year in a field plot in Bartın region in Turkey. Scots pine heartwood stakes had lower preservative retention than sapwood stakes. Bending strength of the stakes was decreased after impregnation and one-year field test. While the bending strength of untreated sapwood was 93....
H Sivrikaya, H Hafizoglu


The use of spruce for transmission poles
1973 - IRG/WP 326
A series of preservative treatments with creosote using Lowry and Rueping schedules was undertaken. From these treatments the most suitable impregnation conditions for water stored Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) and Norway spruce (Picea abies) transmission poles were determined. Preservative distribution and permeability values for poles of both species were used to decide the optimum season and ...
J A Dunleavy, D J Balfe, J P Prendergast


Rapid loss of lignin at wood surfaces during natural weathering
1992 - IRG/WP 92-2390
Thin veneers of radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) were exposed to natural weathering over a period of 30 days. Incident UV radiation was monitored at the test site. FTIR internal reflectance spectroscopy was used to study the chemical changes taking place at the veneer surface during weathering. Spectra obtained show that after only 3 days exposure there was substantial delignification at veneer...
P D Evans, K J Schmalzl, A J Michell


Evaluation of a utility pole inspection procedure
1996 - IRG/WP 96-20084
Methods were developed and are currently being utilized to appraise residual strength of utility poles based on visual assessment of increment cores. Strength tests, mycological descriptions and anatomical analyses were performed on eight utility poles taken out of service and one new (never in service) pole. Samples were obtained from increment cores removed from 6 levels in the pole: 2 feet, gro...
S E Anagnost, C J K Wang


A non-pressure method of protection based on hurdle theory to control the spectrum of internal environmental factors which affect the decay of poles in soil contact
1993 - IRG/WP 93-20005
A field trial was conducted to establish whether superficial barrier linings on poles in soil contact could function as environmental hurdles against the growth of biological agents and thus provide preventative methodology to preclude premature failure of vineyard poles under flood-irrigation. Assessment after 52 weeks exposure to the prevailing conditions and sub-tropical environment showed that...
A A W Baecker


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