Your search resulted in 521 documents. Displaying 25 entries per page.
Using satellite-retrieved soil moisture data to model the decay risk of in-ground timber
2022 - IRG/WP 22-20689
Satellite-derived soil moisture data from the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) was extracted for a 9 x 9 km point grid over Europe. The data was then used as input to a dose-response wood decay model based on terrestrial microcosm (TMC) tests. The resulting hazard map plotted dose as an indicator of in-ground wood decay based on differences in annual temperature and soil moisture characteristic...
P B van Niekerk, M Schönauer, B N Marais, C Brischke
Post-layup protection of mass timber elements in above ground protected exposures: 2-year results
2022 - IRG/WP 22-30766
Mass timber has seen increased use as a building material for low and mid-rise construction in recent decades. The durability of mass timber elements has not been fully examined and the effects of wood destroying organisms on this these materials merits attention. The effectiveness of currently labeled soil termiticides and passively applied biocides at post-construction or as remedial agents need...
M E Mankowski, T G Shelton, G T Kirker, J J Morrell
Green approach in wood mineralization for improvement of fire properties
2022 - IRG/WP 22-30769
Various treatments have been developed in order to improve fire properties of wood. Because the use of some flame retardants can release toxic compounds in the event of a fire, leading to poisoning or even death of people from smoke inhalation, the use of no-toxic and more ecologically acceptable flame retardants is preferable. Mineralization of wood with the incorporation of carbonates has proven...
A Pondelak, R Repič, L Škrlep, N Knez, F Knez, A S Škapin
Improving wood durability by mineralisation and thermal modification
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40948
A significant increase in the fungal durability of wood was achieved by using a modification procedure combining two environmentally friendly methods: thermal modification and mineralisation. It offers an ecological alternative to other biocidal treatments. European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and Norway spruce (Picea abies) were selected as model wood species and exposed to four different fungi: Gloe...
R Repič, A Pondelak, D Kržišnik, M Humar, A S Škapin
Field test methods as long-term aging – report of selective wood properties
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40962
Wood samples from a long-term field test are a valuable compendium of information about the material in the context of its aging processes. In the current work, wood samples from the round-robin test within the ECOMOD project were used as a material for the natural aging process (III and IV class of utility). The research scope was to determine selected properties of this wood which can be partial...
W Perdoch, M Benc, B Mazela, A Szulc, J Cegiela
Resistance of phenol formaldehyde impregnated beech (Fagus sylvativa L.) LVL against biodegradation in soil contact
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40965
Alternatives to preservative impregnation are emphasized in Germany and other European countries. Even though these treatments significantly improve wood's resistance to decay, they often do not have a beneficial impact on the dimensional stability. One alternative product, which may be used in ground contact for items like poles and railway sleepers, could be beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) laminated ...
M Slabohm, C Brischke, S Bicke, H Militz
Utilising novel service life prediction methods for robust and precise Life-Cycle-Costing (LCC)
2023 - IRG/WP 23-50384
Life-Cycle-Costing (LCC) is one of the basic indicators for the assessment of sustainability and cost effectiveness in construction applications. Project WoodLCC was thus conceived to enable LCC through input from models for detailed service life planning of wooden components and buildings. The project is a continuation of the service life planning research conducted in Europe over the last three ...
P B van Niekerk, G Alfredsen, T Kalamees, R Modaresi, A Sandak, J Niklewski, C Brischke
Cellulose nanomaterials in growth media for wood decay fungi
2024 - IRG/WP 24-11035
Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) were investigated as a partial substitution for agar in growth media for wood decay fungi. Radial growth measurements of eight basidiomycete fungi were taken on solid growth media with and without CNFs. Additionally, fungal strain virulence was evaluated using the European CSN Standard EN 113-2 wood decay durability test. The inclusion of CNFs did not significantly aff...
K M Ohno, R A Arango, R Sabo, C M Clemons, G T Kirker, A B Bishell
Cellulose nanomaterials in growth media for wood decay fungi
2024 - IRG/WP 24-11035
Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) were investigated as a partial substitution for agar in growth media for wood decay fungi. Radial growth measurements of eight basidiomycete fungi were taken on solid growth media with and without CNFs. Additionally, fungal strain virulence was evaluated using the European CSN Standard EN 113-2 wood decay durability test. The inclusion of CNFs did not significantly aff...
K M Ohno, R A Arango, R Sabo, C M Clemons, G T Kirker, A B Bishell
Laboratory and field evaluations of bio-based termiticide containing Arnica extract from Berkem Biosolutions® against native and Formosan subterranean termites
2024 - IRG/WP 24-11049
Arnica extract from Berkem Biosolutions® is a 100% plant-based ingredient, rich in active molecules, particularly polyphenols, specially adapted to the needs and challenges of termite protection. The efficacy performance of a bio-based termiticide product containing Arnica extract from Berkem Biosolutions® had been evaluated both in soil treatment and in wood protection treatment against native ...
D Messaoudi, J Curole, Q Wu
Modelling the service life of wood in ground contact – Verification of remotely sensed soil data from the reanalysis dataset ERA5-Land using in-situ measurements at a test site of utility poles in Eastern Norway
2024 - IRG/WP 24-41003
This study compared soil moisture and temperature estimates from the 5th European reanalysis (ERA5-Land) dataset with in-situ measurements to assess the accuracy and applicability of ERA5-Land data for modelling the service life of wood in ground contact. The ERA5-Land soil temperature estimates showed a moderate correlation with the in-situ temperature measurements (Spearman’s ρ of 0.73) and a...
U Hundhausen, P B van Niekerk, B Marais
Performance of Douglas-fir cross laminated timber (CLT) subjected to elevated humidity in a ground proximity field test for 6 years
2024 - IRG/WP 24-41010
The ability of insecticidal soil drenches or spray-on insecticide/fungicide treatments to protect mass timber elements exposed in a high moisture environment but out of direct soil contact was assessed using a modified AWPA ground proximity test established in 2017. Three-ply Douglas-fir CLT pieces measuring 305 x 355 x 105 mm (L x H x W) were installed at the Harrison Experimental Forest (HEF) (S...
M E Mankowski, J J Morrell, T G Shelton, G T Kirker
Structural health assessment of wood - A comparison of methods for determining the spatial spread of fungal infestation in beams and rafters
2025 - IRG/WP 25-11051
Wood decay in buildings can cause severe economic losses, require comprehensive refurbishment, and removal of decayed wooden elements from the building. The latter aims at restoring the structural integrity of the component or the entire building through replacement, and at preventing the infestation from spreading further. In practice, components are cut out of the structure to such an extent tha...
C Brischke, N Sommerfeld, E Flohr, A K Mayer, S Bollmus
Fungal degradation of oak timber bridges
2025 - IRG/WP 25-11058
Wood is increasingly recognised as an eco-friendly building material, but its organic nature makes it vulnerable to degradation, especially in outdoor applications exposed to moisture. This study investigates wood-decaying fungi affecting oak timber bridges in Hanover, Germany. The study aimed to identify the fungal species using culture-independent methods and to examine the impact of poorly exec...
L Schrader, J Trautner, C Brischke
A comparison of methods – how to achieve a robust and conclusive durability classification of wood
2025 - IRG/WP 25-11063
The biological durability of wood is a relative and unitless size, and therefore wood species and wood-based materials are assigned to durability classes (DC). In Europe, such classes are based on a variety of measures, which can be absolute or relative to a non-durable reference species. The aim of efforts to develop and standardise methods for determining biological durability should be to ensur...
C Brischke
Evaluating the Efficacy of Arnica Extract-Based Termiticide from Berkem Biosolutions® in Subterranean Termite Control: A Comprehensive Laboratory and Four-Year Field Study
2025 - IRG/WP 25-20731
Subterranean termites pose significant threats to wooden structures. This study evaluated the efficacy of a bio-based termiticide product containing Arnica extract from Berkem Biosolutions® in controlling subterranean termites in both laboratory and field conditions. The laboratory assessments utilised “the Bottle H” test unit, adhering to the Japan Wood Preservation Association (JWPA) standa...
D Messaoudi, S Khoirul Himmi, D Tarmadi, I Guswenrivo, S Yusuf
Influence of incising methods and wood moisture content on ‘deep penetration treatment’ in Japanese cedar and larch
2025 - IRG/WP 25-20749
To expand applicability of ‘deep penetration treatment’, a solvent-borne and non-pressure treatment that is commonly coupled with roller-type incising using a flat blade, we investigated drill and laser machining as alternative incising methods and examined the influence of wood moisture content on the preservative penetration. Various incising methods were applied to heartwood of Japanese ced...
S Taira, T Miyauchi, S Isaji, H Matsunaga
Non-destructive methods for field assessment of wood biodeterioration in hardwood trailer decks exposed to tropical environments
2025 - IRG/WP 25-41039
Apitong (Dipterocarpus spp.), an increasingly rare tropical hardwood from the rainforest in Southeast Asia, has long been used as decking materials for open-bed trailers and trucks across North America. As the natural population of Apitong trees steadily declines, there is an urgent need to find sustainable, domestically sourced alternatives for trailer decking. A recent project evaluated the perf...
X Wang, X Xie, G Kirker, C A Senalik
Considerations on how different preservation processing methods of logs would have different effects on wood structures
2025 - IRG/WP 25-41040
Azekura-zukuri style wood structures (hereinafter referred to as azekura-style structures) have been utilized in forest conservation projects in Japan as substitutes for concrete structures. We estimate that making use of thinned and small logs for azekura-style structures has positive impact on circular economy and carbon fixation and contributes to the biodiversity within their areas. In additio...
Y Iijima
Migration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil from creosote-treated Douglas-fir and southern pine posts in the first 12 months since installation
2025 - IRG/WP 25-50404
Creosote is a widely used industrial wood preservative largely used for infrastructure-related applications such as utility poles, railway ties, and in marine pilings for protection against fungi, insects, and marine wood borers. Creosote is a coal tar distillate consisting of a complex mixture of organic compounds that together function as a biocide. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are th...
K Quigley, G Presley
Proposal for New Evaluation Criteria for Exterior Products to Achieve a Circular Economy
2025 - IRG/WP 25-50408
In recent years, the development of laws related to the promotion of wood use in buildings in Japan has led to a significant increase in wood demand, resulting in the widespread use of various wood materials in construction. In this context, the use of preservative-treated wood, selected based on the principle of using the right material in the right place, has been emphasized. However, a systemat...
K Murakami, T Fujii, Y Iijima, T Hikiji