IRG Documents Database and Compendium


Search and Download IRG Documents:



Between and , sort by


Displaying your search results

Your search resulted in 218 documents. Displaying 25 entries per page.


Improvement of short rotation teak wood properties through thermal modification
2018 - IRG/WP 18-40842
Teak (Tectona grandis L.f) is one of the most popular tropical timber species. Nowadays, the source of long rotation teak is limited in the availability. Many wood processing industries use short rotation teak, which has lower quality especially in durability and dimensional stability. Heat treatment is an eco-friendly method improving dimensional stability and durability of wood. The objectives o...
L A Pratiwi, I W Darmawan, B George, A Merlin, C Gérardin, S Dumarçay, T Priadi, P Gérardin


Natural durability of four Tunisian Eucalyptus wood species and their respective compositions in extractives
2019 - IRG/WP 19-10942
In the 50’s, Tunisia government introduced more than 11 Eucalyptus wood species. Eucalyptus species were planted in Tunisia in different arboreta throughout the country for close observation and adaptation to climate and soil. These fast-growing wood species were mainly used as fire wood, for the production of mine wood and to fight against the erosion. These tree species were adapted themselve...
S Ben Ayed, M T Elaieb, S Dumarçay, B De Freitas Homen De Faria, M-F Thévenon, P Gerardin, K Candelier


Using X-ray micro-CT to evaluate density loss in anobiid infested wood
2019 - IRG/WP 19-10956
Considering the relevance of wood borers in construction, the present study had as main objective the evaluation of the impact of anobiid damage on timber elements by establishing an empirical correlation between lost material percentage (LM%, consumed by beetles) and apparent density (original – OTD and residual – RTD). Since the beetles’ attack produces a diffuse damage with a set of tunne...
J L Parracha, M F Pereira, A Maurício, P Faria, L Nunes


Validation by micro-computed tomography of an assessment method to measure the residual strength of anobiids infested timber
2019 - IRG/WP 19-20650
In this article a quantitative correlation study of pine timber structural elements, which have been subject to attack by anobiids, is presented. The main objective of the study was to establish a valid empirical correlation between the lost material percentage (consumed by beetles) and original/residual apparent density. Since the beetles’ attack produces a diffuse damage with a set of tunnels ...
J L Parracha, M F Pereira, A Maurício, P Faria, L Nunes


The development of a suitable fire retardant for Radiata pine and other species
2019 - IRG/WP 19-30744
The use of fire retardant chemicals, with the overarching aim of creating a safer environment is not a new one, however it is generally under-developed and is often afflicted with an image of environmental and health issues and misperceived high costs. There is an ever-increasing need and desire for effective fire retardancy in timbers to inhibit or suppress the combustion process. This is paramou...
B R Derham, M R Fortune


Improvement of wood decay and termite durability resulting from combined treatments based on borax/phenol-formaldehyde impregnation followed by thermal modification
2019 - IRG/WP 19-40871
This study determined the factors influencing the boron content after leaching of pine blocks impregnated with aqueous solution of phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin with or without borax and subjected to heat treatment by response surface methodology. An experimental design permits to analyze the effects of heat treatment temperature (150, 185 and 220°C), curing time (5, 12, 5 and 20 hours), resin c...
S Salman, M-F Thevenon, A Petrissans, S Dumarcay, P Gerardin


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


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


Effect of Heat Treatment on Physical and Mechanical Properties of Oriental Beech Wood (Fagus orientalis L.)
2021 - IRG/WP 21-40923
The present study aims to investigate the influence of heat treatment on physical and mechanical properties of Oriental beech wood (Fagus orientalis Lipsky.). Samples were exposed to temperature levels of 130˚C, 160˚C, and 190˚C for 3, 6, and 9 h. Selected physical and mechanical properties including compression strength parallel to grain, compression strength perpendicular to grain, bending st...
M D Ghalehno, D Chu, B N Sheshkal, M Humar, M Bahmani


Significance of the thermal design and the sorption isotherm shape in hygroscopic wood moisture dynamics and service life
2022 - IRG/WP 22-20682
Moisture dynamics are considered important for predicting the service performance of wood in exterior applications. Above a critical moisture content, water acts a softener on the structural polymer matrix of the wood cell wall, enabling the necessary diffusion of molecular species involved in the fungal degradation mechanism of wood. Water may enter solid wood in either liquid form or in vapor fo...
W Willems


Evaluation of the physical properties of heat-treated native Peruvian woods for their application as coverings in buildings located in in arid, semi-warm and humid climates
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40943
Wood is a material that has properties suitable for its use in construction: as a structural component, cladding or decorative element, however, it is necessary to have knowledge of its physical, mechanical and thermal properties in order to have a logical criterion when applying it. It is known that wood has hygroscopic properties, so it tends to absorb the relative humidity of the natural enviro...
K Ayala Castro, A Loayza Argüelles, V J Pilco Mamani


Evaluation of Decay Resistance for the Larch Wood Heat-treated with Superheated Steam
2022 - IRG/WP 22-40956
Heat-treatment of wood is a process that involves applying heat ranging 160–260°C to improve its physico-mechanical properties and resistance against wood rot fungi. The level of the changes in the wood properties by heat-treatment differs depending on the temperature and duration of heat-treatment, as well as the types of heat transfer media used for heat-treatment. The heat-treatment on wood ...
Y Park, S-M Yoon, H Kim, W-J Hwang


The impact of pre-drying on treatment level variations of esterified solid wood analysed by X-ray densitometry
2023 - IRG/WP 23-40977
Wood modification requires homogenous treatment levels within the wood matrix to prevent insufficiently treated areas being subject to biodeterioration. Esterification of wood by citric acid and sorbitol can show differences in density caused by uneven chemical distribution during the curing phase and can be detected by x-ray densitometry. This study used density profiling to investigate the influ...
A Treu, S O Amiandamhem, E Larnoy


Phytosanitary heat treatment of wood in a laboratory drying oven and, in a pilot-scale kiln using the house longhorn beetle (Hylotrupes bajulus) larvae as a model
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20722
International trade in wood products brings the risk of the movement of tree pests which can cause devasting ecosystem and economic damage. International phytosanitary guidelines were created to help countries that import wood products. Import requirements intend to minimize pest spreading. Thus, the ISPM 15 (International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15) which specifies the “Regulat...
B Rubio, C L’Hostis, M Montibus, I Paulmier, C Brunet, L Charron, J-P Gaussorgues, C Guiberteau, V Vlahakis, F-R de Cibon, I Le Bayon


Effectivity of zinc borate in medium density fiberboard (MDF) for ground proximity testing
2024 - IRG/WP 24-20723
Medium-density fiberboard (MDF) is one of the most used and versatile wood composites. Most of its use has been focused on interior applications. Adhesives such as p-MDI (polymeric methyl diphenyl diisocyanate) provide MDF with a better performance against moisture, but resistance against decay is also required for outdoor use. A mix of wood fibers, p-MDI, and 0.75%-1.5% of ZB was made to produce ...
S M Vega Gutierrez, T Olivadoti


Phytosanitary treatment of roundwood for oversea shipping - on the suitability of dry heat treatment as alternative to climate-change effective fumigation
2024 - IRG/WP 24-50394
The transcontinental trade of roundwood requires thorough phytosanitary treatment to protect native flora and fauna against foreign pests. This is generally done by fumigating shipping containers packed with roundwood with sulfuryl fluoride, a potent greenhouse gas. After treatment, the gas is released into the atmosphere, causing massive emissions. Since 2017, the usage of sulfuryl fluoride in th...
G Weber, L Schrader, J Trautner


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


Process Development in Continuous Wood Densification and the Influence of Ionic Liquids on Set-Recovery and Mechanical Properties
2025 - IRG/WP 25-30827
The densification of wood significantly enhances its mechanical properties, making low-density species more viable for high-performance applications. However, challenges such as set-recovery (SR) and production speed hinder large-scale adoption. This study investigates continuous surface densification using a custom-built belt press and examines the effect of chemical pre-treatment with ionic liqu...
D Jones, A Scharf, B Neyses, D Sandberg


Previous Page