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A biochemical explanation for the observed patterns of fungal decay in timber
1980 - IRG/WP 1111
Experiments designed to compare the degree of localization of the cellulase enzymes of some white, brown and soft rot organisms are described. The site and nature of binding of the enzymes is discussed. The technique is ellution of mycelium grown in liquid culture with a variety: of agents including acetate buffer, carboxymethyl cellulose solution, borate/glycerol buffer and urea. The mycelium was...
N B Green, D J Dickinson, J F Levy


The influence of timber species and preservative treatment on spore germination of some wood-destroying Basidiomycetes
1988 - IRG/WP 2300
Basidiospores from six wood decay fungi exhibited varying germination rates on untreated softwood and hardwood blocks. Germination inhibition of all test fungi was recorded on pine sapwood. No preference for a certain timber species by a particular fungus was evident. Whereas almost complete inhibition of germination occurred on wood treated with a quarternary-ammonium based wood preservative, mos...
B M Hegarty, G Buchwald


The effect of moisture content on the electrical resistance of timber as detected by a pulsed current reistance meter (Shigometer)
1984 - IRG/WP 2212
The literature concerning the use of the Shigometer® for detecting decay in standing trees and wood poles is reviewed and the differences of opinion over the effect of timber moisture content on electrical resistance are highlighted. A simple experiment designed to test this effect is described and the implications of the results for testing poles in service are discussed. There was a large diffe...
P I Morris, D J Dickinson


A Novel Type of Multiple Cavity Attack in Wood Cell Walls of Heat-treated Timber Exposed in Seawater – Preliminary Observations
2004 - IRG/WP 04-10523
Samples of untreated and heat-treated Norway spruce and Douglas fir were submerged in Langstone Harbour, Portsmouth for 4 years at a depth of ca. 0.3 metres. The heat-treated samples had been prepared using the Plato process. Samples were initially assessed for the severity of marine borer damage and were then examined microscopically for evidence of microbial decay. Longitudinal and transverse wo...
R A Eaton, C Björdal, T Nilsson


Natural decay resistance of some lesser known /used timber species from the forests of Tanzania
2005 - IRG/WP 05-10557
In order to manage the Tropical forest in a sustainable manner and increase the resource base for their wood industries, many Tropical African timber producing countries including Tanzania are promoting the many lesser known/used timbers in their forests as alternative sources of wood to the over-exploited primary timber species. Four lesser known/utilized timber species from the forests of Tanzan...
S A Amartey, P R Gillah, R C Ishengoma, J Gabriel, D H Kitojo


Decay resistance of coconut and rubber woods. Alternative wood species from Ghana
2006 - IRG/WP 06-10596
With the expanding local and world wide demand for tropical timbers, there is increased interest in the suitability of lesser–used timber species as alternatives for the forest based industries in order to ensure sustainable forest management. In the forests of Ghana, there are quite a number of timber species that are lesser known and have not been adequately used due to the absence of informat...
S Amartey, M Humar, B Donkor, F Pohleven


Predicting the decay resistance of timber above-ground: 1. Climate effects
2006 - IRG/WP 06-20330
Despite the benefits of using timber as a building product, it is disadvantaged by current Australian Standard durability classifications which lack the sensitivity desired by engineers and architects. To address the need for more sensitive timber service-life information in Australia, an above-ground durability research program was established in 1987. One focus of research is the relationship be...
L P Francis, J Norton


Preliminary screening of a boron based wood preservative for biological efficacy (fungicidal) in treated timber
2006 - IRG/WP 06-30396
The resistance of Pinus radiata D.Don sapwood blocks, treated with a boron based preservative, to attack by five wood destroying fungi (Fomitopsis lilacino-gilva, Coniophora olivacea, Gloeophyllum abietinum (boron resistant), Serpula lacrymans and Perenniporia tephropora) was investigated. A phenyl pyrazole termiticide (fipronil) was also incorporated into the formulation to examine if its presen...
S R Przewloka, J A Hann, P Vinden


Predicting the decay resistance of timber above-ground: 2. When can reliable field data be obtained?
2007 - IRG/WP 07-20368
Application of modern performance-based engineering and design requires building products that are thoroughly characterised in terms of their ability to perform as expected over time. The engineering community is attempting to use this information to provide predicted service-lives for various building elements. Increasingly, this service-life prediction must be based on objective measurement coup...
L P Francis, A J Swain, J J Morrell


Influence of ring width and wood density on durability of oak heartwood
2008 - IRG/WP 08-10639
Oak (Quercus sp.) is considered as one of the most durable European wood species. The most important factor influencing oak durability was extractive content. In our work, we were interested in if oak-wood durability is affected by ring-width and related density. Therefore, oak heartwood specimens made of boards with different ring widths were exposed to five different fungal species Daedelea quer...
M Humar, P Oven, F Pohleven


Molecular Methods: a Reliable Tool for the Identification of Wood Decay Fungi in Construction Timber
2008 - IRG/WP 08-20386
In the present study, we tested the practical value of several DNA-based methods to identify at the species level the most common wood-decaying fungi infecting buildings. We successfully extracted and amplified fungal DNA from pure cultures of twelve species of wood-inhabiting fungi, from oak and pine wood infected in laboratory with known strains, and from unknown field samples of wood collected ...
M Maître, M Kutnik, I Le Bayon, L Harvengt


Non-destructive evaluation of termite and decay damaged to timber-in- service
2010 - IRG/WP 10-20451
A leading joint research project was financed by the ARC, engaging some of the leading Universities in Australia, to look at field techniques to determine if timber-in-service is infested with termites and decay fungi after which microwave technology will be employed to eliminate the termites and/or decay in-situ. The next step will be to quantify the damage caused on the sectional dimensions of t...
C Adam, B M Ahmed Shiday, G Brodie


Assessment of Boracol 200RH (FrameSaver) as a remedial treatment to control decay in pre-decayed model timber frame units
2010 - IRG/WP 10-30529
Model timber frame units constructed from untreated radiata pine were pre-wetted to approximately 40% moisture content and inoculated with Coniophora puteana and Oligoporus placenta. Units were transferred to a controlled environment room maintained at 25°C and 95% RH for 7 and 10 weeks to allow two levels of decay to become established in units. Following pre-decay, units were disassembled, clea...
Mick Hedley, Dave Page, Jackie van der Waals


Durability of timber products – Part 2: Proposal for an IRGWP - Durability Database
2012 - IRG/WP 12-20497
A proposal for a web-based platform for scientific exchange of test data in the field of wood durability and wood protection has been made. The overall aim of the durability data base is to improve the usability of existing test data and to create an added value for durability research and service life prediction. The database allows for test results from standardized and non-standardized laborat...
C Brischke, L Meyer, G Alfredsen, M Humar, L Francis


Decontamination of sludges, liquids and soils polluted by “class 1, 2 & 3a” and “temporary” wood treatment products from dipping tanks
2016 - IRG/WP 16-50315
Wood is one of the most widely used building materials as it is easy to find and process. As an organic material, time leads to a degradation of its substance, and even more so when it is exposed to pathogens such as fungi, bacteria and insects. In order to try and inhibit this phenomenon, several preservation treatments have been developed and applied thanks to the production of chemical biocides...
A Zaremski, E Wozniak, S Maman, C Zaremski, S Morel


Oak maturation casks at the Rodenbach brewery, an industrial heritage of the Flemish Community requiring protective measures
2017 - IRG/WP 17-10898
Brewery Rodenbach has world-renowned cask halls with close to 300 oak casks, some of these big maturation casks are 150 years old and this is protected as part of the industrial heritage of the Flemish Community. Since some of these maturation casks or “foeders” were the last decades no longer fully in use some parameters of their physical condition might have increased incidence of fungal dec...
J Van Acker, I De Windt, R Ghequire


Laboratory test to determine the effect on durability of combining biobased building materials with timber in construction
2017 - IRG/WP 17-20604
The use of Structural Insulated panels is a construction approach that is seeing more abundant use and is becoming a widely available method. Preformed units are usually a composite structure which often include a range of bio-based materials such as timber, wool or straw. Traditional laboratory based wood decay tests do not take into account this combination of biobased materials and it may be po...
S F Curling, G A Ormondroyd


An experimental study of mould growth and wood decay in timber frame walls
2017 - IRG/WP 17-20623
This paper deals with parameters related to the occurrence of mould growth and wood decay in timber frame walls. In a first part, the hygrothermal conditions inside a timber frame wall finished with brick veneer cladding are analysed to get an idea of possible moisture related problems. It is shown that, based on the VTT mould prediction model, there is a mould risk on the interface between the in...
M Vanpachtenbeke, J Van den Bulcke, I De Windt, J Langmans, S Roels, J Van Acker


Evaluation of timber bridges with special consideration of detail design
2017 - IRG/WP 17-40781
Since 1997 the use of wood in bridge construction has been increasingly criticized by the Hamburg federal state authority supposedly because of shortened service life due to decay. With regard to wood research, however, it is often suggested that use of timber is suitable for weathered structures as long as constructive protection measures will be observed. In order to unravel the reasons for the ...
K Robbers, J Fromm, E Melcher


Impact of sapwood portions on the durability of adjacent heartwood of Pinus sylvestris, Pseudotsuga menziesii and Quercus robur. Part 1: Laboratory studies
2018 - IRG/WP 18-10922
Sapwood is generally considered as non-durable and assigned to durability class DC 5 according to European standards independent from the wood species. It is commonly agreed that sapwood decays faster than adjacent heartwood, but it is controversially discussed whether sapwood serves as feeder material and thus accelerates onset and progress of decay in more durable heartwood or decays independent...
C Brischke, P Homann, A Gellerich


Visual assessment of longitudinal wheel timbers and assessing the feasibility of extending wheel timber service life in the UK railway network
2019 - IRG/WP 19-20651
Timber has been a versatile building material for centuries and during the start of the Railway Age in the nineteenth century it was in considerable demand for use in the railway network, particularly bridge building. Timber is still in service and widely used throughout the UK railway network. The resilience and favourable strength to weight ratio and its relative ease of fabrication make it an...
J R Williams


Development of accelerated decay test for CLT using a fungus grown on agar medium
2019 - IRG/WP 19-20664
CLT is a large-scale wooden board which consists of several layers of sawn lumber stacked in altering directions. Therefore, a lot of large cross sections appear on all narrow faces of CLT. As water penetrates easily into timber from cross section, wooden material whose cross section is exposed to water in in a usage environment is susceptible to deterioration by organisms. Wood deterioration orga...
T Miyauchi, K Kambara, W Ohmura, T Mori, H Matsunaga, N Hattori


Preservative Treatment of CLT: An Example at Shimojishima Airport
2019 - IRG/WP 19-30748
Cross laminated timber (CLT) is a relatively new construction method that allows multi-storey construction using solid wood instead of concrete or steel. It is a method favoured by progressive architects and recognized for its much lower environmental footprint. Wood is an excellent construction material and is a long-term carbon sink that also performs well in the event of earthquakes and fire....
J Lloyd, N Yamashita, A Taylor


Durability testing of mass timber building elements: a call for a collaborative trial
2019 - IRG/WP 19-40875
Mass timber buildings have captured the imagination of architects and engineers seeking more environmentally friendly building materials. The mass timber movement has tremendous potential to markedly increase timber use in mid-rise to high rise buildings. With great promise, however, comes great risk. Most mass timber structures that have been built or are being planned use no protective treatm...
J J Morrell


Fungal damages in Norwegian massive timber elements – causes and measures
2019 - IRG/WP 19-40879
Massive wood elements are relatively new in Norway but the use is growing quickly, primarily the use of cross-laminated timber (CLT). Moisture performance of massive timber elements has been examined by some researchers, but more knowledge is needed. There is uncertainty regarding the need for vapour barriers or retarders in roof assemblies, and for practical reasons buildings are rarely assembled...
M S Austigard, J Mattsson


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