Your search resulted in 148 documents. Displaying 25 entries per page.
Enhancing knowledge transfer in the wood protection sector
2018 - IRG/WP 18-50338
In order to meet the needs for the developing bio-based economy, maintaining and expanding the market potential for wood raw materials and wood products in indoor and outdoor construction uses remains a key activity for industries in the biotechnological and forestry sector respectively. A major restraint in this respect is the drastically deviating views and expectations on quality and performanc...
C Brischke, G Alfredsen, S Bollmus, M Humar, D Jones, L Meyer-Veltrup, L Nunes
Boron dual-treatments for Douglas-fir utility poles: Tracking boron migration over time
2019 - IRG/WP 19-30739
The potential for using boron pressure-treatment prior to over-treatment with conventional, heavy-duty wood preservatives to limit internal decay in-service was investigated in two field tests on Douglas-fir utility poles. Pole sections were pressure-treated with disodium octaborate tetrahydrate (DOT) and then over-treated with either pentachlorophenol or copper naphthenate in oil. Alternatively, ...
J Cappellazzi, M J Konkler, J J Morrell
The use of bicine and tricine as possible Maillard reagents in a combined thermal/chemical modification of beech
2019 - IRG/WP 19-40852
The effects of thermal modification have been well established, particularly in terms of reductions in mechanical performance. In recent years, there has been an increase in studies related to the Maillard reaction. More commonly associated with food chemistry, it involves the reaction of amines and reducing sugars during cooking procedures. This paper has attempted to combine the use of amines an...
D Jones, C-M Popescu, D Krzisnik, M Hocevar, M Humar, M-C Popescu
Antifouling wood matrix with natural water transfer and micro reaction channels for water treatment
2019 - IRG/WP 19-40853
Wood with abundant nutrition transport channels could be considered as a kind of natural water purifier due to quick and effective passages for separation. Nevertheless, microporosity as main porous structure of initial wood are not enough to effectively separate small molecular, such as organic dye pollutants. Meanwhile, like most filters the fouling resulting in blocking and poor water flux will...
G Liu, D Xu, S Chang, J Hu, Xianjun Li5, Y Liu
Towards better integration of wood protection in the forestry wood industry chain - a case study on hybrid poplar
2019 - IRG/WP 19-50359
Wood and wood products are limited in service life as in the forest ecosystem trees at end of their life are degraded to re-enter the bio-geochemical cycle. Humans can select wood species with a level of natural durability fit for an envisaged end use. Mainly those applications that require a long service life under conditions that are similar to those at soil level in a forest ecosystem have been...
J Van Acker
Different levels of acetylation lead to groupwise upregulation of non-enzymatic wood degradation genes of Rhodonia placenta during initial brown-rot decay
2020 - IRG/WP 20-10958
Rhodonia placenta, often used as a model fungus to represent brown rot fungi, uses a two-stepped degradation mechanism to degrade wood. Regarding the overcoming of wood protection systems the initial degradation phase seems to be the crucial point. A new laboratory test enables the separation of the non-enzymatic oxidative and the enzymatic degradation phases, which has previously been proven chal...
M Kölle, R Ringman, A Pilgård
The iron reduction by chemical components of wood blocks decayed by wood rotting fungi
2021 - IRG/WP 21-10979
Brown-rot fungi, a group of wood rotting fungi, is well known to be one of major microorganisms that cause the deterioration of wooden buildings in Japan and have been considered to use chelator-mediated Fenton (CMF) reaction in concert with hydrolytic and redox enzymes for degradation of wood cell wall. CMF can be described as a non-enzymatic degradation system that utilizes hydroxyl radicals pro...
R R Kondo, Y Horikawa, K Ando, B Goodell, M Yoshida
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
The influence of climate changes on Central European forests with an emphasis on Slovenia
2022 - IRG/WP 22-50368
When forests are managed sustainably, they play an essential role in protecting climate and biodiversity. They protect soils and water resources, provide livelihoods, and contribute to the well-being of rural and urban communities. European forests are multifunctional and provide a range of ecosystem services. These include the production of renewable materials that can replace materials with a la...
J Gričar, L Krajnc, M Westergren, S Rus, H Kraigher
A new project - Circular use of wood in Norway for improved sustainability and innovation (CircWOOD)
2022 - IRG/WP 22-50369
In Norway, around 12 m3 timber are logged each year. If our society is to succeed in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, it is expected that the need for resources will be significantly greater than that. Recycled wood will be a crucial input factor through new reuse and material recycling solutions. In order to close knowledge gaps related to the availability and quality of recycled wood, the ...
L Ross, L Huang, E Trømborg, R Modaresi, H Sjøli, C A S Hill
Time-lapse evaluation of Aureobasidium pullulans growth on selected lignin derivatives and chitosan
2024 - IRG/WP 24-11032
Wood, often referred to as the “building material of the 21st century”, has gained recognition as an attractive alternative to several traditional building solutions. To enlarge the application of wood, several properties including biotic and abiotic degradation resistance need to be improved. Consequently, new solutions are available on the market that ensure expected properties and functiona...
Gubensek, F Poohphajai, A Tosic, K Butina Ogorelek, W Pajerski, A Cernosa, V Hribljan, A Sandak
Intra-species variability of moisture dynamics in wood
2024 - IRG/WP 24-11040
Moisture dynamics of wood and wood-based materials play a major role in wood durability against different decay organisms. Their impact becomes particularly evident when wood is exposed, but not permanently wet. To date, however, this has only been taken into account indirectly and therefore inadequately when testing the durability of wood. While test methods are available, for example to determin...
C Brischke, H Purps, L Emmerich
On the use of miniaturized wood specimens in fungal decay experiments – mini-blocks versus EN 113 test specimens
2024 - IRG/WP 24-11044
Preliminary evaluation and classification of wood durability against decay fungi using laboratory monoculture experiments has been a longstanding practice because these tests offer quicker results than field tests. Various methods, including miniaturized specimen formats and different incubation periods, have been explored to expedite decay processes and assess wood preservation efficacy. The 'min...
C Brischke, G Alfredsen
International joint field trial on the moisture performance of wood – Set up and first results
2024 - IRG/WP 24-40996
Wood durability to decay stems from its inherent resistance to fungi resistance to fungi. In this regard, wood's ability to withstand moisture uptake plays an important role as the lower threshold for wood decay is a moisture content of 25%. However, the aspect of moisture resistance is not yet sufficiently emphasized as a durability factor, both in the assessment of durability as a material prope...
C Brischke, et al. (33 co-authors)
Quantitative assessment of wood preservative emissions to waterways
2024 - IRG/WP 24-50393
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Emission Scenario Document (ESD) for Wood Preservatives provides methods to quantify the release of active substances from treated wood for various scenarios including sheet pilings in a flowing waterway (OECD 2013). The ESD is used for environmental risk assessment of wood preservatives according to the Biocidal Products Regulation...
K J Rader, R Carbonaro, C Mackie
Evaluation of decay detection drill data – a semi-quantitative approach
2025 - IRG/WP 25-11067
Decay detection drilling and pick testing are common methods for evaluating decay in structural timber. In this study 63 poles in snow fence trusses at Finse in Norway, where climate change is expected to increase decay hazard, were evaluated by both drilling and pick testing. The aim of this study was to 1: assess a novel method to translate qualitative evaluation of drilling data into quantitati...
M S Austigard, J Mattsson, G Alfredsen, L Ross, N Bjerregaard Pedersen
Mineral-wood composites with improved fire properties and durability prepared through MgCO3-based mineralization
2025 - IRG/WP 25-30823
New mineral-wood composites that demonstrate improved fire properties and higher resistance to selected fungi have been prepared using an environmentally-friendly mineralisation process involving impregnation with an aqueous magnesium acetoacetate solution. MgCO3-based compounds are formed in situ, deep within the wood’s structure. We show that the new mineralisation method overcomes wood’s lo...
A Pondelak, N Knez, S D Škapin, M Humar, A S Škapin
ProFume® pre-shipment treatments of round wood against infestations with bark-breeding beetles - technical improvements
2025 - IRG/WP 25-41017
Since 2018, climate change and temperature shifts associated with this, increased the occurrence of bark-beetle induced calamity wood. Consequently, the significant Ips typographus outbreak in German spruce forests prompted harvesting, thus temporarily increasing timber market supply. This situation made Germany a key player in Europe’s log exports to China. In order to prevent the further sprea...
S Kümmritz, G M Kroos
Moisture uptake in CLT during the construction phase: real construction conditions versus specimens exposed to environment
2025 - IRG/WP 25-41019
The rapid growth in the use of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) in construction highlights the need to address durability concerns, particularly in regions with less experience in Mass Timber Construction and favourable climatic conditions for the biological degradation of wood, such as Mediterranean countries. A lack of awareness and deficient construction management can negatively impact the public ...
D Lima, S Duarte, J M Branco, L Nunes (†)
Experimental characterizing of liquid water uptake and release – key to understand moisture-induced decay risk analysis
2025 - IRG/WP 25-41020
Wood can absorb water vapour (sorption) or liquid water (capillarity). Moisture from liquid water (rain, spray water) is often a problem for the performance of wood products used in outdoor structures. Wood is prone to biodegradation when is it too moist for too long periods. Experimental studies that allow conclusions to be drawn about the practical use of wood water uptake are limited due to the...
M Nopens, J T Benthien, J Trautner, C Brischke
Biocomposites based on fungal mycelium and beech particles impregnated with BPCM (bio-phase change material) for thermal energy storage
2025 - IRG/WP 25-41034
The building sector is a major contributor to Europe's carbon emissions, and transition to a bio-based economy is essential for achieving long-term sustainability goals. The European Union has set ambitious targets for climate-neutral heating and cooling by 2050, which requires the widespread adoption of energy-efficient and environmentally friendly technologies. A key element in this transition i...
E Nigrone, F De Francesco, J Conti, M Jebrane, M Nazari, N Terziev, S Palanti
Quantitative Prediction of Latent Deterioration in Wood Coatings Using Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy and Machine Learning
2025 - IRG/WP 25-41038
Wood coatings play a vital role in prolonging the lifespan of timber structures by protecting them from environmental degradation. However, conventional evaluation methods rely on visual inspections, which cannot detect latent deterioration before visible damage occurs. This study integrates attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy with partial least squares ...
Y Teramoto
Hyperspectral imaging in qualitative and quantitative assessment of biocide treated timber
2025 - IRG/WP 25-50407
A hyperspectral camera operating in the shortwave infrared light range between 1000 – 2500 nm was used to collect spectral profiles of timber treated with different biocides and varying concentrations of a copper-ethanolamine based wood preservative. The spectra were analysed using statistical methods like principal component analysis, linear discriminant analysis, and partial least squares to a...
J Levanič, E Keržič, B Lesar, M Humar