Berlin Horstwalde, Germary test site

 

Site Information

Organization: Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM)
Contact person: Dr. Ina Stephan and Christian Reger
Who uses it or can use it?: Research and contract partners
Is it a contract testing site?  Yes
Location: An der Düne 44, 15837 Baruth/Mark, Germany
Coordinates: : 52.09372800 N, 13.38121700 E

 

Type of testing

Decay: EN252, Lap joint
Termites or other insects: none
Ground Contact (stakes, posts): EN252
Above Ground: Lap joint
Weathering: natural
Marine: none

 

Biodeteriogens

Type of decay: All types of rot (brown-rot, white-rot, soft-rot)
Termite species: NA
Marine Organisms: NA

 

Geophysical information

Rainfall: 580 mm (mean annual rainfall)
Temperature mean: 9,5°C (mean annual temperature)
Climate Index: humid continental climate
Soil-type: loamy sand surrounding forest, mainly Pinus sylvestris, scattered Betula verrucosa

Berlin Horstwalde field test site weather data

Additional images:

 

References:


Seasonal shifts of fungal community structure at the interface of treated or untreated wood and soil
2010 - IRG/WP 10-10721
Many wood species are degraded rapidly in soil by the fungal community. In order to preserve wood and structures in which it is used, chemical preservatives are used. Little is known about the interaction of treated wood and the surrounding soil fungal community. For this work, presented at IRG 41, wooden specimens (Pinus sylvestris sapwood, sizes 25 mm x 50 mm x 500 mm (longitudinal)) were treated with a formulation of chromium-copper-arsenic-(CCA) at two concentrations. Untreated wood of the same dimensions was used as controls. After drying and an appropriate fixation period, the specimens were buried in soi1 up to half of their length at the BAM test site in North East Germany. The interface of the wooden specimens and soil were sampled in spring, summer and autumn 2008 and the nucleic acids were extracted. The structure of fungal community was assessed by T-RFLP analyses (terminal-restriction fragment-length polymorphism) of the fungal ITS (internal transcribed spacer) region. In addition, samples were sequenced to identify fungal community members. Significant differences in the fungal community composition were detected in response to the presence (and concentration) of wood preservatives and to the season. The species identified were predominated by ascomycete fungi, and only at the actual interface of the non-preserved wood and the soil were basidiomyecte fungi detected. The interface to CCA preserved wood was composed of sequences affiliated to the genera Phoma, Peziza and Cladosporium. Patterns of the fungal communities were highly reproducible and the spatial sampling at the test site had only a minor effect on their composition.
M Noll, I Stephan


Visual Inspection – How Important is the Influence of the Evaluator?
2013 - IRG/WP 13-20521
Visual inspection is often a crucial means of judging the efficacy and performance of a preservative. It is used in non-destructive testing in long term exposure trials or simply, when the practical use and precision of the human eye is a good means of measure. As for the procedure described in EN 252, the impression of softness due to decay of the wood has also to be considered. Although, a thumb and an eye are unequivocally refined sensors, there is no method published for their calibration according to the method they are used in. So, quality assurance of visual inspection is often neglected. This paper proposes a procedure that may lead to constructive discussion and harmonisation of the interpretation of rating scales among evaluators. It is based on the experience of European countries within the Nordic Wood Preservation Council (NWPC) and CEN/TC38 WG 25 working on the clarification and correct interpretation of rating scales as in EN 252. During three workshops, practical work was performed on wood stakes from the field showing different levels of attack by fungi. In average all evaluators agreed on the evaluation in 21% of the cases, while at least one evaluator disagreed in 67%. In 12% of the cases the stake was given three different ratings. A following discussion led, in almost every case, to agreement on a rating class according to EN 252. We suggest that especially accredited laboratories that perform this type of testing regularly participate in such workshops to "calibrate" themselves with their colleagues and the intention of the standards. A procedure, as described in this paper, for performing quality improvement of the evaluation according to the rating scale could be useful as an informative annex in all standards where visual inspection is used, e.g. EN 252, EN 330 and CEN/TC 12037.
M Klamer, P Larsson Brelid, I Stephan

Comparison of Different Methods for Assessing the Performance of Preservatives in the BAM Fungus Cellar Test
1998 - IRG/WP 98-20149
The fungus cellar test is a common means to get reliable data on the long term performance of treated wood in soil contact. A constantly high humidity and a suitable of water holding capacity for a range of micro-organisms provide high decay rates in untreated wood and produce intensive microbial pressures on wood treated with biocides. Presently a range of biocides are under test in the BAM fungus cellar and the results will be presented for the following types of biocides: Tebuconazole in combination with copper and boron (5 years fungus cellar), quats with copper and boron (5 years fungus cellar) and Cu-organic compound combined with copper and boron (3 years fungus cellar). Figures will be shown on the development of the Modulus of Elasticity (MOE) over the years and on an assessment of the stakes according to EN 252.
I Stephan, M Grinda, D Rudolph


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 differs considerably in round wood and sawn wood and, furthermore, depends on the type of soil or water surrounding the wood. Within 140 years sawn scots pine sapwood can be completely destroyed by bacteria occurring below the level of the water table, whereas scots pine heartwood is remarkably durable. On sawn wood, only a small outer surface layer of the heartwood is damaged. In scots pine piles which had been installed about 110 years ago under the Reichstag building in Berlin bacterial attack produced bending strength losses of up to nearly 50% and crushing strength losses parallel to the grain of up to 55% in the outer sapwood as compared to the heartwood.
M Grinda

Some Experiences with Stake Tests at BAM Test Fields and in the BAM Fungus Cellar Part 1: Comparison of Results of Visual Assessments and Determinations of Static Moduli of Elasticity (MOE)
2005 - IRG/WP 05-20319
With examples of routine in-ground stake tests differences are shown in the performance of wood preservatives at the BAM test fields Lehre and Horstwalde and in the BAM fungus cellar. Signs of attack of micro-organisms were assessed visually according to EN 252. Periodical determinations of static moduli of elasticity (MOE) revealed the influence of the attack on the elastic properties of the wood specimens. The course of visible signs of attack and the residual MOE corresponded sufficiently in the fungus cellar. At comparable decrease rates of the MOE the visible signs of fungal attack developed slower at the test fields than in the fungus cellar. The stake dimensions distinctly influenced the accelerating effect of the fungus cellar.
M Grinda, S Göller
Some Experiences with Stake Tests at BAM Test Fields and in the BAM Fungus Cellar Part 2: Comparison of Static and Dynamic Moduli of Elasticity (MOE)
2005 - IRG/WP 05-20320
In routine in-ground stake tests of wood preservatives at the BAM test field Horstwalde and in the BAM fungus cellar periodical determinations of both static moduli of elasticity (MOE) on the basis of bending tests and dynamic MOE on the basis of the vibration method were performed as a possible method for the assessment of fungal attack. As expected from other publications, the absolute values of the dynamic MOE were higher than those of the static MOE. With the equation used for the calculation of the dynamic MOE, the differences were greater with larger specimen sizes. Sufficient correlation was observed, regarding the course of both MOE types within the test period. For both types of MOE, wood moisture contents of the stakes above the fibre saturation point were a prerequisite for the comparability of results in succeeding determinations.
M Grinda, S Göller


A field study on the suitability of the European lap-joint test
2001 - IRG/WP 01-20239
Within the framework of the European SM&T Research Project "Co-normative research on field tests for wood preservatives out of ground contact in conjunction with methods for preconditioning test specimens prior to test" (FACT) one aim was to establish the suitability of the European lap-joint test (as it is described in ENV 12037:1996) to assess wood preservatives in the field in EHC 3. Scots pine and/or spruce lap-joints treated by penetrating and/or superficial processes with three types of model preservatives were exposed at seven northern European test fields and one test field at Guadeloupe. The course of decay by wood destroying fungi and discoloration by stain fungi was assessed semi-annually over a period of now three years. The results show that the European lap-joint as such - which is smaller in size than the American lap-joint - is applicable both for testing the preventive efficacy of wood preservatives against decay fungi and against stain fungi. But depending on the local climates the method can be very time-consuming. Whereas discoloration of untreated lap-joints occurred within six month of exposure at all test sites, decay in untreated specimens was observed after six months at Guadeloupe, after one year near Paris but not within three years of exposure at Uppsala. Treated lap-joints showed early decay at Guadeloupe and relatively early decay near Paris but none or negligible decay at the other exposure sites. The rating scheme of ENV 12037 needs to be amended as to meet more specifically the patterns of discoloration and decay in practice.
M Grinda, Ö Bergman, H-V Borck, D Dickinson, P Esser, R Gründlinger, H Leithoff, S Molnar, L Paajanen, N Pfabigan, E D Suttie, F Thomassin, T Nilsson, J Van Acker, M Van Der Zee, A Voss