Mass timber structures have the potential to change wooden construction on a global scale. Numerous mass timber high-rise buildings are in planning, under development or already built and their performance will alter how architects and engineers view wood as a material. To date, the discussion of material durability and biodegradation in these structures has been limited. While all materials can be degraded by wetting, the potential for biodegradation of wood in a mass timber building requires special consideration. Identifying and eliminating the conditions that might lead to this degradation will be critical for ensuring proper performance of wood in these structures. This article reviews and contrasts potential sources of biodegradation that exist for traditional wood construction with those in mass timber construction and identifies methods for limiting the degradation risk. Finally, future research needs are outlined.
This review article examines past and current research on the application of near-infrared (NIR) reflectance/transmittance spectroscopy (NIRS) for real-time monitoring of moisture content and density of solid wood. Most of the applications of NIRS on solid wood have focussed on the application of multivariate statistics as exploratory tools for the prediction of physical, chemical and mechanical properties, such as moisture content, density, stiffness, cellulose and lignin content. However, very few studies on the development of optical models and the use of NIRS transmittance techniques on solid wood have been reported. NIRS technology has the potential to be used as a rapid tool that could be employed for at-line measurement and monitoring of wood properties in the forest products industry.Keywords: wood properties, near-infrared spectroscopy, multivariate statistics, optical model, transmittance, reflectance résumé Cet article de revue examine la recherche passée et actuelle sur l'application de la spectroscopie proche infra-rouge en mode réflectance/transmittance pour le suivi en temps réel de la teneur en eau et de la densité du bois solide. La plupart des applications de la spectroscopie proche infra-rouge sur le bois solide ont porté sur l'application des méthodes statistiques multi-variées pour l' estimation des propriétés physiques, chimiques et mécaniques, telles que la teneur en eau, la densité, la dureté, le contenu en cellulose et en lignine. Cependant, peu d' études ont porté sur le développement de modèles optiques et sur l'utilisation de la spectroscopie proche infra-rouge en mode transmittance pour le bois solide. La spectroscopie proche infra-rouge a le potentiel d' être utilisée comme un outil rapide de mesure et suivi en temps réel des propriétés du bois dans l'industrie des produits forestiers.
Service life planning with timber requires reliable models for quantifying the effects of exposure-related parameters and the material-inherent resistance of wood against biotic agents. The Meyer-Veltrup model was the first attempt to account for inherent protective properties and the wetting ability of wood to quantify resistance of wood in a quantitative manner. Based on test data on brown, white, and soft rot as well as moisture dynamics, the decay rates of different untreated wood species were predicted relative to the reference species of Norway spruce (Picea abies). The present study aimed to validate and optimize the resistance model for a wider range of wood species including very durable species, thermally and chemically modified wood, and preservative treated wood. The general model structure was shown to also be suitable for highly durable materials, but previously defined maximum thresholds had to be adjusted (i.e., maximum values of factors accounting for wetting ability and inherent protective properties) to 18 instead of 5 compared to Norway spruce. As expected, both the enlarged span in durability and the use of numerous and partly very divergent data sources (i.e., test methods, test locations, and types of data presentation) led to a decrease in the predictive power of the model compared to the original. In addition to the need to enlarge the database quantity and improve its quality, in particular for treated wood, it might be advantageous to use separate models for untreated and treated wood as long as the effect of additional impact variables (e.g., treatment quality) can be accounted for. Nevertheless, the adapted Meyer-Veltrup model will serve as an instrument to quantify material resistance for a wide range of wood-based materials as an input for comprehensive service life prediction software.
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