TOWARDS PERFORMANCE BASED DURABILITY STANDARDS FOR WOOD IN CONSTRUCTION – PART 2: CONSIDERING MOISTURE RISKS IN WOODEN COMPONENTS

Author(s): Brischke, C., Meyer, L. and Suttie, E.
Paper category: Conference
Book title: XIII International Conference on Durability of Building Materials and Components - XIII DBMC
Editor(s): Marco Quattrone, Vanderley M. John
Print ISBN: none
e-ISBN: 978-2-35158-149-0
Publication year: 2015
Pages: 53-60
Total Pages: 8
Language: English

Abstract: In the frame of the collaborative European research project “Performance standards for wood in construction – delivering customer service life needs – PerformWOOD” the immanent need for improvement of European standards dealing with wood durability has been identified. Potential of existing test protocols, but also challenges to enhance their capability to deliver performance and service life data have been investigated. One major task was a stronger emphasize on the role of moisture risk in wooden building components. A Europe wide survey among experts has been conducted to gather information about the significance of quantifying the moisture induced risk in wood durability testing and service life prediction of wooden components. Hereby the focus was on degradation by fungi and bacteria as well as on aesthetic aspects related to moulds.

This paper gives an overview of the results of this expert survey. On the one hand moisture was still felt to be inadequately considered through existing test protocols. On the other hand the outstanding role of moisture and wetting ability of wood-based products has been pointed out without fail. An inventory of standard but also non-standard laboratory and field test methods has been made. It became apparent that there exists a variety of test methods – mainly non-standardized ones – that act as makeshift to consider adequately different exposure to moisture of wood in the outdoor environment. Recommendations for future implementation of measuring moisture content and time of wetness in test standards have been developed.

Online publication: 2015
Publication Type: full_text
Public price (Euros): 0.00