Three methods--radial compression strength, color indicators of decay and micro-toughness, an examination of tracheid fracture patterns, were evaluated for detection of early decay and for application to field use. Three-eighth-inch diameter plugs 3/4-inch long, cut from the sapwood and heartwood of a Douglas-fir pole free of decay, were decayed by...
Adverse effects on mechanical properties from using a supercritical fluid (SCF) to increase preservative penetration of refractory woods were evaluated by treating small ponderosa pine sapwood specimens with supercritical carbon dioxide at 64 combinations of temperatures (35 to 80 C), pressure (1,000 to 4,000 psig), and time (0.5 to 2...
Heartwood from coastal redwood [Sequoia sempervirens (D. Don.) Endl.] is very durable and is often used untreated in harsh environments, such as cooling towers of power or chemical processing plants. Wood in this environment is often attacked by soft rot fungi. Some wood users attempt to bolster protection by including...