Treesearch

This research evaluated the mechanical and physical properties of three underutilized hardwood species according to visual lumber grades. Findings are discussed in relation to the requirements recommended such as density, modulus of rupture (MOR), and modulus of elasticity (MOE) for the manufacture of cross-laminated timber (CLT) industrial mats, which is a potential end use of low-valued hardwood species. Results showed that all species tested had an average MOE greater than that required for CLT lumber. Visual grading was an important component in strength determinations as evidenced by...

As the demand for sustainable energy and the importance of tocopherol increase, this study investigates the large-scale process model, economic analysis, optimum profitability scenario, and life cycle assessment of an integrated biodiesel production and tocopherol separation process using rapeseed oil deodorizer distillate. The primary objective is to evaluate the economic and environmental sustainability of this integrated approach. A large-scale process model was developed based on experimental data from the literature, and comprehensive assessments of technical and economic performance,...

Applications of deep eutectic solvent (DES) systems to separate lignocellulosic components are of interest to develop environmentally friendly processes and achieve efficient utilization of biomass. To enhance the performance of a binary neutral DES (glycerol:guanidine hydrochloride), various Lewis acids (e.g., AlCl3⋅6H2O, FeCl3⋅6H2O, etc.) were introduced to synthesize a series of ternary DES systems; these were coupled with microwave heating and applied to moso bamboo. Among the ternary DES systems evaluated, the FeCl3-based DES effectively removed lignin (81.17%) and xylan (85.42%),...

Prior to use or sale, new termiticides must undergo a standardized test — and those efficacy data are subsequently submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA has a specific methodology that is required for testing, and the agency relies on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (FS) Forest Products Laboratory Durability and Wood Protection unit to do the work. These data are used to determine whether tested concentrations, applied in the studies as a zone of treated soil, are effective at preventing damage to test wood blocks in three field...

After wood–plastic composites (WPCs) began to be used in exterior applications, early failures were noticed, which created considerable uncertainty about how resistant these materials were to environmental factors such as fungal attack. To address these concerns, we began a research program to develop a knowledge base on the fungal durability of WPCs. This report summarizes approximately 20 years of Forest Products Laboratory research on this subject. Improved evaluation protocols along with the application of new instrumental techniques were used to better understand and assess the fungal...

What are the market conditions for woodworkers involved in the construction-based sectors and what are some of the investments being planned to improve their capabilities? For perspective, the total value of private construction (residential and nonresidential) put in place in the United States was more than $1.5 trillion dollars in 2023 ($1,541,063 million), up 4.7% from 2022 based on U.S. Census Bureau figures. This increase was driven largely by increased spending on nonresidential construction. Spending decreased for single-family housing (-13.5%) and residential improvements (-4.6%)...

This article presents and describes a dataset for the bills of materials for the buildings constructed with mass timber (MT), structural steel (SS), and reinforced concrete (RC), which are generated using Athena’s Impact Estimator for Buildings (IE4B) software to conduct a whole building life-cycle assessment (WBLCA). These data are associated with the research article Environmental Impact Assessment of Mass Timber, Structural Steel, and Reinforced Concrete Buildings Based on the 2021 International Building Code Provisions [1]. This dataset was utilized to estimate their environmental...

Biodiesel, an eco-friendly and sustainable alternative to diesel, has gained increasing interest over the past few years. The reuse of waste cooking oil as a feedstock for biodiesel production is affordable and environmentally safe. This study aimed to understand the understudied benefits of using zinc-doped biochar as a catalyst for biodiesel production. The zinc-doped biochar catalyst was characterized using techniques such as scanning electron microscope with energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDAX) analysis and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis, which revealed the morphological and...

Objective: New characterized carbohydrate-active enzymes are needed for use as tools to discriminate complex carbohydrate structural features. Fungal glycoside hydrolase family 3 (GH3) β-xylosidases have been shown to be useful for the structural elucidation of glucuronic acid (GlcA) and arabinofuranose (Araf) substituted oligoxylosides. A homolog of these GH3 fungal enzymes from the bacterium Segatella baroniae (basonym Prevotella bryantii), Xyl3C, has been previously characterized, but those studies did not address important functional specificity features. In an interest to utilize this...

Fire experiments were conducted to observe the effect of varying amounts of exposed timber wall and ceiling assemblies in a standard room-corner fire test. The standard test, NFPA 286 (Fire Tests for Evaluating Contribution of Wall and Ceiling Interior Finish to Room Fire Growth) is based on a room with a door opening at the front and a gas burner located against a back corner. Pass or fail criteria for flashover are provided for the test, with the test lasting up to a maximum of 15 min. Three experiments were conducted that comply with the 2021 International Building Code for amount of...