Multifactorial analysis of wood's natural durability

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Abstract

The physical, chemical, and biological properties of 14 tropical/temperate wood species were analysed to identify the factors influencing their natural durability using principal component analysis. Wood-water interactions were assessed using contact angle measurements for wettability and impregnability tests, and by determining relative humidity and swelling coefficients. The chemical composition of the extract-free sawdust was analysed to quantify cellulose, lignin, and hemicellulose. Py-GC-MS was used to determine the polysaccharide/lignin and syringyl/guaiacyl ratios. The extractive content was obtained via Soxhlet extraction with solvents of increasing polarity. Decay resistance was evaluated on extracted and unextracted wood blocks using six fungi: three white rots (Trametes versicolor, Pleurotus ostreatus, Pycnoporus sanguineus) and three brown rots (Poria placenta, Gloeophyllum trabeum, Coniophora puteana). The inhibitory effect of sawdust extracts on fungal growth was also measured. A model predicting decay durability based on wood hydrophobicity (contact angle), polysaccharide/lignin ratio and biological reactivity of extractives towards GST can be proposed, explaining more than 83% of the observed variability (R2 = 0.83, p = 0.0003). Correlation analyses also revealed that impregnability and density were important parameters governing natural durability, confirming their multifactorial nature.

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