TECHNICAL COMMISSION 1 - TIMBER AND TIMBER PROTECTION

• Modified woods
• Timber constructions, extensions, finishing
• Use of thermowood
• Energy, resource management, planting and harvesting
• Built-in and freely weathered timber
• Infrastructure structures
• Building physics topics through use and application
• Fire protection measures and requirements
• Digitization Wood 4.0

Under the leadership of Dipl.-Ing. Thomas Löther und Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Erich Jelen , working group 1.9 "Decontamination" was reactivated.

The task of the group is to revise the guidelines 1-8 "Decontamination of wood contaminated with wood preservatives I: Identification and risk assessment" and 1-9 "Decontamination of wood contaminated with wood preservatives II: Depletion of wood" from 2013.

The next working group meeting is planned for the end of March in Fulda.

If you are interested in participating in this working group, please contact the office or the working group leaders directly.

The use of toxic fumigants and modified atmospheres has long been anchored in the wood preservation standard DIN 68800-T4. In the area of the WTA, the topic of fumigation has so far only been mentioned to a very limited extent in the guidelines 1-10 Special Methods in Wood Preservation Part 1: Control Methods.

Compared to fumigation, the guidelines 1-1 Hot Air have long been regarded as a proven WTA guideline in the field of control methods.

The aim of the guidelines is to provide comprehensive information on the use of fumigants in heritage conservation, including current possibilities and limitations. Similar to other guidelines, possible target organisms (e.g. animal wood pests), currently used fumigants, historical materials worthy of protection (wood, paper, books, textiles), definitions of terms, technical requirements and process control are to be addressed.

The start of the work is planned with the foundation meeting (if Corona conditionally possible) in Fulda on Tuesday, 20.07.2021.

Should you be interested in participating in this working group, please contact the office or the initiator of the working group Mr. Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Stephan Biebl.

The new working group in technical commission 1 wants to deal with the problems of contact between wood and other building materials in structures.

Timber components that rest on other building materials can be endangered by moisture conduction. This is particularly the case with mineral building materials (e.g. masonry).
The settlement of wood-destroying organisms (fungi and insects) due to an increased moisture load on the supported wood is to be examined. The causes of the damage, the organisms, their control and the constructional-technical strengthening of the building components are to be explained.

Possible components are: Beam heads, sills, wall battens, timbers in eaves areas, underlay timbers, jamb stiles, column bases, wall cladding, lambris, etc.

New regulations (DIN 68800/2) and existing WTA guidelines (8-14, 1-8, Bautechnischer Holzschutz) are taken into account.

The working group  1.10 "Timber Bearings" (currently the working title) is expected to hold its first meeting in autumn.

Initiator of the working group is Mr. Ekkehard Flohr.

If you are interested in participating, please contact the office or directly the initiator of the working group Mr. Flohr.

We look forward to your feedback! 

Timber is a fascinating building material. As a natural material, however, it has variable properties even within a trunk. On the other hand, there is an increasing belief in regulations that try to standardise this building material in terms of durability, serviceability, use class, etc.

An essential characteristic of some types of wood is the natural durability of the heartwood against environmental hazards from fungi and insects. Sapwood is never durable. However, anatomical peculiarities that lead to low water absorption also influence the durability of a component. Non-durable spruce can therefore, under certain circumstances, last longer as a window frame, for example, than a truss made of durable oak.  
In addition, reactions in the living tree, e.g. to injuries, influence the subsequent wood properties. In the practice of trade and processing, these complex interrelationships are often disregarded or even unknown.

For this reason, the working group "Timber Anatomy" (better "Durability") was founded. The aim is to present the diversity of wood properties, to show practical application possibilities and their limits on the basis of influencing parameters (moisture, time).
At the same time, new findings, e.g. on the durability of oak reaction wood, are to be collected.

If you are interested in participating, please contact the office or directly the initiator of the working group, Dr. André Peylo.

We look forward to your feedback!