Abstract
The compatibility of wood from mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosa) killed lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) with Portland cement was investigated based on time-since-death as a quantitative estimator, and the presence of blue-stained sapwood, brown rot, or white rot as qualitative indicators. The exothermic behavior of cement hydration, maximum heat rate, time to reach this maximum, and total heat released within a 3.5–24 h interval were used for defining a new wood-cement compatibility index (CX). CX was developed and accounted for large discrepancies in assessing wood-cement compatibility compared to the previous methods. Using CX, no significant differences were found between fresh or beetle-killed wood with respect to the suitability for cement; except for the white rot samples which reached or exceeded the levels of incompatibility. An outstanding physicochemical behavior was also found for blue-stained sapwood and cement, producing significantly higher compatibility indices.
Highlights
Wood-cement composites are widely utilized in many countries for both interior and exterior applications because of their strength properties for building materials and for acoustic properties such as in highway sound barriers [1]
The approach used for calculating CA was based on the comparison between wood-cement mixtures and neat cement paste with respect to the total heat released within 3.5–24 h interval
Accelerator agents could alter the Compatibility Index (CI), since the agents only reduce the time of setting of cement; and, they artificially increase the value of the index, meant to be an overall compatibility assessor
Summary
Wood-cement composites are widely utilized in many countries for both interior and exterior applications because of their strength properties for building materials (e.g., siding, roofing, cladding, fencing and sub-flooring) and for acoustic properties such as in highway sound barriers [1]. These composites have unique advantages over other conventional materials, including durability, fire resistance, workability, and resistance to fungal and termite attack. Two main factors that affect the chemical interaction of beetle-killed wood with Portland cement are the improvement with the decrease in extractives amount and the reduction by decay through accumulation of many byproducts of the rotten wood
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