Evaluation of wooden materials deteriorated by marine-wood boring organisms in the Black Sea

H Sivrikaya,H Militz,S.M Cragg,L.M.S Borges,H Hafizoglu,C Mai,A Carrillo

doi:10.4067/s0718-221x2012000100007

Abstract

Marine borers can destroy wooden structures exposed to the marine environment and cause great monetary loss. In the region of Amasra of the Black Sea in Turkey, ships continue to be built from wood, mainly Castanea sativa (sweet chestnut) and Quercus petraea (sessile oak) and therefore are subject to destruction by marine borers. Copper-chromium-arsenic (CCA), used to be one of the most common wood preservatives used in Turkey. However, in this area its ecacy against mari- ne borers is unknown. � e resistance of untreated and CCA-treated samples of chestnut, oak and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) was examined and aer twelve months evaluated in two ways, EN 275, and a non-destructive measurement for dynamic modulus of elasticity (MOE). Untreated samples, particularly Scots pine were severely attacked by Teredo navalis. Treated samples of oak and chestnut were moderately attacked while treated samples of Scots pine sapwood and heartwood were sound. Severity of wood boring attack determined using MOE showed a very good correlation with that de- termined by visual assessment in untreated wood, and a good correlation for treated wood. Dynamic MOE allows rapid on-site evaluation rather than measurements within a laboratory and also without causing damage to the structures being evaluated.

Highlights

Timber has been used as a construction material in the marine environment for centuries
Assessment of CCA retention in test panels e retention of CCA, shown both in kg m-3 and weight percent gain (WPG) varied according to species and wood type (Table 1). e retention in P. sylvestris was much higher in sapwood than heartwood
Resistance of the wood to Teredo navalis e untreated wood species submitted to the marine trial in Amasra Bay (Table 1) showed little resistance to Teredo navalis, the only wood boring species found in the area

Summary

Introduction

Timber has been used as a construction material in the marine environment for centuries. Chestnut less common in Turkey, involving 1.4 % of the total forest area of Turkey (OGM 2007) is widely used in the Black Sea region for the major parts of the yacht and boat building as well as to the constructions such as pier and jetty. Both oak and chestnut are rich in extractives, which makes them resistant to some wood-degrading organisms (Nicholas 1973).

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