Ten-year performance of shell-treated wooden deck

Abstract

"The performance of a wooden deck made of refractory materials that have difficulties in achieving target penetrations as stipulated in the specification and quality standards for treated wood in Korea, was assessed via a case study in this research. A wooden deck built in Jinju in 2009 was selected for this study because of its fabrication method using pressure and treated refractory materials. The penetration and retention analysis did not satisfy the domestic standard for treated wood. Inspection of the deck in 2019 revealed that the deck had been attacked by decay fungi. Cap rails showed much deeper and wider checking on their surface compared with the top and base rails, resulting in a severe fungal attack. The decking boards exhibited severe fungal decay primarily in the end parts. However, the rails and balusters without checks and posts were virtually free of fungal attack irrespective of the preservative penetration measures. Copper content in the soil 5 cm away from the deck was less than 150 mg/kg, implying that copper movement in the soil was very limited. These results suggest that the inhibition of surface propagation and the protection of end surfaces are essential factors in increasing the longevity of treated wooden decks; further, the results also showed that the deck was within an acceptable range from the point of copper contamination. ? 2019, Korean Society of Wood Science Technology. All rights reserved.