Assessment of decay in poplar and beech by using of x-ray non-destructive method

Radiography is a method of non-destructive for evaluating the quality of wood construction machinery in order to detect the defects due to natural degradation. The objective of this study was to investigate the assessment of Poplar (Populus deltoides) and beech (Fagus orientalis) wood defects arising from the decaying by using x-ray non-destructive method. In this study, for each of species, uncolored (no coating) and colored samples by acid catalyzed lacquers and nitrocellulose lacquers were used. Decay resistance test based on modified ASTM D1413 standard was performed. The decay process was done in the periods of 1, 2 and 3 months with use of Coriolus versicolor fungus at laboratory condition. After each of these periods, for the decay of the samples, x-ray imaging by using an imaging at the lateral, tangential and radial direction was done. Results of weight loss confirmed the presence of decay in the radiographic images. The results showed that after 1, 2 and 3 months of exposure to fungus, fungal degradation leads to weight loss in the painted and unpainted samples. So that, the weight loss caused by decay in beech was less than poplar samples. As well, the weight loss of unpainted was less than painted samples, which was also statistically significant. The x-ray results of unpainted and painted samples at the cross, tangential and radial directions indicate that decay has a more impact on beech in comparison to poplar wood structure. The study as well showed that the protective layer has partly a barrier for decay destruction in these samples.