Wood is very present in the structures of old buildings and real estate with historical value. Yet, as a biodegradable material, it is highly vulnerable to adverse environmental conditions, such as permanent high humidity and attacks by xylophages. Furthermore, being a natural material, wood has great potential for low-carbon building within a circular economy. To preserve historical wooden structures, periodic inspections, preferably non-destructive or minimally invasive, are needed. Inspection may involve visual or resistographic testing techniques. However, both of these methods are time consuming and inaccurate. In this work, the joint use of techniques is proposed, in order to make multi-feature decisions about the repair or replacement of elements. The acoustic emission technique is proposed to determine active xylophages, the elastic wave technique to determine the dynamic elastic modulus and the resistance class, and finite element numerical modelling to determine the state of deformation and structural capacity. An old beam floor from a historic building in the center of Granada, Spain, was used as a practical case. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of a multi-analysis, instead of a single analysis, in arriving at correct decision making.

1. Timber has experienced a resurgence as a structural material in recent decades, driven largely by its sustainability attributes, including low environmental impact, carbon sequestration capabili...

The interest in fast-growing hardwood species for structural applications has increased across Europe due to the need for sustainable and locally sourced solutions. In this context, black poplar ( Populus × euramericana (Dode) Guinier) shows significant potential owing to its low density and rapid growth. This study presents the tensile mechanical characterization of the MC and Luisa Avanzo cultivars, which are widely cultivated in Spain, with the aim of assessing their structural suitability and supporting their normative inclusion. A total of 804 specimens from six plantations located in the Duero, Ebro, and Guadalquivir river basins were analyzed to determine their modulus of elasticity, tensile strength, and density, in accordance with current standards EN 408 and EN 384. The results enabled the assignment of strength class T10 to timber visually graded as MEF, meeting the regulatory requirements. The volumetric shrinkage coefficient was also determined and has been included in standard UNE 56546 as a parameter for dimensional stability. This characterization represents the first national implementation of the normative approach based on tensile testing parallel to the grain for hardwood species, using the French standard NF B 52001-1 as a reference.