This paper addresses the challenges in evaluating the structural performance of built structures using non-destructive methods and in situ tests. Such an examination of structural properties, without their sampling, is a diagnostic improvement, especially for historical heritage buildings, where it is not allowed to violate their physical integrity. Therefore, the research proposes a non-destructive testing method based on the equalization of the mechanically and non-destructively determined parameters of the strength of built-in timber. The research included three phases: (1) a preliminary examination; (2) a calibration procedure of the non-destructive method, and (3) in situ application of the established non-destructive method. The preliminary examination involved testing specimens using X-rays and ultrasonic waves by directing them, analogous to mechanical testing, in the fibers’ longitudinal, radial, and tangential directions. In the second phase, it was shown that equalizing the parameters of mechanical and non-destructive testing using ultrasound and X-rays of timber was feasible. Furthermore, mechanical calibration was conducted to establish an applicable non-destructive in situ method. Finally, in the third phase, an in situ assessment of timber architectural elements confirms the effectiveness of the suggested non-destructive approach in diagnosing architectural structures.

This study aimed to compare two thermal modification (TM) schedules—with short and long heating phases—and their influence on the properties of maple (Acer pseudoplatanus L.) and ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) wood. Two TM runs were conducted in industrial conditions (open system, steam atmosphere; substantially longer method compared to the processes usually described in the literature), with the same peak phase (200 °C, 3 h), but with different heating rates—slow (1.1 °C/h) and fast (2.5 °C/h). The results revealed that both TMs significantly reduced hygroscopicity and swelling of wood, but the influence of slow heating rate—through prolonged exposure of wood to relatively high temperatures—on dimensional stability was more pronounced. The modulus of elasticity, compressive strength and Brinell hardness remained mostly unchanged after TM (except for fast-modified maple), while the modulus of rupture was strongly reduced by TM in both species. It is assumed—at least in the case of maple wood—that a combination of initial moisture content above 8% and fast heating rate during TM can cause more intensive degradation of wood polymers. Relatively small differences in colour between slow- and fast-modified wood were found. The results confirmed the hypothesis that the heating phase is an important part of the TM schedule, and it can directly affect (together with peak temperature and time) certain wood properties.

The subject of this paper is the analysis of the quality of natural and conventional drying of subfossil oak wood. In addition to the drying quality, the colour of this material, as well as the effect of the drying process on colour change have been tested. The subfossil oak logs that were used in this experiment originate from the Morava River in Central Serbia. After sawing, timber was air-dried to about 20% moisture content (MC) followed by kiln-drying to 9.5% MC. By examining the quality of air-drying of the subfossil oak wood, a high presence of cracks was found, as well as the inaccuracy of humidity measurement using electric moisture meters. The stack for kiln-drying consisted of 24 boards, of which 4 were used for the monitoring of MC and MC distribution across the thickness of plank during drying. Drying quality was evaluated after the kiln-drying process. Although mild drying conditions during kiln-drying were applied, the gap as a measure of case-hardening had a value greater than usual for oak of same thickness. It was found that the drying process has no significant effect on the change in the colour of subfossil wood. The colour of the subfossil oak wood was significantly darker than the usual oak wood, and the colour difference between the central and the outer parts of the trunk of the subfossil oak was determined.

The subject of this paper is to analyse the drying process of oak lamellas, which are the solid wood top layer of engineered wood flooring. The focus of the first part of the paper is on dehumidification kilns. Drying in a dehumidification kiln is an interesting alternative to conventional drying of thin solid oak wood with the aim of reaching high drying quality in a reasonable time. Drying tests were done in an industrial dehumidification kiln, and drying parameters were compared with the drying in the conventional kiln. Simultaneously, a drying test at a higher temperature was done in the programmable climate chamber. It was demonstrated that thin oak lamellas (approx. 5 mm thick) could be successfully dried in a dehumidification kiln in a relatively short time and with high drying quality. With the applied drying schedule (initial temperature of 36?C, final temperature of 46?C), the drying cycle will last 2 to 5 days, depending on the amount of wood and the initial MC. Due to the high rate of water evaporation and the inability of the kilns to remove it fast enough, the drying of lamellas in both dehumidification and conventional kilns takes place at a higher equilibrium moisture content than the set values.

Previous research demonstrated a link between wood strength and brightness intensity in X-ray images. Wood samples were subjected to compression testing along and across the grain, with X-ray imaging performed on the same specimens before the mechanical tests. Differences in the brightness of X-ray images of test specimens were clearly noticeable, both in relation to the type of sampled wood and depending on the specific alignment of X-ray beams relative to the direction of wood fibers in the test specimen. Since wood is an orthotropic and heterotropic material, and such findings were hypothetically expected, the final phase of establishing a non-invasive X-ray method for testing the mechanical properties of wood could be approached. This phase involves the numerical determination of the brightness intensity of X-ray images, thereby opening the possibility of correlating mechanical strength parameters of the sampled wood with the brightness parameters of its X-ray images.  Because wood has an anisotropic structural composition, it is expected that the X-ray image of the tested sample would exhibit uneven brightness. Photometric analysis of the X-ray image using computer software allows for assigning appropriate mechanical properties to each point on the image via x, y, v parameters. However, since an individual light point cannot represent the cumulative mechanical properties of the sampled test specimen, it is clear that the task at hand also includes the need for homogenizing the X-ray image. This is achievable through the program's three-dimensional approximation capabilities. The creation of a tonal grayscale through image homogenization would enable the alignment of mechanical strength parameters with brightness intensity values. This process would effectively represent the overall mechanical potential of the wood sample as a cumulative result, linking the homogenized brightness of the X-ray image with the wood’s strength characteristics.