Tree Risk Assessment with Sonic Tomograph Method at Bali Botanical Garden

Safety perception is the most important part of people's choice in determining tourist sites. Standing trees that are prone to falling are very dangerous for both visitors and employees. Standing tree with decay wood inside is often the cause of tree failure. Therefore, there is a need for research examining the risk of collection and non-collection trees in Bali Botanical Garden. Tree risk checks were carried out using the Tree Risk Assessment method from the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), which has been modified. The result of this research gives valuable information for the manager to determine tree handling to minimize tree risk.

Factory-mounted and retrofit passive resistance sensors adapted to monitor moisture content in timber bridges

The biggest threats to the longevity of a timber bridge are rot and decay. Wood protection by design, inspections, and monitoring of the bridge for elevated moisture content will ensure that the full service life of the structure can be achieved. Today’s sensors for moisture content measurements are limited in their functionality and range. This paper presents a sensor that can be both factory installed and retrofitted, which can measure the moisture content through the cross-section of the member in a timber bridge. The sensor has been mounted on Sundbron bridge during manufacturing and retrofitted on Gislaved bridge. The ensuing measurements helped to adjust a design flaw on Gislaved bridge. Monitoring of Sundbron showed that the bridge deck dried up after the bridge had been exposed to sleet and snow during the on-site assembly of the stress laminated bridge deck.

Wood Changes in Four Size Classes of Fire-Killed Western Larch

Four size classes (8–12, 12.1–16, 16.1–20, and 20.1+ in. dbh) of fire-killed western larch (Larix occidentalis) were monitored and dissected over a 5-year period to assess causes and rates ofpostfire wood changes. Defect and merchantable volume were assessed by a certified scaler during the first 3 years. A greater proportion of wood volume in small trees was affected by decay, wood borers, and checks than in the large trees. Half of the 8‐12 in. dbh size class wood volumewas lost to postfire defects, whereas less than 15% of the 20.1+ in. dbh size class wood volume was lost to postfire defects after 3 years.

Ability of isolates of Confertobasidiumolivaceo-album to stain and decay wood

Ten isolates of Confertobasidiumolivaceo-album (Bourd. & Galz.) Jülich (Corticiumfuscostratum Burt) were tested to determine optimum temperature for growth and capability to stain and decay wood. Optimum growth temperature for the majority of the isolates was 22 °C. Decay rates for all isolates were uniformly low, and after 12 weeks of incubation, weight loss was never more than 5%. Decay was greater in pine heartwood than in sapwood, averaging 3.7–3.9% and 2.2–2.3%, respectively. Little or no difference in decay rate occurred between soil-block tests at 22 °C and at 27 °C. Two of the 10 isolates caused a golden-orange stain in pine heartwood.