ASTM_D_2017_-_05.pdf

Designation:D 2017 05Standard Test Method ofAccelerated Laboratory Test of Natural Decay Resistance ofWoods1This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 2017;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon(e)indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This test method covers the evaluation of the naturaldecay resistance of wood.The test method may also be used toevaluate the resistance of wood products or of other organicmaterials subject to decay by wood-destroying fungi,such asthose employed in the test.1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.2.Referenced Documents2.1ASTM Standards:2D 1413 Test Method for Wood Preservatives by LaboratorySoil-Block CulturesD 3507 Test Method for Preservative Penetration and Dif-ferentiating between Heartwood and Sapwood3.Significance and Use3.1 This test method is useful in determining the relativedecay resistance between various species of wood.It is aninitial means of estimating the ability of a wood species toresist severe microbial attack and,thereby,qualifying theperformance level of a wood species.3.2 This test method is not intended to provide quantifiablyreproducible values.It is a qualitative test method designed toprovide a reproducible means of establishing relative decayresistance between various species of wood.4.Summary of Test Method4.1 Wood samples in the form of small blocks that representthe timber species or product to be evaluated are exposed indecay chambers to pure cultures of decay fungi.The decayfungi are grown on a feeder strip of decay-susceptible wood oron filter paper placed on the substrate in the chamber.The testblocks are weighed before and after exposure,and any loss inweight is the measure of decay susceptibility or resistance ofthe wood.The test is terminated when nondurable,woodreference blocks indicate a weight loss of 50%or greater,orafter 16 weeks.It is permitted to extend the test beyond the16-week period for special investigations.5.Apparatus5.1 Conditioning Chamber or Room,maintained at a se-lected temperature between 20 and 30C and a selected relativehumidity between 25 and 75%The selected temperature shallnot vary more than 61C and the selected humidity not morethan 6 2%.It may be advantageous to have the sametemperature and relative humidity as specified for the incuba-tion room(5.2)3.5.2 Incubation Room(or cabinets),with temperature main-tained at a selected temperature between 25 and 27C and arelative humidity between 65 and 75%.The selected tempera-ture shall not vary more than 61C and the relative humidityby 62%.5.3 Balance,direct-reading type preferred,sensitive to 0.01g.5.4 Trays,made from screening that permits free air move-ment around each block during initial drying and for conve-nient handling of the test blocks.5.5 Culture Bottles,cylindrical or square 225 mL,or cylin-drical 450 mL with a mouth diameter of at least 32 mm andfitted with metal screw caps free of cap liners(Fig.1).Analternate lid using a 25 mm autoclavable filter with a pore sizeof 0.2 microns is acceptable to reduce or prevent miteinfestation for the duration of the test.The lids are prepared byfirst drilling a centered 0.64 mm hole,then lightly sanding theinterior of the lid with medium grit paper to ensure adhesion.The filter is glued on the inside using a small amount of hightemperature silicon or slow curing epoxy.Allow the adhesiveto cure overnight.1This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D07 on Woodand is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D07.06 on Treatments for WoodProducts.Current edition approved Sept.15,2005.Published October 2005.Originallyapproved in 1962.Discontinued in July 2003 and reinstated as D 2017 05.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.3For a simple apparatus for relative humidity control,see Scheffer,T.C.,“Humidity Controls for Conditioning Rooms,”Forest Products Laboratory ReportNo.2048,USDA,Forest Service,January 1956.Small centrifugally actuated mistdispensers used for humidification in homes have been found satisfactory for thispurpose.1Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959,United States.Licensed?by?WEX?to?AMERICAN?UNIVERSITY?OF?BEIRUT.?Downloaded:?9/3/200710:41:16PM?single-user?license?only,?copying?and?networking?prohibited.?/5.6 Steam Sterilizer5.7 Conventional equipment and glassware for cult