Submerged Untreated Timber Piles Biodegradation
Submerged Untreated Timber Piles Biodegradation
(OP)
So.....
Submerged Untreated Timber Piles doing a condition assessment of. Biodegredation, biodeterioration, bacterial wood degradation would seem to be a relatively new, 10 or so years, condition coming out of Holland and based on a large scale assessment of submerged untreated timber piles under many many of their buildings. The cellulose structure of the sap wood deteriorates, for a number of reasons, despite the pile being submerged, articles also show up in the mag Structure June 2007, and especially Dec 2013. Typically the opinion has been that as long as the pile is submerged it can't deteriorate. Say it ain't so Joe.
Question is, is anybody familiar with this? Has anybody done any testing for it? Can any body name some labs that are capable of identifying/quantifying it?
Submerged Untreated Timber Piles doing a condition assessment of. Biodegredation, biodeterioration, bacterial wood degradation would seem to be a relatively new, 10 or so years, condition coming out of Holland and based on a large scale assessment of submerged untreated timber piles under many many of their buildings. The cellulose structure of the sap wood deteriorates, for a number of reasons, despite the pile being submerged, articles also show up in the mag Structure June 2007, and especially Dec 2013. Typically the opinion has been that as long as the pile is submerged it can't deteriorate. Say it ain't so Joe.
Question is, is anybody familiar with this? Has anybody done any testing for it? Can any body name some labs that are capable of identifying/quantifying it?






RE: Submerged Untreated Timber Piles Biodegradation
RE: Submerged Untreated Timber Piles Biodegradation
RE: Submerged Untreated Timber Piles Biodegradation
Cyclical wetting is the worst possible exposure, with stable dry being okay and stable wet being "good". None of those are perfect... Perfect non-rotting comes from submerged and uneaten.
Interestingly I was present for removal of the original timber piles from the Lisgar Street bridge here in Ottawa... Approx 120 years and they looked like they could be purchased at Home Depot. That was fully submerged and mud encased.
RE: Submerged Untreated Timber Piles Biodegradation
RE: Submerged Untreated Timber Piles Biodegradation
1. Treated Piling with degredatoion from rot and marine borers at the water fluctuation area, and extending up snd down from there, and
2. A 24" diameter DF pile from the turn of the century that was as good as the day it was put in, and below the water table. We used it as one of our pile to replace a one steel pipe pile after the condition and capacity were verified. That pile appeared to be untreated.
Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)
RE: Submerged Untreated Timber Piles Biodegradation
ps: We went to the San Diego Historical Society and got original photogaphs taken during the construction of this pier. Priceless!