Merging State-of-the-Art Research with Modern Practices to Improve the Quality of Wood Structures Exposed to Decay Fungi

The precision of wood construction and quality of wood structures are perceived as being lower than those of steel, and reinforced concrete, and masonry structures. These latter materials have well-established, detailed standards of practice, where the existing standards for wood are mostly product-specific and aimed at manufacturing tolerances and methods. Forensic studies conducted on wood structures substantiates this perception, more often pointing to poor construction execution or material specification in lieu of a flawed design. This paper examines the role of damage mechanisms caused by decay fungi. The state of the art in research regarding non-destructive detection and wood preservation is briefly reviewed, followed by a review of the state of current practices regarding the biodeterioration of structural wood by decay fungi, including initial deterioration identification, determination of decay severity, and damage mitigation measures. A case study of multiple residential condominium buildings is included to highlight these processes. Leveraging findings from research, practice, and the case studies, preliminary recommendations are offered for adoption into a standard of practice for wood structures for design, construction, and service.