Detection and assessment of wood decay using X-ray computer tomography

Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) wood cube specimens were exposed to Gloeophyllum fungus (Gloeophyllum trabeum) for increasing periods of time ranging from one week to twelve weeks. The corresponding mass of each of these specimens was recorded before and after they were subjected to the controlled decay. X-ray computed tomography (CT) was then carried out. From the CT scans and recorded mass data, the specimens' corresponding volumes and densities were calculated. Blocks decayed for twelve weeks experienced, on the average, the greatest loss of mass (≈40%), volume (≈30%), and density (≈37%). The observations quantified the well-known effect of non-uniform decay, with the greatest occurring at the surface in contact with the fungi and decreasing to the opposite surface. Wood blocks subjected to controlled decay for twelve weeks lost 47% of density at the surface in contact with the fungi and 28% at the opposite surface, while blocks subjected to only one week of decay experienced over 5% density loss at the surface in contact with fungi and nearly 0% at the opposite surface. While the mass loss of specimens exposed to only one week of controlled decay was difficult to evaluate because of initial moisture absorption, these results indicate that x-ray CT can detect decay in wood specimens exposed to only one week of controlled decay using density measurements.