The Institute of Wood Science (IWSc) was incorporated in the United Kingdom in November 1955, and the first IWSc Branch, ‘The Institute of Wood Science Liverpool and District Branch’, was formed on 13 February 1957. The Liverpool Branch, based in the north-west of England, was a microcosm of the national institute, with managing committees, meetings, talks and conferences, all with the aim of educating and informing and communicating about timber, wood science and wood technology. The growth and decline of the Branch also mirrored the national trends. The Liverpool Branch officially ceased in 2009 when the IWSc merged with the Institute for Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3).
This study investigated the influence of radial and axial positions on variations in moisture content, density and swelling characteristics of Nauclea diderrichii wood using ASTM D 4442-84, ASTM D 2395 and ISO 13061-15 protocols, respectively. Five trees were sampled at 10%, 30%, 50%, 70% and 90% of merchantable height, with specimens obtained from the core, middle and outerwood regions. Density, oven-dry moisture content and swelling properties were determined. Data were analysed using two-way analysis of variance at the 0.05 probability level. Mean density ranged from 629.53 kg/m³ in corewood to 705.17 kg/m³ in outerwood. Density was significantly influenced by both radial and axial positions, while moisture content (10.14–11.17%) was not influenced. The coefficient of anisotropy ranged from 1.45 to 2.05, while 14-day volumetric swelling varied between 20.08% and 24.80%, indicating moderate dimensional stability. These findings highlight the need for position-based material selection to optimise wood performance in structural applications.
Biochar is a sustainable, eco-friendly, and cost-effective material that has gained considerable interest for its potential as an efficient adsorbent. Its pore and surface characteristics are greatly influenced by the choice of biomass source and activation conditions, with temperature and time emerging as pivotal factors in determining biochar's structural characteristics. This study investigates how physical activation temperature and time impact the pore structure, surface area, and adsorption capabilities of biochar derived from Loblolly pine. Biochar samples were physically activated under nitrogen (N 2 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) atmospheres at temperatures ranging from 550 °C to 850 °C and activation times from 1 h to 3 h. N 2 was utilised as an inert purge gas during the thermochemical conversion, while CO 2 was introduced exclusively at the target temperature to serve as the physical activating agent. Results indicate that increased activation temperature and time improved the pore and surface characteristics of the biochar. The N 2 adsorption isotherms exhibited Type I characteristics, confirming a predominantly microporous structure, with mesopore development at higher activation conditions. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area and pore volume increased with both temperature and time, reaching a maximum of 756.33 m 2 /g and 0.39 cm 3 /g, respectively, at 850 °C and 3 h. The proximate analysis demonstrated that the precursor maintained exceptionally low ash content (≤ 2.13 wt-%) while yielding a highly carbonaceous matrix (fixed carbon up to 85.74 wt-%). Prolonged activation increased carbon content and reduced volatile matter, enhancing the material's structural stability. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis demonstrated the development of porous structures at higher magnifications. These findings underscore the effectiveness of physical activation in refining the pore structure and adsorption capabilities of activated biochar, offering valuable insights for optimising its use as a sustainable and efficient adsorbent.
Reliable assessment of aging timber infrastructure requires methods that detect internal deterioration and translate material degradation into engineering-scale structural information. Ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation (NDE) is widely used for timber condition assessment and material characterization, yet its engineering application and translation towards structural assessment have not been systematically quantified. This study presents a bibliometric, science-mapping and critical analysis of ultrasonic timber NDE, focusing on its temporal evolution, thematic structure, methodological development and engineering translation. Bibliographic data were retrieved from Scopus (1988–2026) and analyzed using descriptive statistics and VOSviewer-based network visualization. Progressive screening reduced the literature from 7443 records in the broad timber degradation and structural-performance corpus to 177 ultrasonic timber NDE studies and 31 engineering-relevant studies. Within the 31-study corpus, 14 studies (45.2%) addressed defect, deterioration or condition assessment, 12 (38.7%) focused on mechanical-property estimation and 5 (16.1%) addressed member-, component- or structural-condition assessment; overall, 26 studies (83.9%) remained concentrated on diagnosis or material-property characterization. Temporal and thematic mapping shows methodological expansion towards tomography, guided waves, advanced signal processing, machine-learning-assisted interpretation and structural health monitoring, but limited validated translation into structural-performance assessment. Submerged timber pile assessment was examined as a focused engineering context within these gaps. Only 1 of 31 core studies (3.2%) directly addressed permanently waterlogged timber foundation piles, while evidence on ultrasonic pile assessment, moisture-dependent response, waterlogged deterioration and ultrasonic–mechanical-property relationships remains distributed across separate studies. No study integrates environmental exposure, ultrasonic response, deterioration, effective mechanical properties and structural performance (0/31). The findings identify an evidence-based translation gap rather than an absence of ultrasonic capability and establish a prospective pathway from environmental exposure and ultrasonic response to deterioration, effective properties, structural response/capacity and reliability-based assessment. Validation under representative submerged conditions is required to establish these interfaces.
Forest plantations are strategically vital for Malaysia's sustainable wood supply amid declining natural forests. While studies cover productivity, biodiversity, and livelihoods, no comprehensive synthesis integrates economic, environmental, and social dimensions for wood utilisation. This systematic literature review synthesises evidence on Malaysian forest plantation development, identifying opportunities and barriers to wood use while preserving environmental integrity and social welfare. Following PRISMA guidelines, we searched Web of Science, Scopus, CAB Abstracts, Google Scholar, and regional repositories (1990–2024) using controlled keywords on Malaysian plantations, sustainable forestry, and wood use. Adapted GRADE criteria assessed quality; thematic analysis spanned technical, economic, environmental, social, and governance dimensions. Forty-eight studies met inclusion. Findings highlight plantations’ potential for wood demand fulfillment and carbon sequestration, but challenges persist: technical productivity limits; low smallholder participation despite policies; monoculture biodiversity risks; governance fragmentation; and poor economic viability for small producers. Key solutions include diversified systems, increased research, and better institutional coordination. Results support SDG 12 (sustainable timber supply), SDG 13 (carbon sequestration), SDG 15 (biodiversity), and SDG 8 (rural jobs and livelihoods).
