Research at the Laboratory of Wood Technology of Ghent University (RUG) spans four fields of wood science: wood quality, wood preservation, wood modification and wood finishing. The laboratory is headed by Prof. Dr. Ir. Joris Van Acker

To investigate the suitability of a certain wood species for a specific end-product, wood quality and physico-chemical properties are evaluated. Within the scope of genetic improvement of fast growing species, selection criteria for early analysis of wood quality are developed using quantitative techniques. Taking into account the possible end-use of a species, research focuses on limiting factors such as natural durability and dimensional stability. Multidisciplinary research aims at identifying the causes of ‘oak disease’ and its influence on wood properties. New wood preservatives are screened for their efficiency against different species of wood destroying fungi in laboratory experiments as well as in field tests. Test methodology is also evaluated and optimized. Wood preservation uses biocide products and therefore additional research focuses on the possible environmental impacts of this industrial activity.

At the European level, two developments should be noted in relation to fast growing wood species. On the one hand, the increasing knowledge of the properties of fast grown wood will have an impact on its processing and on the quality of the end products. On the other hand, the forestry and the tree breeding sectors are showing a clear interest in collecting more data on the influence of changed parameters in their sector on the final wood quality.

The interest in bamboo has developed when the laboratory became a contractor in the FAIR project bamboo for Europe.  Intensive research has been performed on anatomical and physico-chemical characteristics of bamboos grown in Europe.  Several techniques were used, including ESEM techniques.  In cooperation with Belgian panel producers like Unilin and Spano, test and experiments have been performed on the chipping and processing of bamboo at an industrial scale.  With BioComposites Centre as subcontractor extensive work has been done on evaluating the potential of bamboo for MDF in Europe.  This work has been presented at the IUFRO Congress in Kuala Lumpur, August 2000.