Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Document Type
Dissertation
Abstract
Recent research into sustainable construction material alternatives has led to the development of High-Performance Wood (HPW), an innovative material with improved mechanical performance. HPW is produced through a two-step process, including partial delignification followed by hot-pressing densification. This dissertation explores the potential of HPW for sustainable and resilient foundation systems. The chemical, morphological, and mechanical properties of millimeter-scale HPW samples produced under various partial delignification and densification conditions were investigated. The results showed significant lignin and hemicellulose removal, which was associated with enhanced crystallinity and mechanical properties. Moreover, reduction of lignin content below 10% has resulted in wood strength reduction. To address challenges associated with scaling up the HPW production, a pressurized partial delignification method was developed to achieve deeper and more uniform chemical penetration through the wood samples. This technique enhanced the diffusion of chemicals, accelerated the removal of lignin and hemicellulose, and reduced treatment time. However, it also led to excessive delignification near the sample edges, which caused localized reductions in mechanical properties. The potential of HPW as a deep foundation material was assessed through lab-scale lateral and axial pull-out load tests, which showed that HPW piles can improve driving efficiency, reduce axial deformation under pull-out loading, and enhance the overall lateral load resistance. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was also conducted to evaluate the environmental impacts of lab-scale HPW piles. Global Warming Potential (GWP) impact category, which was driven by electricity consumption during hot-pressing and boiling. The GWP of batched produced HPW piles was comparable to and higher than steel and concrete piles with equivalent stiffness, respectively. This is due to the lab-scale nature of HPW production, which can be potentially reduced by scaling up the production process.
Date
7-22-2025
Recommended Citation
Alqrinawi, Hussein, "HIGH-PERFORMANCE WOOD FOR RESILIENT AND POTENTIALLY SUSTAINABLE FOUNDATION SYSTEMS" (2025). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 6843.
https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/6843
Committee Chair
Lin, Hai
DOI
10.31390/gradschool_dissertations.6843