Irkutsk scientists developed new wood concrete technology

The scientists of a research institute in Irkutsk (NI IrGTU) have developed a new wood concrete production technology, an improved version of the so-called “dyurizol”, a building material from wood chips and cement.

Scientists add magnesium astringent (caustic dolomite) in the mixture. As postgraduate assistant Vasily Vorobchyuk said, new material has low density, it is frost resistant and has high thermo-technical properties. Thanks to its cell structure it can breathe, which, combined with its insulation properties, prevents the condensation. It is also a good sound-proof material.

Production of arbolite (cement with wood chips) requires mineralisation procedure, use of softwood chips only and picking the sawdust and shavings of specific size. A new composite material requires none of this.

According to the idea of the scientists, this material should be made at small mills located close to woodworking enterprises. Approximate price of the product on the market will be around RUR 2000/m3, the closest analogues have the price range of RUR 3500-4500/m3.

Researchers continue to work on new material. Vasily Vorobchyuk tells that they try a variety of fillings. In particular, more dense structure is reached by adding the ash produced by coal combustion at thermal power plants.