Proceedings e report - Firenze University Press

RESEARCH ON THE AGING OF WOOD IN RISH
Shuichi Kawai*, Misao Yokoyama, Miyuki Matsuo, Junji Sugiyama
Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere (RISH), Kyoto University, Japan
Abstract
This paper reviews the research activities of the Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere (RISH) on the
aging of wood, these are, 1) Collection and identification of wood samples from cultural properties and historical
buildings, 2) Characterization of the naturally aging wood, 3) Characterization of the accelerated aging treated
wood, 4) Establishment of the database on the wood quality from historical building, and 5) Organizing
symposia: Wood Culture and Science series.
1. Introduction
Wood is aged and degraded under the service of any applications. The subsequent changes of the
physical, mechanical and chemical properties of wood proceed very slowly and depend on
environmental conditions. Japan preserves a great amount of wooden cultural properties and historical
buildings and the precise understanding and characterization on the aging of wood is of critical
importance for their conservation and restoration.
Since wood culture and science is an interdisciplinary study being involved with many research fields
of Museology, Conservation and restoration science, Archaeology, Material science, and Wood
science, the collaboration with the network among the various research fields are essential to promote
the activities.
Research Institute for Sustainable Humanosphere (RISH) started to collect the wooden samples from
cultural properties and historical buildings under the support of the Agency for Cultural Affairs of
Japan some ten years ago and now acts as a research core on the aging of wood in Japan in
collaboration with the related research organizations, such as National Research Institute for Cultural
Properties, Nara (NRICP), National Museum of Japanese History (MJH), and Tokyo National
University of Fine Arts (TUFA).
This paper reviews the research activities of RISH on the aging of wood under the research network
with the Buddhist sculptors, traditional carpenters as well as the researchers in the fields of
art/architectural history, conservation science, and wood science.
2. Research Activities of RISH
The research activities of RISH on the aging of wood are summarized as follows;
- Collection and identification of wood from cultural properties and historical buildings
- Characterization of the naturally aging wood
- Characterization of the accelerated aging treated wood
- Establishment of the database on the wood quality from historical building
- Organizing symposia: Wood Culture and Science series
2.1. Collection and identification of wood samples from cultural properties and
historical buildings
RISH collects naturally aging wood samples from the members of cultural properties and historical
buildings under the support of the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan. The samples are identified
the species, then registered at the Xylarium and described with historical, physical, and mechanical
* E-mail: skawai@rish.kyoto-u.ac.jp
Joseph Gril (edited by), Wood Science for Conservation of Cultural Heritage –Braga 2008: Proceedings of the International
Conference held by COST Action IE0601 (Braga - Portugal, 5-7 November 2008, ISBN 978-88-6453-157-1 (print)
ISBN 978-88-6453-165-6 (online) © 2010 Firenze University Press