scope:

This method describes a procedure for accelerating the evaluation of wood preservative formulations in soil contact. This is achieved by using thin wood test specimens that are subjected to soil exposure under temperature and soil moisture content (MC) conditions that are ideal for wood decay by either soft-rot or basidiomycete fungi. This test method is intended to be a screening test. The method is particularly useful for determining the effect of modified formulations on the performance of established preservatives, but is also useful in screening new preservative systems. In order to provide pertinent information, candidate preservative systems must be compared to similar preservatives that have documented field test performance records.

The requirements for preparation of the material for testing and the test procedures appear in the following sections: