PERFORMANCE OF BORASSUS WOOD IN A CONCESSION IN FRONT OF WATER AND FIRE

Abstract

Borassus is a very resistant timber in West Africa but little known. The remains of its tin constructions testify to this property. These constructions are likely to suffer damage such as fire, degradation due to moisture, aging. The presence of these damages weakens the performance of the wood used in construction. The objective of this work is to make this timber visible through its mechanical performance and resistance to fire, water and aging. An excavation study of the old concessions is coupled with the experimental one. Fire resistance is made on ten samples taken from the middle zone or the core of the stipe, ten on the periphery (hard zone) of the stipe and ten others between the middle and the periphery of each case considered. The influence of moisture is tested by rainwater and sea water absorption. To evaluate the performance of the Borassus in case of fire, a simulation of about thirty samples (ten per category) is made on a gas stove. The rate of ash produced is the result of the carbonization of borassus. The water absorption examination is done for thirty-six (36) days. The samples behave identically. Each category exhibits the same behavior after twenty (20) days. The samples were quickly absorbed within ten (10) days, regardless of the type of water. Faced with the stove fire, the behaviors differed slightly but similar to each other. Binders have disappeared to the detriment of fibers. As part of this study, the behavior of Borassus wood against moisture and/or fire highlights the quality of the durable hold of Borassus. Borassus maintains its good performance against water and fire in the hard zone.