Abstract
In order to develop effective recycling technologies of disused railway wood ties, wood properties and residual creosote oil of wood ties were investigated. Among the total 50 wood ties, 32 wood ties were identified as tropical hardwood tree, such as, Keruing (Dipterocarpus spp.), Kempas (Koompassia malaccensis), Kapur (Dryobalanops spp.) Naytoh (Palaquium rostratum), and so on. Disused wood ties showed mostly sound structure without degradation of cell walls by decay fungi. Disused wood ties showed high strengths of bending and compressive parallel to grain because degradation of wood properties was hardly occurred in use under exterior condition. Disused railway wood ties had relatively poor depth of penetration and residual of creosote oil because of refractory wood structures. These results suggest that disused railway wood ties may be useful as recycling wood wastes.
