In a previous DBU project at the University of Rostock, the possibilities for the implementation of geotextiles to protect wood in seawater from the wood-boring “shipworm” mussel Teredo navalis was investigated. The objectives were oriented toward retroactive protection, and the process was tested on woods already in use in the sea. In a new project from timber specialist Dr. Johann Müller, appraiser and authority on wood and wood protection of Dörpen, the focus was instead on investigating the preventive protection of wood in seawater using geotextiles. The experiments were conducted in cooperation with the company Niedersachsen Ports GmbH & Co. KG, based on the DIN EN 275. Four different geotextiles with polypropylene- and polyester bases were utilized. The woods investigated were pine (Pinus sylvestris) and Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). The experiments showed that the geotextiles used provide, for at least two years, complete protection for wood in seawater. Since the DIN EN 275 mandates a minimum experimental period of five years, the corresponding long-term results will not be available for about two more years.
