Devising a method for identifying the presence or absence of carbonization of wood

Abstract

 Appraisal related to charring of wood may be conducted for arson cases, especially fires with a small scale of burning. When wood is carbonized, a distinctive form is observed, such as the surface turning black or cracking, but no clear appraisal method has been established, and the criteria set by individual appraisers have not been established. The current situation is that appraisal is conducted based on these individual appraisal methods. However, it is expected that the presence or absence of carbonization of the wood can be objectively determined by measuring the infrared absorption spectrum of the burned wood using a Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer. Therefore, in this study, an experimental model was constructed on the assumption of an actual arson case, a combustion experiment was performed on wood, which is widely used as a building material, and data on the obtained carbides were examined and objectively carbonized. We have devised a carbonization appraisal method. In this study, in addition to FT-IR analysis, SEM-EDX analysis and XRD analysis were also used to analyze detailed carbides. As a result, FT-IR analysis showed that objective wood can be identified for carbonization. However, when heated by a high temperature flame, the wood transitions to complete carbide, but when heated by a relatively low temperature flame as in the experimental model implemented in this study, it is difficult to transition to complete carbide.