Abstract
The $3{\times}3{\times}30$ ($cm^3$) sized lumbers of Populus alba-grandulosa L. were treated with four fire-retardant solutions of ammonium sulfate, monoammonium phosphate, diammonium phosphate and aluminium chloride for 1, 15, 30, and 60 minutes and 1, 3, and 7 days. Thereafter they were air-dried and burned at high temperature about $1,800^{\circ}C$ and for short time of five minutes. This study estimated the relationship between absorbed chemical amounts and rate of weight loss or residual bending strength of these burned lumbers. The results were as follows: 1) In absorption amount of fire-retardant chemicals, diammonium phosphate showed the largest, aluminium chloride the smallest, but monoammonium phosphate and ammonium sulfate showed similar level. 2) The absorption amount of chemicals was decreased with the increase of specific gravity in the same species except aluminium chloride. 3) The rate of weight loss was decreased as the absorption amount of chemicals increased, especially monoammonium phosphate was most effective. 4) The MOR value of the residual bending strength was increased as the absorption amount of chemicals increased and especially monoammonium phosphate showed the most efficient effect. 5) Aluminium chloride showed more striking increase of MOR value of residual bending strength with the increase of absorption amount than any other chemical, therefore its MOR value was similar to the maximum MOR value of the most effective monoammonium phosphate. 6) The correlation between weight loss and MOR value of the residual bending strength was negative and aluminium chloride showed the most striking negative relation, but the others showed similar trends. 7) The correlation between work to proportional limit and absorption amount of chemicals was positive and the degree of increase in work to proportional limit was most in aluminium chloride, and the next, in monoammonium phosphate and diammonium phosphate in turn. 8) The correlation between work to maximum load and absorption amount of chemicals showed positive and diammonium phosphate revealed the best result and aluminium chloride showed better results than other two chemicals.