Ph. D. Edgars Kuka

Scientific interests and competences

• Production and testing of wood plastic composites
• Products life cycle assessment (life cycle analysis)
• Thermo-hygro treatment of wood
• Enhancement of birch plywood surface properties with different methods
• Combined wood treatment including thermal modification and impregnation
• Determination of copper in wood

The most important projects

2017-2020 – ERDF project – Wood with improved service properties due to combination of thermal modification and impregnation (No. 1.1.1.1./16/A/133), research assistant. 2016-2018 – FSCC project – Wood based composites with improved properties (No. 1.2.1.1/16/A/009), research assistant. 2014-2017 – SRP project – Forest and earth entrails resources: research and sustainable utilization – new products and technologies (ResProd) (No. 2014.10-4/VPP-6/6), research assistant. 2014-2015 – ERDF project – Plywood from thermally modified veneer with improved durability properties (No. 2014/0018/2DP/2.1.1.1.0/14/APIA/VIAA/040), research assistant. 2012-2015 – FSCC project – Wood composite materials with improved properties (No. 4-06/32-P4), research assistant.

The most important publications

Cirule, D., Sansonetti, E., Andersone, I., Kuka, E., Andersons, B. 2021. Enhancing Thermally Modified Wood Stability against Discoloration. Coatings, 11(1), 81. (doi: 10.3390/coatings11010081​) Kuka, E., Andersons, B., Cirule, D., Andersone, I., Kajaks, J., Militz, H., Bicke, S. 2020. Weathering properties of wood-plastic composites based on heat-treated wood and polypropylene. Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, 139, 106102. (doi: 10.1016/j.compositesa.2020.106102​) Cirule, D., Verovkins, A., Andersone, I., Kuka, E., Andersons, B. 2020. Thermally modified birch wood interaction with liquids. Eur. J. Wood Wood Prod. 78, 849‒857. (doi: 10.1007/s00107-020-01568-z) Andersone, I., Dobele, G., Andersons, B., Kurnosova, N., Kuka, E., Volperts, A., Grinins, J. 2019. A study of thermo-hydro-treated (THT) birch wood by chemical analysis and Py-GC/MS. Holzforschung, 73(7), 653‒661 (doi: 10.1515/hf-2018-0169) Kuka, E., Cirule, D., Andersone, I., Miklasevics, Z., Andersons, B. Life cycle inventory for currently produced pine roundwood. Journal of Cleaner Production, 2019, 235, 613-625 (doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.07.004).  Kuka, E., Cirule, D., Kajaks, J., Andersone, I., Andersons, B. Wood particle size influence on water resistance and mechanical properties of thermally modified wood-polypropylene composites. International Wood Products Journal, 2018, 9(2), 90-95 (doi: 10.1080/20426445.2018.1493069). Cirule, D., Kuka, E., Verovkins, A., Andersone, I. Restriction Of liquid water spreading in overlaid plywood top veneer. Research for Rural Development, 2018, 1, 86-91 (doi: 10.22616/rrd.24.2018.013). Antons, A., Cirule, D., Verovkins, A., Kuka, E. Effect of thermal treatment on physical and mechanical properties of birch and pine wood. Research for Rural Development, 2018, 1, 78-85 (doi: 10.22616/rrd.24.2018.012). Kuka, E., Cirule, D., Kajaks, J., Janberga, A., Andersone, I., Andersons, B. Fungal Degradation of Wood Plastic Composites Made with Thermally Modified Wood Residues. Key Engineering Materials, 2017, 721, 8-12 (doi: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.721.8). Kuka, E., Cirule, D., Kajaks, J., Andersone, I., Andersons, B. Wood Plastic Composites Made with Thermally Modified Birch Wood Residues. International Wood Products Journal, 2016, 7(4), 210-215 (doi: 10.1080/20426445.2016.1214439). Cirule, D., Meija-Feldmane, A., Kuka, E., Andersons, B., Kurnosova, N., Antons, A., Tuherm, H. Spectral Sensitivity of Thermally Modified and Unmodified Wood. BioResources, 2016, 11(1), 324-335 (doi: 10.15376/biores.11.1.324-335).