Investigations of Flakeboard Mat Consolidation. Part I. Characterizing The Cellular Structure

Authors

  • Christopher A. Lenth
  • Frederick A. Kamke

Keywords:

Oriented strandboard, wood flake mats, consolidation, hot-pressing, image analysis

Abstract

As the wood-based composites industry continues to grow larger and more advanced, there is a need for a more fundamental understanding of material behavior during the hot-pressing process. This work describes the development and implementation of a method for quantifying the cellular structure of a flakehoard mat. Cross-sectional images of narrow mat sections and 6-in, x 6-in. mats were obtained, and structural parameters were quantified using computer image analysis techniques. Mat structure was analyzed with respect to: the percent area of mat cross section occupied by voids, the size and shape of individual voids, and the distribution of void size and shape. For mats formed with flakes oriented both randomly and parallel to the image plane, there was no significant difference in the average area of individual voids between the narrow mat sections and 6-in. x 6-in. mats. However, a significant difference in average area of individual voids between the two mat types was observed in mats formed with flakes oriented perpendicular to the image plane. Void size was not significantly allected by the direction of flake orientation. Void shape was significantly affected by both the method of mat formation and the direction of flake orientation.

References

Ashby, M. F. 1983. The mechanical properties of cellular solids. Metal. Trans. A. 14A:1755-1769.nDai, C., and P. R. Steiner. 1994a. Spatial structure of wood composites in relation to processing and performance characteristics. Part II. Modelling and simulation of a randomly-formed flake layer network. Wood Sci: Technol. 28:135-146.nDai, C., and P. R. Steiner. 1994b. Spatial structure of wood composites in relation to processing and performance characteristics. Part III. Modeling and simulation of a multi-layered random strand mat. Wood Sci. Technol. 28:229-239.nGibson, L. J. 1989. Modeling the mechanical behavior of cellular materials. Mat. Sci. Eng. A110(1989):1-36.nGibson, L. J., and M. K. Ashby. 1988. Cellular solids: Structure and properties. Pergamon Press. New York. NY.nHarless. T. E. G., F. G. Wagner, P. H. Short, R. D. Seale, P. H. Mitchell, and D. S. Ladd. 1987. A model to predict the density profile of particleboard. Wood Fiber Sci. 19(1):81-92.nKelly, M. 1977. Critical review of the relationships between processing parameters and physical properties of particleboard. USDA Forest Prod. Lab. Gen. Tech Rep. FPL 10:1-65. Madison, WI.nLang, E. M., and M. P. Wolcott. 1996. A model for the viscoelastic consolidation of wood-strand mats. Part I. Structural characterization of the mat via Monte Carlo simulation. Wood Fiber Sci. 28(1):100-109.nMeineke, E. A., and R. C. Clark. 1973. Mechanical properties of polymeric foams. Technomic. Westport, CT.nSteiner, P. R., and C. Dai. 1994. Spatial structure of wood composites in relation to processing and performance characteristics. Part I. Rationale for model development. Wood Sci. Technol. 28:45-51.nSuchsland, O. 1959. An analysis of the parlicleboard process. Quart. Bull. Michigan Agric. Exp. Sta. Michigan State Univ. 42(2):350-372.nSuchsland, O. 1962. The density distribution in flakeboard. Quart, Hull. Michigan Agric. Exp. Sta., Michigan State Univ. 45(1):104-121.nSuchsland, O. and H. Xu. 1989. A simulation of the horizontal density distribution in a flakeboard. Forest Prod. J. 39(5):29-33.nSuchsland, O. and H. Xu., and —-. 1991. Model investigations of the particle bonding process. Michigan State University Dept. of Forestry. East Lansing, MI.nUniversal Imaging. 1991. Image-1 function guide. Universal Imaging Corp., Westchester, MA.nWarren, W. E., and A. M. Kraynik. 1987. Foam mechanics: The linear elastic response of two-dimensional spatially periodic cellular materials. Mech. Mat. 6:27-37.nWolcott, M. P. 1989. Modeling viscoelastic cellular materials for the pressing of wood composites. Ph.D. dissertation, Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ., Blacksburg, VA.nWolcott, M. P., F. A. Kamke, and D. A. Dillard. 1990. Fundamentals of flakeboard manufacture: Viscoelastic behavior of the wood component. Wood Fiber Sci. 22(4):345-361.n

Downloads

Published

2007-06-19

Issue

Number 2 / April 1996

Section

Research Contributions

License

The copyright of an article published in Wood and Fiber Science is transferred to the Society of Wood Science and Technology (for U. S. Government employees: to the extent transferable), effective if and when the article is accepted for publication. This transfer grants the Society of Wood Science and Technology permission to republish all or any part of the article in any form, e.g., reprints for sale, microfiche, proceedings, etc. However, the authors reserve the following as set forth in the Copyright Law:

1. All proprietary rights other than copyright, such as patent rights.

2. The right to grant or refuse permission to third parties to republish all or part of the article or translations thereof. In the case of whole articles, such third parties must obtain Society of Wood Science and Technology written permission as well. However, the Society may grant rights with respect to Journal issues as a whole.

3. The right to use all or part of this article in future works of their own, such as lectures, press releases, reviews, text books, or reprint books.