Experimental and numerical analysis of the bending behavior of beech (Fagus orientalis L.) plywood-reinforced particleboard and fiberboard panels

Abstract

In this study, bending behavior of particleboard (PB) and medium-density fiberboard (MDF) reinforced using beech (Fagus orientalis L.) plywood (PW) was examined by experimental and numerical methods. In doing so, 13 mm thick PB and 12 mm thick MDF panels were reinforced using 4 mm thick beech plywood. Polyurethane glue was used to bond the layers. The bending behavior of the test samples was determined by subjecting them to a 3-point bending test. Finite element models of the reinforced samples tested in the study were created, and numerical analyses were performed. The results showed that the modulus of elasticity under bending and bending strength of PB samples reinforced using PW increased up to two times, and in MDF samples increased by 44%, depending on the loading direction. The effectiveness of reinforcement varies depending on the loading direction. Reinforcing the surfaces exposed to tensile stress contributed more to the bending properties than the surfaces exposed to compressive stress. Generally, it was shown that the load-deformation curves obtained from bending tests and the load-deformation curves obtained from numerical analysis are similar. The study results showed that the bending behaviors of PB and MDF reinforced using PW can be predicted using the finite element method. © 2024, DergiPark. All rights reserved.