Theoretical Modeling of Bonding Characteristics and Performance of Wood Composites. Part I. Inter-Element Contact

This is the first of a four-paper series aiming to model fundamental bonding characteristics and performance of wood composites. In this paper, a mathematical model and a computer simulation model are developed to predict the variation of inter-element (strand) contact during mat consolidation. The mathematical predictions and the computer simulations agree well with each other. The results show that the relationship between the inter-element contact and the mat density is highly nonlinear and is significantly affected by the wood density and the element thickness. The effects of the element length and width are less significant. The models imply that use of less dense wood species and thinner strands are beneficial to lower product density while achieving adequate inter-element contact for bonding.