Load-Duration Behavior of Wood-Plastic Composites
by Christopher W. Brandt, (Res. Engr., Trus Joist, A Weyerhaeuser Business, Boise, ID 83706) and Kenneth J. Fridley, (Prof. and Head, Dept. of Civ. and Envir. Engrg., Univ. of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0205)
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, Vol. 15, No. 6, November/December 2003, pp. 524-536, (doi 10.1061/(ASCE)0899-1561(2003)15:6(524))
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| Document type: |
Journal Paper |
| Abstract: |
The load-duration, or creep-rupture, behavior of wood and wood composite products has been studied extensively by numerous researchers, and simplified design procedures to account for creep effects are in place. However, the load-duration behavior of composite products made out of the combination of wood and plastic is not well understood or documented. Currently, wood-plastic composite (WPC) products are available on the commercial market, yet no standardized design procedures to account for creep or load-duration effects exist. Given the lack of understanding of the load-duration behavior of wood-plastic composites, a research effort was initiated to investigate the load-duration behavior of various wood-plastic composite formulations and to compare the observed behavior to that of solid sawn lumber. It was found that the wood-plastic composite formulations tested exhibited a more pronounced load-duration response than that of solid wood; however, the behavior trend was similar to that of solid wood and was successfully modeled using an exponential damage rate model originally developed for solid wood. Existing procedures for developing load-duration design adjustment factors for wood were used to develop load-duration design adjustment factors specifically for the WPC formulations tested. |
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