Abstract
In this study, an integrated approach combining experimental measurements and numerical modeling was used for characterization of load transfer in the wood/matrix interface in wood plastic composites (WPCs). The experimental methodology was based on optical measurement of surface displacements and strains in model WPC specimens subjected to tensile loads. The model specimens consisted of thin HDPE films with single embedded wood particles. The optical measurement of surface strains was based on the digital image correlation principle. The material point method was used for morphology-based numerical modeling of the loaded specimens. The exact location and morphology of the embedded particle determined by X-ray computed tomography were used as input for the numerical model. Imperfect interface characteristics, reflecting the efficiency of the load transfer through the interface in the numerical model of the composite, were determined using inverse problem methods. Good agreement was obtained between the simulated and measured strain maps determined on a number of specimens including particles with various orientations to the loading direction using the same values of interface parameters.
Highlights
Wood plastic composites (WPCs) are heterogeneous materials comprised of irregular wood particles dispersed in thermoplastic polymer matrices
Good agreement was obtained between the simulated and measured strain maps determined on a number of specimens including particles with various orientations to the loading direction using the same values of interface parameters
An integrated method was presented for coupling experimental measurements of strain fields on the surface of wood particle composites with 3D numerical simulations of the strain fields in the specimen volume to assess particle/matrix load transfer and interfacial properties of the composite
Summary
Wood plastic composites (WPCs) are heterogeneous materials comprised of irregular wood particles dispersed in thermoplastic polymer matrices. Existing theories and models for short fiber composites allow prediction of composite properties based on the morphology of the composite, mechanical properties of the components, and the properties of the internal bond (Nairn and Shir Mohammadi 2015). These theories idealize the internal bond and particle morphology, typically considered to be continuous isotropic solids that are smooth and impermeable. Wood flour particles used in WPCs are generated in hammer mills and attrition mills by physically crushing and tearing larger pieces until the desired size is achieved Their mechanical properties cannot be automatically assumed to match sound bulk wood tissue, but need to be experimentally characterized. There are many reasons that may negatively affect wood particle/matrix interactions (e.g., chemical incompatibility, compounding method, polymer penetration) and the resulting stress transfer between phases (Simonsen et al 1997)
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