Development of a new engineered wood product for structural applications made from trembling aspen and paper birch

• Published in: Forest products journal 2009-07, Vol.59 (7-8), p.31-35
• Main Authors: Beck, Katherina, Salenikovich, Alexander, Cloutier, Alain, Beauregard, Robert
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bending; bending strength; Betula papyrifera; Building materials; Comparative analysis; Costs; Forest products; Forest products industry; Laboratories; laminated wood; Manufacturing; Materials elasticity; Mechanical properties; modulus of elasticity; modulus of rupture; new products; oriented strandboards; Populus tremuloides; Production costs; Properties; Studies; Testing; wood beams; Wood products
• ISSN: 0015-7473; 2376-9637

This study compared the bending performance of small (30 mm [1.2 in.] deep) laminated beams made from aspen oriented strand lumber (OSL), birch OSL, and commercial web-stock oriented strandboard (OSB) panels. Aspen OSL beams had an average modulus of elasticity (MOE) of 9.89 GPa (1.43 × 10^sup 6^ psi) and an average modulus of rupture (MOR) of 52.0 MPa (7.54 × 10^sup 3^ psi). The average MOE for birch OSL was 10.6 GPa (1.54 × 10^sup 6^ psi), and the average MOR was 58.4 MPa (8.47 × 10^sup 3^ psi). OSB laminated beams reached less than half of these values (5.17 GPa [0.75 × 10^sup 6^ psi] and 26.4 MPa [3.83 × 10^sup 3^ psi], respectively). Large (120 mm [4.72 in.] deep) laminated OSB beams were also tested to track the depth effect. The average MOR of aspen and birch OSL, adjusted to 120 mm depth, was estimated to be 46.7 MPa (6.77 × 10^sup 3^ psi) and 52.6 MPa (7.63 × 10^sup 3^ psi), respectively. Comparisons with laminated strand lumber products currently on the Canadian market showed the mechanical properties of this new product to be competitive. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]