A 3D in-situ investigation of the deformation in compressive loading in the thickness direction of cellulose fiber mats

• Fiber mat materials based on cellulose natural fibers combines a useful set of properties, including renewability, stiffness, strength and dielectric insulation, etc. The dominant in-plane fiber orientation ensures the in-plane performance, at the expense of reduced out-of-plane behavior, which has not been studied as extensively as the in-plane behavior. Quantitative use of X-ray micro-computed tomography and strain analyses under in-situ loading open up possibilities to identify key mechanisms responsible for deformation. In the present investigation, focus is placed on the out-of-plane deformation under compressive loading of thick, high density paper, known as pressboard. The samples were compressed in the chamber of a microtomographic scanner. 3D images were captured before and after the loading the sample. From sequential 3D images, the strain field inside the material was calculated using digital volume correlation. Two different test pieces were tested, namely unpolished and surface polished ones. The first principal strain component of the strain tensor showed a significant correlation with the density variation in the material, in particular on the top and bottom surfaces of unpolished samples. The manufacturing-induced grooves generate inhomogeneities in the microstructure of the surface, thus creating high strain concentration zones which give a sensible contribution to the overall compliance of the unpolished material. More generally, the results reveal that, on the micrometer scale, high density fiber pressboard behaves as a porous material rather than a low density fiber network.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Maskinteknik -- Teknisk mekanik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Mechanical Engineering -- Applied Mechanics (hsv//eng)

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Maskinteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Mechanical Engineering (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Experimental Mechanics

Experimentell mekanik

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)