Development and experimental validation of a continuum micromechanics model for the elasticity of wood
Abstract
This contribution covers the development and validation of a microelastic model for wood, based on a four-step homogenization scheme. At a length scale of several tens of nanometers, hemicellulose, lignin, and water are intimately mixed, and build up a polymer (polycrystal-type) network. At a length scale of around one micron, fiberlike aggregates of crystalline and amorphous cellulose are embedded in an contiguous polymer matrix, constituting the so-called cell wall material. At a length scale of about one hundred microns, the material softwood is defined, comprising cylindrical pores (lumen) in the cell wall material of the preceding homogenization step. Finally, at a length scale of several millimeters, hardwood comprises larger cylindrical pores (vessels) embedded in the softwood-type material homogenized before. Model validation rests on statistically and physically independent experiments: The macroscopic stiffness values (of hardwood or softwood) predicted by the micromechanical model on the basis of tissue-independent ('universal') phase stiffness properties of hemicellulose, amorphous cellulose, crystalline cellulose, lignin, and water (experimental set I) for tissue-specific composition data (experimental set IIb) are compared to corresponding experimentally determined tissue-specific stiffness values (experimental set IIa).
- Publication:
-
European Journal of Mechanics, A/Solids
- Pub Date:
- 2005
- DOI:
- 10.1016/j.euromechsol.2005.05.006
- Bibcode:
- 2005EuJMA..24.1030H
- Keywords:
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- Wood;
- Hierarchical organization;
- Chemical composition;
- Stiffness;
- Continuum micromechanics;
- Experimental validation