Compressive Behaviour of Birch Veneer: Development of a Novel Testing Method

Birch plywood is an excellent structural material due to its high strength and relatively low weight. However, investigating the compressive properties, especially in the grain direction, can be a challenging task. Determining the compressive strength is particularly important when trying to improve the properties of the plywood through chemical or mechanical modification or through reinforcement techniques. In many applications, the compressive strength of the material is the limiting factor, making it as important to the compressive properties as the more common tensile and bending tests.


This project was driven by a curiosity to improve testing methods for plywood materials. Standardized testing methods have proven unpractical when it comes to development of better materials. These methods often call for large blocks of plywood that requires a large number of veneers, a lot of glue, and lot of processing. Because of this we set out to invent a new method that gives us the possibility to test compressive properties of thin plywood samples, while also trying to avoid buckling of the specimen. Testing thin samples allows us to better understand how treatments and modifications affect the wood material itself. The design of the developed support fixture allows for recording the strength of the plywood, how much it deforms, and the rate of buckling during the test.

Our motivation for this work comes from a desire to contribute to a more efficient and sustainable use of resources. How we use materials today depends on the methods we use to test them. Improved testing methods can lead to better insight in how materials behave and can help in finding the best place to use them.