Plate behaviour of plywood and particleboard

"Accurate prediction of strength and stiffness of wood based structural sheeting materials is essential for efficient and safe applications and for reliable and economic development of composite products. This paper presents test/theory comparisons for simply supported plates subjected to short term concentrated transverse loads with monitored response to failure. Plywoods of five different stress grades and three different structural particleboards are evaluated in several plate sizes. Properties of six particleboard materials given. Critical material properties for plate behaviour predictions are identified. Delineation is made between initial failure - defined as load-strain nonlinearity (yielding) - and ultimate failure. Conservatism of theory and statistical influences are indicated."--p. iv.