Veneer Composites for Structural Applications – Mechanical Parameters as Basis for Design

The use of veneer composites as structural components in engineering requires special design. The dimensioning of laminated wood can be optimized by varying the wood species, veneer thickness, orientation, arrangement, number of single layers, and other factors. Composite properties can be calculated by suitable model approaches, such as the classical laminate theory. Thus, an optimization can be achieved. The present study verifies the adaptability of the classical laminate theory for veneer composites. Native veneer, adhesive-coated veneer, and solid wood were investigated as raw materials for the plywood layers. Mechanical properties were determined by tensile and shear tests and used as parameters to calculate the composite properties of the plywood. The plywood was bending tested, and the values obtained were compared with the calculations. The best prediction of the plywood properties is obtained by using the properties of the adhesive coated veneer as a single layer.