Studies on the influence of wood moisture content on selected properties of particle boards and MDF

On industrially produced particle boards and MDF, the influence of wood moisture on bending MOE, bending strength and shear modulus G(zx) and G(zy) was determined. The equilibrium moisture content and the differential swelling of thickness proved to be smaller for MDF than for particle boards. Tensile strength and tensile MOE, shear modulus and bending strength decrease likewise with increasing wood moisture content. Furthermore the Poisson ratio mu(12) decreases with increasing wood moisture content.