Creating Flexible Structures Out of MDF Plates

Abstract

Medium densify fiberboard (MDF) is a composite comprising of wood fibers and epoxy resin, with a typical density range between 600-800 kg/m3. It is currently used for secondary structures in buildings such as architectural walls and facades. MDFs are typically available in flat panel forms which can be cut into various shapes for architectural design purposes. One cutting method is known as kerfing, in which a series of cuts are made on a wood panel to create flexible structures mainly through bending and twisting deformations. In this study, we present a micromechanics model of cut patterns in order to understand the overall deformations of the kerf panel. Three different cut densities, i.e., one, two, and three cuts per quarter unit-cell, of a square spiral pattern are studied. The effect of different cut densities on the uniaxial stretching of the unit-cell is examined. An experimental test is also done on a unit-cell under uniaxial stretching. The responses from the experiment and model are compared.