Finite Element modelling of wood cell deformation transverse to the fibre axis

Modelling of wet wood under compression and combined shear and compression load was performed to simulate the mechanical pulping of wood chips in refiners. Experiments have shown that the wet fibre network exhibit two different deformation modes; an S-shape mode associated with compression and a brick-shape mode associated with combined shear and compression. To study the factors governing the mechanical behaviour of the fibre network a material model with the characteristics originating from the properties of the wood polymers was developed and was used in a three-dimensional finite element analysis. The effects of material properties were investigated by comparing models with anisotropic one-layer cell walls and orthotropic multi-layer cell walls. The deformation achieved both under compression and under combined shear and compression was found to be similar independent of the material constants used or the number of layers of the cells walls. This implies that the most important factor governing the deformation pattern of the fibre network is the cell structure itself.