Parallel-Laminated Veneer: Processing and Performance Research Review
Parallel-laminated veneer: processing and performance research review Theodore L. Laufenberg manufacturing cost was justified by its dependable per- Abstract formance. Since that time, dwindling supplies of high- The use of parallel-laminated veneer (PLV) for quality saw logs have made PLV attractive and eco- critical structural elements has proven commercially nomically feasible in products formerly constructed of feasible for more than a decade. The uniformity of this the highest grades of solid wood. material’s mechanical properties has made it popular One attribute of PLV processing is the increased for truss components, I-beam flanges, scaffold planks, yield made possible by peeling a given log, as compared and other engineered members. to the kerf losses associated with traditional sawing Research during the last 15 years has indicated a techniques. Its highly dependable design strength number of correlations between processing param- makes it competitive with stress-graded lumber. eters and PLV product performance such as veneer Strength is achieved mainly because, when the mate- quality influence upon tensile and bending properties rial in a low-grade log is reconstituted into PLV, and the efficiency of various jointing methods. In ad- strength-reducing defects are distributed throughout dition to summarizing these findings, this paper con- the volume of the member, minimizing the amount of tains recommendations for further study. low-strength wood in any cross section. The variables that must be taken into account in predicting the mechanical properties of a PLV product include the number of veneer laminations, the size and distribution of defects, the efficiency of veneer end This paper presents an overview of the parallel- joints, the quality of the bond, the strength of the clear laminated veneer (PLV) processing and performance wood, and the depth and frequency of knife checks.
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