Characterization and Numerical Simulation of Solid Wood and Engineered Wood Products

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Wood Science and Forest Products".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 793

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Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos 13565-905, Brazil
Interests: numerical modeling; experimental characterization; wood; wood composite systems; engineered wood products; statistical modeling
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, the use of solid wood and engineered wood products has increased significantly owing to their sustainable origin, favorable mechanical performance, and lower environmental impact compared to conventional construction materials. However, the complexity of wood as an anisotropic, heterogeneous, and hygroscopic material poses significant challenges for accurate characterization and modeling. This Special Issue aims to gather cutting-edge research on the experimental and numerical investigation of both solid wood and wood-based engineered products, including laminated veneer lumber (LVL), cross-laminated timber (CLT), glued laminated timber (glulam), and wood–polymer composites (WPCs). Contributions are welcome in areas such as physical and mechanical testing, moisture-related behavior, durability assessments, and multi-scale modeling techniques. Studies that focus on the integration of advanced characterization methods (e.g., X-ray CT, DIC, spectroscopy) and computational modeling (e.g., FEM, XFEM, machine learning) are particularly encouraged. The goal of this issue is to bridge the gap between experimental research and predictive simulation tools, providing insights that support the optimization, design, and application of wood-based materials in modern engineering. Original research articles, review papers, and case studies are welcome.

Dr. André Luís Christóforo
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • solid wood
  • engineered wood products
  • mechanical characterization
  • numerical modeling
  • finite element analysis
  • wood composites
  • cross-laminated timber (CLT)
  • glued laminated timber (glulam)
  • multi-scale simulation

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

15 pages, 6302 KB  
Article
The Application of Structural Adhesives in Glulam Beams: A Comparative Study
by Leonor da Cunha Mastela, Pedro Gutemberg de Alcântara Segundinho, Fabricio Gomes Gonçalves, Clara Gaspar Fossi de Souza, Francisco Antônio Rocco Lahr, Daniela Minini, Michel Picanço Oliveira, Maria Alice Romanha Belumat and Caroline Palacio de Araujo
Forests 2025, 16(9), 1421; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16091421 - 5 Sep 2025
Viewed by 501
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the adhesion behavior of wood from an E. urophylla × E. grandis clone using the application of melamine–urea–formaldehyde (MUF), resorcinol–formaldehyde (RF), and polyurethane (PUR) adhesives in test samples obtained from 12 glulam beams. Adhesives were characterized by their [...] Read more.
This study aimed to evaluate the adhesion behavior of wood from an E. urophylla × E. grandis clone using the application of melamine–urea–formaldehyde (MUF), resorcinol–formaldehyde (RF), and polyurethane (PUR) adhesives in test samples obtained from 12 glulam beams. Adhesives were characterized by their pH, viscosity, density, and solid content. The wood–adhesive interface was assessed through the shear strength, percentage of wood failure, delamination, and photomicrograph analysis. A microdensitometer with X-rays and a resistograph were used to determine the material density and drilling resistance of the elements. Adhesive pH values ranged from 6.35 to 9.05. MUF exhibited the highest viscosity (1169 cP), while the adhesive density varied between 1.29 and 1.67 g cm−3. No statistically significant difference in results was obtained for the shear strength in dry conditions. The MUF adhesive showed a lower percentage of wood failure compared to PUR and RF. In the delamination test, the wood beams glued with RF yielded the best results. Photomicrographs revealed the adhesive’s penetration into the wood’s anatomical structure. Densitometry and resistograph profiles accurately represented the beam balancing configuration. The adhesives PUR, RF, and MUF demonstrated suitability for producing glulam beams with the Eucalyptus clone wood evaluated in this study. Full article
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