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Characterization and Numerical Simulation of Solid Wood and Engineered Wood...
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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: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 4129

Special Issue Editor

Dr. André Luís Christóforo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
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
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

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 (3 papers)

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Research

27 pages, 13809 KB  
Article
Full Orthotropic Mechanical Characterization of Pinus radiata Plywood Through Tensile, Compression and Shear Testing with Miniaturized Specimens
by Moisés Sandoval, Masoud Javadi, Paula Soto-Zúñiga, Juan Pablo Cárdenas-Ramírez, Michael Arnett, Angelo Oñate, Rodrigo Cancino, Erick I. Saavedra Flores and Víctor Tuninetti
Forests 2025, 16(11), 1676; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16111676 - 3 Nov 2025
Viewed by 886
Abstract
This study introduces and validates a miniaturized testing methodology for the complete orthotropic characterization of structural plywood, including out-of-plane directions that are typically difficult to access. Novel small-scale geometries were developed for tension and shear configurations, with compliance corrections applied to ensure accurate [...] Read more.
This study introduces and validates a miniaturized testing methodology for the complete orthotropic characterization of structural plywood, including out-of-plane directions that are typically difficult to access. Novel small-scale geometries were developed for tension and shear configurations, with compliance corrections applied to ensure accurate stress–strain responses. The method proved reliable and sensitive to mechanical differences arising from veneer architecture, adhesive type, and interfacial bonding. Two sets of 18 mm structural plywood panels—manufactured with distinct adhesive systems, one bio-based (F1) and one phenol-formaldehyde (F2)—were systematically tested under tensile, compressive, and shear loading in ten orthogonal configurations (Tx, Ty, Tz, Cx, Cy, Cz, τxy, τyx, τxz, τyz), following standards NCh 3617, EN 789, and ASTM B831. Tensile moduli were approximately twice the corresponding compressive values, while out-of-plane moduli reached only 6–11% of in-plane values. F1 exhibited higher stiffness in both tension and compression, particularly in transverse directions, due to thicker perpendicular veneers enhancing bending restraint and shear coupling. In contrast, F2 achieved greater peak shear strength owing to its more uniform veneer structure, which improved stress distribution and delayed interlaminar failure. Observed asymmetry between tension and compression reflected microstructural mechanisms such as fiber alignment and cell-wall buckling. The miniature-specimen data provide reliable input for constitutive calibration and finite-element modeling, while revealing clear links between veneer-thickness distribution, shear-transfer efficiency, and macroscopic performance. The proposed framework enables efficient, reproducible orthotropic characterization for optimized, lightweight, and carbon-efficient timber systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Characterization and Numerical Simulation of Solid Wood and Engineered Wood Products)
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40 pages, 31431 KB  
Article
Effects of Fire Conditions on the Structural Optimization of Timber Trusses
by Matheus Henrique Morato de Moraes, Iuri Fazolin Fraga, Francisco Antonio Rocco Lahr, Fernando Júnior Resende Mascarenhas, Wanderlei Malaquias Pereira Junior and André Luis Christoforo
Forests 2025, 16(10), 1578; https://doi.org/10.3390/f16101578 - 14 Oct 2025
Viewed by 610
Abstract
This article examines how the time of exposure (0, 10, 20 and 30 min) to fire affects the optimal design of Howe timber trusses. The study integrates experimental characterization, thermal modeling (Eurocode 5 1995-1-2), and the bio-inspired Firefly Algorithm (FA). Five Brazilian species [...] Read more.
This article examines how the time of exposure (0, 10, 20 and 30 min) to fire affects the optimal design of Howe timber trusses. The study integrates experimental characterization, thermal modeling (Eurocode 5 1995-1-2), and the bio-inspired Firefly Algorithm (FA). Five Brazilian species (Cambará-rosa, Cupiúba, Angelim-pedra, Garapa, and Jatobá) were assessed in spans of 6, 9, 12, and 15 m. Each configuration was optimized 30 times with 120 agents, 600 iterations, and penalty treatments. In ambient conditions, Angelim-pedra and Garapa produced the lightest trusses, while under fire, simulated trusses with Jatobá wood properties provided the best performances, resulting in up to 35% mass reduction compared to trusses optimized with denser species under equivalent fire scenarios. Safety margins, defined through the Gross Mass Increase (GMI) index, quantify the additional structural mass required under fire in relation to the ambient design. GMI values ranged between 22% and 140% across the analyzed cases, quantifying the additional section demand under fire conditions relative to ambient design. To predict overdesign, regression equations were fitted using symbolic regression for the Index of Gross Area Correction Index (GACI), based on fire exposure time and resistant parameters, achieving R2 above 0.85. The study provides guidelines for species selection, span sizing, and fire safety design. Overall, combining thermal analysis, bio-inspired optimization, and symbolic regression highlights the potential of timber trusses for efficient, safe, and sustainable roof structures. In addition, this study demonstrates the scientific novelty of integrating experimental characterization, Eurocode 5 thermal modeling, and metaheuristic optimization with symbolic regression, providing analytical indices such as the Gross Mass Increase (GMI) and Gross Area Correction Index (GACI). These results also offer practical guidelines for species selection, span sizing, and fire safety design, reinforcing the applicability of the methodology for engineers and designers of timber roof systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Characterization and Numerical Simulation of Solid Wood and Engineered Wood Products)
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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 2076
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
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Characterization and Numerical Simulation of Solid Wood and Engineered Wood Products)
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