Analysis of ASTM D 1037 accelerated-aging test

The ASTM D 1037 six-cycle accelerated-aging test for wood-based panel products was analyzed to determine how each successive aging cycle and selected steps in each cycle contribute to panel deterioration. Hardboard, particleboard, flakeboard, waferboard, and oriented strandboard were evaluated. The rate of panel deterioration generally decreased with each successive aging cycle. Four cycles of accelerated aging had essentially the same effect on panel bending strength and stiffness as the standard six cycles. Deletion of the 20-hour freezing step from the aging cycle had practically no effect on the outcome of the exposure. Deletion of the steaming steps, however, resulted in less panel deterioration. Deletion of both freezing and steaming steps produced about the same amount of panel deterioration as deletion of the steaming steps alone. In some cases, interpretation of results depended on whether bending strength and stiffness calculations were based on initial specimen thickness or thickness after aging. Findings from this study indicate definite opportunities for developing an abbreviated alternative to the current time-consuming accelerated-aging test. We propose an alternative exposure, which will be investigated in a future study.

You must be logged in to download any documents. Please login (login accounts are free) or learn how to Become a Member