Commentary on Structural Particleboard and Structural Reliability

Structural reliability applies probability and statistical analysis to the solution of structural engineering problems, particularly in calculating the probability of failure of a structure over a particular length of time. Applying the principle of structural reliability may allow design of safer, more economical buildings using structural materials with limited variation in properties, such as particleboard. Structural particleboards have a smaller coefficient of variation than visually graded lumber and plywood, and variations in particleboard properties can be reduced and controlled by manufacturing process control and quality control. Traditional methods of determining the distribution of bending strengths of lumber are being re-evaluated. Structural particleboard manufacturers should seriously consider a product evaluation program of enough depth and scope to provide the data base for the statistical analysis which will be necessary in developing a structural reliability design criterion. The statistical characteristics for each property currently required for reliability-based design are the mean, the dispersion of variation of property values about the mean, and the statistical form of the distribution pattern. All engineering properties of particleboard should be fully evaluated. Some properties-such as shear behavior–have not been evaluated because of lack of demand for data or the expense of obtaining it. Continued efforts to correlate the less commonly determined engineering properties with the properties generally evaluated in quality control programs will help advance particleboard as one of the most completely described engineering materials available.

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