Flexural Creep of 5/8-Inch Particleboard and Plywood During 2 Years of Concentrated Loading

Three types of commercial structural particleboard and one plywood were monitored in an ambient interior environment. After a brief period, creep developed at essentially the same logarithmic rate in all panels. Little or no creep occurred during the second year. The performance of the panels in order of increasing average total (final) creep was: 1) oriented particleboard, 2) waferboard, 3) plywood, and 4) shavings particleboard. Plywood exhibited the lowest average relative creep. RH in excess of 60 percent was detrimental in all but shavings particleboard. Results of the effect of a vapor barrier to limit creep via sorption and desorption through either the tension or compression face were inconclusive; however, when the compression face was covered, deflection increased during absorption and decreased during desorption, while opposite occurred when the tension side was covered.

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