Stereomicroscopic optical method for the assessment of load transfer patterns across the wood-adhesive bond interphase

The mechanical performance of wood-based composites is determined by the mechanical properties of their individual components and the effective load transfer between these components. In laminated wood composites, this load transfer is facilitated by the adhesive bond. The experimental methodology developed in this study measures and analyzes the full-field deformation and strain distributions across the loaded wood-adhesive interphase at a micromechanical level. Optical measurements were performed based on the principles of digital image correlation by a stereomicroscopic camera system. This system allows the monitoring of in-plane deformations as well as out-of-plane displacements, providing full-field 3D surface strain maps across the adhesive bond. These measurements can be used to improve the understanding of the load transfer between the adherents and the contribution of the adhesive to the mechanical properties of the bulk composite and serve as a quantitative input for numerical modeling and simulations aimed at the improvement of the products.