Effect of Starting Time and Test Specimen Size on the Deterioration of Particleboard in an Outdoor Exposure Test

Relatively short-term (3-, 6-, and 12-mo) outdoor exposure tests using particleboard specimens of two different sizes to clarify the effect of specimen size and starting time on the deterioration of the mechanical properties (bending and internal bond strength) of the particleboard were conducted. The weathering intensity was determined from the results of the short-term exposure tests, and the effect of the specimen size on the weathering intensity was discussed. The strength retention tended to decrease exponentially with elapsed time. After a 1-year exposure in Shizuoka, Japan, the retained strength was less than 60 percent. Rectangular specimens had less strength retention than the square specimens and are thought to be a more reliable indicator of the true effect of weathering conditions on strength loss. Short- and long-term exposure tests are equally useful for determining the effect of outdoor exposure on particleboard properties.
The use of wood-based panels, especially particleboard, in construction has been increasing steadily in Japan (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [FAO] 2016). Reduction in the domestic production [...]