press release - 28 June 2000

BRE’s Centre for Timber Technology and Construction (CTTC) in partnership with 4 other research institutes across Europe have recently started work on a 1.8 million Euro project co-funded by the EU under their Quality of Life Programme and the Construction Directorate of the DETR. The 3-year project will examine the performance of a wide range of panel products under different loading modes. The project will produce important information that will subsequently be used in relevant European Standards and Design Codes, and by the wood-based panels industry to help innovate and optimise the performance of their products.

The principal objective of this project is to enhance the efficiency and competitiveness of wood-based panels used in construction through:

• A better understanding of panel properties and behaviour
• The use of more reliable and consistent test methods at the European level
• Facilitating innovation in the use of wood-based panels
• Standardisation of manufacturer specific performance criteria

The project will produce new test methodologies, performance data and design factors for implementation by industry and the relevant standardisation committees.

The project comprises 11 main tasks that together address several key performance issues. These include:

• Non-destructive selection and testing
• Plywood glue bond performance
• Reliable internal bond testing
• Edgewise bending performance
• Ageing effects of cement bonded particleboard
• Dynamic creep performance under concentrated loads
• Creep and duration of load performance of PMDI-bonded boards
• Creep and duration of load behaviour under shear loads
• European tongue and groove
• Creep and duration of load behaviour under concentrated loads
• Integration of test methodology and results.

The project will be conducted by a partnership of 5 research institutes across Europe including the CTTC; Trada Technology, UK; Danish Technical Institute, Denmark; Wilhelm Klauditz Institute, Germany; and VTT Building Technology, Finland.

The findings of the project will be disseminated directly to industry at relevant fora and to appropriate Standardisation Committees. They will also be published in scientific papers, progress reports and journal articles and through this web-site. Readers wishing to find out more about the project should contact the Project Co-ordinator, Dr Peter Bonfield on 01923 664815, fax 01923 664785, e-mail bonfieldp@bre.co.uk.