Creep fatigue in engineered wood fiber and plastic compositions

Creep behaviour of unmodified and functionally modified thermoplastic-wood fibre composites was studied. For PVC, PE and PP-based composites creep is strongly dependent on the amount of load, time and temperature. A small ris e in the temperature above ambient temperature increased creep significantl y for PVC-woodfiber composites. Instantaneous creep resistance of woodfibre -filled PP is higher than that of PE-based composites. PP and PE-based wood composites were modified with maleic and maleimide compounds. Maleic or ma leimide modification of woodfibre improved transient creep behaviour of PP- woodfibre composite but it did not show practically any effect on instantan eous creep. A mathematical model has been proposed to predict creep behavio ur of PVC, Pf an PE-based wood fiber composites. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons , Inc.