Finite element analysis of individual wood-pulp fibers subjected to transverse compression

The nonlinear and large displacement finite element method has been used to perform computer simulations of the transverse collapse of single wood-pulp fibers. Initial uncollapsed cross-sectional geometries are defined based on the collapsed geometry of single fibers subjected to experimental transverse compression. These initial uncollapsed geometries are assumed to be either square-formed or circle-formed. The fiber material is assumed to be isotropic and elastic. The elastic modulus is taken as the equivalent transverse elastic modulus for the fiber wall, determined from the slope of the cell-wall compression part of the experimental collapse curve. Simulations of the deformation of fibers under transverse compression yield upper and lower bounds on experimental data. Parametric studies of the effects of fiber wall thickness, uncollapsed thickness, and elastic modulus on collapse behavior are also presented.