Withdrawal Strength of Various Laminated Veneer Dowels from Composite Materials

Dowel withdrawal strength is a critical component of wood connection design. Previous tests have concentrated on defining the relationship between dowel-bearing strength, specific gravity, and fastener characteristics such as diameter; but little information is available about the additive effects of laminated veneer dowels on the ultimate withdrawal strength of single- or multi-dowel joints. In this study, we researched the effect withdrawal strength of various laminated veneer dowels from various woods produced on the composite materials. Five wood species for outer layer, three wood species for inner layer, and PVAc adhesive were used in the production of multi-grooved dowels. Withdrawal strength tests were applied according to ASTM-D 1037 standards. The test results indicated that the highest strength was obtained in beech dowels having poplar wood for the inner layer on face withdrawal strength in medium density fiberboard (MDF) as 7.47 N/mm2. The lowest strength was obtained in oak dowels having pine wood for the inner layer on edge withdrawal strength in particleboard as 2.82 N/mm2. If the dowels used in furniture production are subject to great withdrawal strength, laminated beech veneer dowels bonded with polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) adhesive on MDF should be used. In addition, when the dowels produced from waste wood are used, they also give the same results as the solid dowels