Stiffness Design of Paperboard Packages using the Finite Element Method.

This thesis focuses on FEM analysis of paperboard global stiffness. Simulations in Abaqus and experiments were carried out where the deformation was measured. The experimental results were compared with simulation results in order to verify the FEM simulations. Different types of boxes were used to carry out the empirical experiments. The analyses are based on one model that simulates the mechanic behavior of the used boxes. The influence of the creasing stiffness in the global stiffness is specially analyzed. Different gluing zones, materials and structural geometries were used in boxes. The model predicted the experimental results well except from the gluing zones that in some experiments had a higher impact concluding in worse results. Moreover, the results of the work indicate that the deformation of the boxes mostly depend on the bending stiffness of the paperboard while the influence of the creasing stiffness is low