Effect of Freeze–Thaw Cycling on the Screw Direct Withdrawal Resistance of Beech, Ozigo, and Okoume Plywoods

Abstract

Wood has been used in the construction, furniture, and automotive industries since ancient times. In areas where wood material is used, it is combined with various fasteners. The durability of the products produced using wooden materials depends on the performance of the fasteners. Since wood is a hygroscopic and biodegradable material, various changes occur in its structure when exposed to external weather conditions. Wood materials used especially in the field of construction and urban furniture are exposed to effects such as extreme temperatures, freezing, moisture, or drying depending on the seasons. In this study, the effect of the freeze–thaw cycling (FTC) process on screw direct withdrawal resistance (SDWR) of plywood produced from beech, ozigo, and okoume species was investigated. In this context, the effects of screwing time (before or after), screw orientation (face or edge), the number of cycles (0 to 7) in the FTC process, and plywood type parameters on SDWR were investigated. As a result of the tests, when the mean SDWR values were examined according to the plywood type, the highest values were obtained in beech, ozigo, and okoume plywood, respectively. Considering the screwing time parameter, it was determined that there was no statistically significant difference between the mean SDWR values in other plywood types except beech plywood (p < 0.05). When the screw orientation parameter was examined, screwing in the face direction gave better results than screwing in the edge direction in all plywood types. There was a decrease in the mean SDWR values that was inversely proportional to the increase in the number of cycles in FTC-treated plywood.