Re-Resinated Wood Strand Panels: Enhancing Performance Through Waste Recycling

Avishek Chanda (), Muhammad Khusairy Bin Bakri, Rajan Adhikari and Vikram Yadama
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Avishek Chanda: Composite Materials and Engineering Center, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99163, USA
Muhammad Khusairy Bin Bakri: Composite Materials and Engineering Center, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99163, USA
Rajan Adhikari: Composite Materials and Engineering Center, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99163, USA
Vikram Yadama: Composite Materials and Engineering Center, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99163, USA

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 10, 1-17

Abstract: The construction sector’s increasing eco-consciousness is driving the need for higher-performance wood-based engineered products from underutilized timber resources, such as small-diameter trees from hazardous fuel treatments of our forests. Strand-based products, including oriented strand board (OSB) and lumber (OSL), are widely used. However, hot-pressing during their manufacturing generates approximately 10% waste, which includes a substantial amount of resinated strands that are landfilled. The huge potential of using strand-based products has led to many studies and growing interest in strand-based three-dimensional sandwich panels that can be used as wall, floor, or roofing panels. As the market grows, understanding the recyclability of these resinated strands becomes crucial. This study investigates the feasibility of using re-resinated waste strands that were collected during lab-scale production of strand-based panels. Results demonstrate significant improvements in dimensional stability, mechanical properties, and fire resistance. Specifically, recycling increased internal bond strength, flexural strength, time to ignition, time to flameout, mass loss, and time to peak heat release rate by 107%, 44%, 58%, 35%, 51%, and 27%, respectively, and helped decrease water absorption and thickness swell by 51% and 58%, respectively.

Keywords: small diameter timber; strand-based panels; hot pressing; recycling; value-added products; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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