Microscopic computed tomography aided finite element modelling of wood

Laboratory X-ray tube-based microscopic computed tomography (XµCT) aided finite element (FE) modelling considers XµCT data to characterize key engineering properties needed for modelling of material behavior. The method includes steps such as XµCT scanning, segmentation, meshing, and fiber reconstruction and can be supported by techniques such as digital image correlation and digital volume correlation. At the moment, research is often focused on specific steps within this process and used to study mainly elastic material behavior. In the field of material composite and bone, a need for a methodology is reported to automate the XµCT aided FE modelling process, and therewith minimize errors between and within each step that makes up this process. The current project focuses on the development of such a methodology for wood. The study aims at fast, accurate and repeatable data transfer between the steps of the XµCT aided FE modelling process by adopting commercial image processing and FE software. The developed methodology is used to determine the hygro-expansion properties of compression and opposite wood found in branches of Norway spruce. The study is supported by digital volume correlation.