Numerical Modeling Based on Finite Element Analysis of 3D-Printed Wood-Polylactic Acid Composites: A Comparison with Experimental Data

Abstract

Wood-polymer composites are increasingly produced through fused deposition modeling (FDM)—an additive manufacturing technique. The versatility of this technology has attracted several industries to print complex shapes and structures. This underscores the importance of studying the mechanical properties of the FDM parts, specifically, their elastic properties. A numerical homogenization methodology is introduced in the present study, focusing on the fundamental aspect of the elastic properties. Investigations were carried out on the influence of various parameters like wood volume fraction, aspect ratio, and internal porosity. The numerical results were validated using analytical models and experimental data. The comparison showed a satisfactory agreement with experimental data, where the relative error did not exceed 10%, leading to a strong conclusion about the validity and effectiveness of the proposed approach.