Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2004. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 99 p. : ill. (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 58-59).

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2004. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xi, 190 p. : ill. (some col.). Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 116-119).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Canterbury, 2010. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 224-231). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.Eng.Sc.) - University of Queensland, 2002. / Includes bibliography.

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2006. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 73 p. : ill. (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 56-58).

M.S.

An evaluation was made of the performance of 48 11 x 63 11 , reversible, doubleface, wing-type, two-way entry, nailed red-oak, stevedore pallets of two designs assembled with four different nails. Special consideration was given to Brazilian situations in the light of the interest of the author in the industrial potential of Brazil. The pallets of improved design had their top and bottom leading-edge deckboards backed up by follow-up deckboards. Furthermore, four nails, instead of three, were used for fastening the leading-edge deckboards and three nai Is, instead of two, were used for fastening the inner deckboards to each stringer. The sequence of tests on each pallet started with the initial stiffness test, followed by the rigidity test, the impact-incline deckboard-stringer separation test, and the follow-up static stiff,!'1ess and load-carrying capacity tests. The pallets of improved design were better than those of conventional design during all tests performed. The influence of the nails on pallet performance was significantly different only during the performance of the rigidity and impact-incline tests. During the latter test, the pallets of improved design assembled with 311 helically threaded hardened-steel nails were, on the average, 66 times better than the conventional pallets assembled with the Brazilian 2 ½” helically fluted nails. Recommendations were advanced, suggesting that the study be continued and that special consideration be given to the wood species available in Brazil for pallet assembly, to the use of improved nails, and to the environmental conditions under which stevedore pallets are exposed. / Master of Science

The Pallet Design System (PDS) is a widely accepted engineering procedure for comparing the performance of competing pallet designs. As part of a new version of the PDS, the objective of this study was to develop a durability model for pallets with structural panel decking. An accelerated rough material handling test system, "the VPI unit-load material handling FasTrack" , was developed to simulate pallets used in the unit-load material handling environments. 100 pallets representing 14 different designs were tested in the "FasTrack." Damages to these pallets were recorded after each test cycle. A procedure relating damage to repair cost was developed. The effect of panel-deck pallet design on the resistance to damage was evaluated in terms of the total number of damaged parts and average damage cost or repair cost. Test results indicate that panel grade and type, species of related wood parts, size of stringer and deckboards, joints, and pallet configurations affect the resistance of panel deck pallet to damage. The plots of average total damage cost, Cu adjusted for repair as a function of test cycle, U, fit the equation: Ct = aU - 1. The equation provided good fits to all the pallet designs tested. Using the initial purchase prices, the average cost and the economic life were calculated for all the pallet designs. The VPI "FasTrack" was calibrated based on the number of physical handlings and the amortized life. Three typical in-field handling environments were compared with the VPI "FasTrack". It concluded that the 30-cycle test period in the VPI "FasTrack" simulates between 2 to 5 years of field uses depending on the field handling system being simulated. Thirty Canadian Pallet Council (CPC) pallets with known 7 years of amortized life in the field were tested in the VPI "FasTrack". The 30-cycle test in the VPI system simulated 6 years of use in the similar handling environment of the CPC pallet used by the grocery industry in Canada. The average total damage costs for different pallet designs were related to pallet structural characteristics using multivariate regression analysis. The shear resistance through the thickness of the top panel deck, bottom deck flexural strength, pallet flexural strength, fastener withdrawal resistance, and pallet configuration were used to predict the total damage cost. A multiple regression model was developed. The model was verified by comparing the predicted values with the tested values of 12 panel deck pallets representing 2 designs. The results indicated that the model is reliable for the future predictions. / Master of Science

Pallet repair and reinforcement with metal connector plates (MCPs) may reduce wood waste while providing pallet users with quality, economical pallets. The study objectives were to evaluate the effect of MCP repair and reinforcement on pallet performance, and to evaluate preliminary standards for repair and reinforcement of pallets with MCPs. Whole pallets and pallet components were tested. Stringers and notched segments were tested in static bending, while end feet were tested for resistance to fork tine impact. Whole pallets were evaluated with a test protocol that simulated the effects of long-term handling. Stringers, repaired at notch corners, had greater strength, but less stiffness than the original stringers. Notch reinforcement with MCPs resulted in stringers with greater strength and stiffness than equivalent unreinforced stringers. No consistent species-width effect was found for strength of plated stringers. MCP-repair of above-notch failures did not restore the original strength or stiffness of notched segments. However, these repairs may be satisfactory since above-notch failures are secondary in frequency of occurrence. No differences were found between performance of plates used to repair stringers and notched segments. Both repaired and reinforced end feet had greater impact resistance than the equivalent original or unreinforced end feet. Wood species, rather than stringer width, had a greater influence on MCP performance. In general, tests of whole pallets supported the results from component tests which suggests that component testing may be a practical means of assessing the effect of repair and reinforcement techniques on pallet performance. / Master of Science

A large percentage of the total annual lumber production in the U.S.A is consumed by the pallet industry. However, standardized design procedures for these products have only recently been developed. A four-year cooperative pallet research, development and application program was undertaken by the National Wooden Pallet and Container Association, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and the U.S Forest Service. This research is directed towards developing standardized design procedures for both stringer and block-type pallets. Phase I dealt exclusively with stringer-type pallets while Phase II expands the scope to include block-type pallets. The objective of this work was to develop methods to analyze the effects of loads, supports and geometry on the response of block-style pallets. The developed analysis procedures are based on matrix structural analysis methods. A quarter symmetric 3-dimensional model is used to simulate pallets racked across the stringerboards (RAS) and a half symmetric 2-dimensional model is used for the racked across deckboards (RAD) and sling support modes. Both models are used in the stack condition. Deckboard/stringerboard joints are modeled as a single spring in the RAS model and the deck-block joint in both the RAS and RAD models are modeled as a framework of rigidly connected members and five springs (2 rotational and three axial). The procedure has the capability to handle both uniformly distributed and line loads in rack, stack, or sling support modes, and a wide variety of commonly used geometries. The developed analysis methodology is presented in computerized form and will provide the user a means of communication with pallet manufacturers for defining expected performance. / M.S.