Characterization and impact of fiber size variability on the mechanical properties of fiber networks with an application to paper materials

Cellulose fibers come in a wide range of shapes and sizes. The heterogeneity the fiber length, width, wall thickness, curl external fibrillation is detrimental to mechanical performance products such as paper paperboard. Although micro-mechanical models these materials sometimes incorporate features this heterogeneity, so far there no standardized method fully incorporating this. We examine large number industrial pulps determine what information would have have. find that must allow for both non-Gaussian distributions dependence between variables. present characterizing pulp under conditions views individual outcome sampling process from multivariate distribution function. generally applicable any dataset, even one with dependencies. Using model sheet proposed compared previously presented methods study whether varying size dependencies necessary match response modeled measured characterization data. results demonstrate paperboard should not neglect influence characteristic shape if meant physical experiments.