Finite Element Simulation of the Flat Crush Behavior of Corrugated Packages

Corrugated paperboards are used for packaging because of their high strength-to-weight ratio, recyclability, and biodegradability. Corrugated paperboard consists of a liner and a corrugated medium and has an orthotropic sandwich structure with unique characteristics for each direction owing to its flute shape. In this study, finite element analysis (FEA) was performed on the flat crush behavior of the corrugated paperboard based on the flute type. The stress-strain (SS) curve and shape change of the flute were analyzed during the flat compression. In addition, it was compared with the FEA results through various experiments. The restraints and boundary conditions applied during FEA were used to properly describe the conditions during the experiment. Specifically, the horizontal translation motion of the top and bottom surfaces of the modeled test specimen was constrained during FEA to correspond to the effect of sandpaper attached to the upper and lower plates of the testing machine. This was done to prevent the specimen from sliding in one direction during the flat crush test. The change in the flute shape of the corrugated paperboard by flute type analyzed through experiments and FEA was very similar; although there was a difference in the absolute value between the two methods of the SS curve, the flute type exhibited a similar trend. Therefore, a qualitative comparative study on the flat crush behavior by flute type was possible with the FEA method, as in this study. Further studies on the material properties of the corrugated paperboard components and the modeling methods of the corrugated paperboard will enable the FEA-based simulation technique to be an alternative tool that can replace the flat crush test.