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Syracuse, New York -- September 12, 2002 -- Drs. Niclas Stenberg, Christer Fellers, and Sören Östlund from the Swedish Pulp and Paper Research Institute (STFI) and KTH the Royal Institute of Technology, have been awarded the 2002 Van den Akker Prize for Paper Physics. Their paper, "Measuring stress-strain properties of paperboard in the thickness direction", in the Journal of Pulp and Paper Science, June 2001, has been selected by an international panel of judges as the greatest contribution to the field of paper physics this year.
In the winning paper, a modified Arcan device for measuring stess-strain properties in the thickness direction of paperboard was presented. The device is used for out-of-plane tensile compression and shear loading. While numerous previous articles deal with the determination of the in-plane stress-strain behavior of paper, few investigations describe the out-of-plane, or Z direction, normal and shear properties and combinations of these loadings. Using this modification to the device, a total knowledge of the deformation in the paper was possible. This is a significant step forward compared to other test methods.
The attachment of the fixture that restricted the movement to the desired direction was the key modification of the original Arcan device. The fixture restricted the movement by omitting all rotations, and allowing movement in only two of the principal directions in order to measure stress and strain accurately. The paperboard is first glued to metal blocks and these blocks are then glued to the device. A method for determining the penetration of the glue was developed in order to find the true strain in the material.
Dr. Niclas Stenberg is an Associate in Paper Physics at STFI. His Licentiate degree was reached in December 1999 and his thesis was titled "Mechanical Properties in the Thickness Direction of Paper and Paperboard".
Professor Christer Fellers has spent his entire scientific career providing the paper industry with relevant and well-defined methods for testing the mechanical properties of paper. An early example was the development of a new method for measuring the compression strength of, in particular, liner and linerboard (the STFI Short-span Compression Test - SCT, often simply called "STFI" world-wide). The method has in principle been accepted all over the world, and has enabled the paper industry to optimize production and material consumption in a way that was not previously possible. Other early work covered the accurate determination of the bending stiffness of paper and corrugated board. These testing methods have also enabled both process optimization and material savings. Dr Fellers is currently research leader at STFI and professor at KTH Paper Technology.
Sören Östlund, is a professor in Packaging Technology in the Department of Solid Mechanics at KTH, Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden. He received a Master of Science in Aeronautical Engineering from KTH in 1985, and a Ph.D. in Solid Mechanics from KTH in 1989. He became a scientist at the Swedish Institute of Composites and then in 1991 returned to KTH as a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Solid Mechanics. He became an associate professor in 1995 and professor in Solid Mechanics particularly Paper Mechanics in 2001.
The Johannes A. Van den Akker Prize for Advances in Paper Physics was created to recognize the best contribution made to the field of paper physics and to the paper industry each year. Dr. Van den Akker was known for his brilliant mind, demand for excellence, and leadership in the field of paper physics for over 40 years. His paper, "General Discussion of the Measurement of Adhesion and Cohesion", Tappi J. 35(4):155A-162A (1952) was used as a reference in the winning paper.
The Johannes A. Van den Akker Prize for Advances in Paper Physics was established in 1999 by IPST, with an endowment made possible through the generous donations of the family, friends, and students of Dr. Van den Akker, a former senior research associate and Chairman of the Department of Physics and Mathematics at the Institute of Paper Chemistry (IPC). The Van den Akker Prize is awarded annually through the Technical Ass
June 21, 2005
Physics Committee, of which Dr. Van den Akker was a member for many years.
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