We have investigated a relation between micromechanical processes and the stress-strain curve of a dry fiber network during tensile loading. By using a detailed particle-level simulation tool we investigate, among other things, the impact of “non-traditional” bonding parameters, such as compliance of bonding regions, work of separation and the actual number of effective bonds. This is probably the first three-dimensional model which is capable of simulating the fracture process of paper accounting for nonlinearities at the fiber level and bond failures. The failure behavior of the network considered in the study could be changed significantly by relatively small changes in bond strength, as compared to the scatter in bonding data found in the literature. We have identified that compliance of the bonding regions has a significant impact on network strength. By comparing networks with weak and strong bonds, we concluded that large local strains are the precursors of bond failures and not the other way around.

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Experiments were made with a laboratory apparatus for forming paper sheets into double-curved structures. The purpose was to learn more about the design criteria for forming of paper materials into complex shapes. The influence of forming parameters such as moisture and temperature was studied, and the performance of some common pulps as raw materials for the paper sheets was evaluated. Papers made from short hardwood fibres performed worse than papers from other pulps, and the method of moisture application was more important than the amount of moisture that was applied.

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