This study investigates the dynamic performance and degradation behavior of corrugated cardboard used as protective packaging for home appliances subjected to random vibrations during transportation. Simulated vibration tests were conducted on fully packaged refrigerators to assess the mechanical response of cardboard and expanded polystyrene (EPS) supports under prolonged vibration excitation. Relaxation tests were performed to characterize time-dependent stress decay in the absence of vibration, while cantilever beam experiments quantified dynamic stiffness degradation during vibration exposure. The vibration-induced damage was evaluated by monitoring the decrease in support stiffness over time, revealing a distinct exponential reduction that correlated with increasing excitation levels. Statistical load count analyses, based on auto-spectral methods and Basquin’s power law, were used to model fatigue behavior and predict service life. The findings demonstrated that corrugated cardboard exhibited comparable performance to EPS in maintaining support stiffness while offering the advantage of environmental sustainability. These results provide quantitative evidence supporting the use of cardboard as an effective and eco-friendly alternative to polymer-based packaging materials, contributing to the development of optimized packaging solutions with enhanced vibration durability.
Kim et al. (Thu,) studied this question.