Pengaruh Variasi Pengempaan Terhadap Kualitas Balok Laminasi Serat Kulit Sagu

The abundance of sago bark waste in Riau poses aquatic pollution risks amidst high construction timber demand. The main problem lies in the rigid, hard nature of sago bark fibers, requiring precise pressing pressure parameters to prevent delamination in laminated beams. This study aims to analyze the effect of pressing pressure variations (0.4 MPa, 0.6 MPa, and 0.8 MPa) on the physical and mechanical quality of laminated beams and determine the optimal pressure. The benefit is providing an eco-friendly, economical building material based on local biomass. Test specimens were made from sago bark fiber (Metroxylon sagu) with Epoxy Resin (E-Floor) adhesive, measuring 760 × 50 × 50 mm (composed of 10 layers at 5 mm/layer). Results showed an average moisture content of 14.97% and a density of 4.83 g/cm³ (Strength Class I). The 0.8 MPa pressing pressure yielded the best quality with a Modulus of Rupture (MoR) of 51.95 MPa (Strength Class III/Moderate), outperforming 0.4 MPa (47.48 MPa) and 0.6 MPa (44.93 MPa) in Class IV. Increasing pressure effectively maximized adhesive penetration, although the beam's Modulus of Elasticity (MoE) remains in Class V.