Asbestos cement corrugated (ACC) roofing sheets remain widely used in low-cost construction due to their durability, affordability, and structural performance. However, concerns regarding asbestos-related health risks and the environmental impacts of conventional roofing materials have created a need for alternative roofing systems. Simultaneously, large quantities of lignocellulosic waste generated from wood processing industries remain underutilised despite their potential as composite feedstocks.

This research analyzes the feasibility of manufacturing corrugated roofing panels from wood-planer shavings bonded with bio-based and semi-bio-based binders through a compression hot-pressing process. Three binder systems, lignin-phenol-formaldehyde (LPF), soda lignin-based formulations, and Kaumera, were evaluated. Experimental panels were produced at various densities and tested for physical and mechanical properties relevant to roofing applications. The performance of the developed composites was assessed against the structural benchmarks associated with ACC roofing sheets.

The results show that wood-planer shavings can be successfully consolidated into corrugated composite roofing panels using compression hot pressing, with panel density emerging as a major factor influencing performance. Among the binder systems investigated, LPF-based composites demonstrated the most promising overall performance. The study further demonstrates that roofing panels can be produced from minimally processed lignocellulosic waste using a manufacturing approach that is substantially simpler than existing natural-fibre corrugated roofing systems.
The research contributes a new methodology for developing corrugated roofing composites from waste-derived feedstocks and establishes a basis for further development of low-cost, bio-based roofing materials suitable for decentralised and small-scale production contexts.
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