2. Means of protection

2.1 Immobilization cushions

The immobilization of materials in packaging, commonly referred to as wedging, provides protection against structural fragility. The aim of this function is to create a monolithic, non-deformable unit between the material and its container, to avoid stress localization, bending and deformation of the material during handling, storage and transport operations.

A wide range of materials are used to stiffen packaging: cushioning is calculated on the basis of its tensile or compressive strength, and fastenings are calculated on the basis of their tensile and shear strength. But this immobilization function cannot be dissociated from the container, which contributes to the rigidity of the whole.