FRACTURE RESISTANCE OF COMPOSITE STRUCTURS FROM HEMP BIO-FIBERS

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Authors

1 Mechanical & Aerospace engineering, Institute of Aviation Engineering and Technology, Giza, Egypt

2 Mechanical Engineering Department California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, USA

Abstract

Lightweight sandwich structures are used in the aircraft industry because of their high strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios. Structural components are often subjected to edge loads in compression or tension. The sandwich structure under the edge compression load exhibits excellent compression capacity. On the contrary of loading under flatwise compression, the sandwich under edge compression undergoes drastic tearing and fracture. The current study is based on experimental work on sandwich-structures made of carbon fiber and natural fiber reinforced face sheets with different core materials. The natural fiber (hemp) is highlighted in the current study to improve the fracture resistance of skins. The hemp-skin demonstrates comparable compression properties to those of carbon fiber under edge compressive load. The skin from hemp has great fracture resistance while the carbon one experienced dramatic fracture, tearing, and delamination. This outcome of the current study, in addition to the lightweight, low- cost ease handling, simple manufacturing, and eco-friendship make the hemp a competitive industrial material in aerospace applications. More details about the manufacturing and the failure modes are discussed as well.

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