Blast behaviour of fibre reinforced polymers containing sustainable constituents

Abstract

As the use of more sustainable natural fibres and bio-based resins in fibre reinforced polymers (FRPs) becomes more widespread, their susceptibility to damage due to explosive detonation needs to be evaluated. In this paper, flax and jute FRP panels were blast tested and compared to equivalent mass glass FRP panels. Comparisons were made between flax and glass FRPs manufactured using a synthetic Prime 20 epoxy and a Super Sap epoxy resin containing bio-based raw materials. The transient measurements revealed that all the FRPs exhibited high-peak displacements and viscously damped elastic vibrations. The results showed the predominance of fibre strength and stiffness, and the lesser influence of resin system. The presented modified non-dimensional analysis approach could be extended to predict peak displacement of FRPs during blast events in the future. The failure mode progression for each panel type was identified, providing unique and detailed insights for designers and blast protection engineers. The work should prove valuable to blast protection engineers considering the effects of explosive detonations on structures containing FRPs.

Assessment of Flexural Strength and Fractography Analysis of Honeycomb Sandwiched Material Reinforced with Natural Fibres for Construction Industry Applications

“…If a fibre fails along its entire length revealed within the crack flanks, it is rendered dormant in terms of load input. If, on the other hand, the fibre fails along the debond length, it will pull-out (Gabriel et al, 2022). The energy spent as friction at the contact is the pull-out mechanism's input to the energy dissipation capacity of the composite.…”

Africa's natural fibres used in polymer composites: A systematic review

“…Upon closer scrutiny of the 467 examined documents, only a few studies revealed composites designed explicitly for targeted applications, as outlined in Table 3. Additionally, other studies explored the development of composites for potential applications, including wind turbine blades, 36,37 automobile body parts, [38][39][40] ballistic armour components, 41,42 non-structural building panels, 43,44 pressure vessels, 45 electric circuit boards, 46 and composite film for packaging applications. 47,48…”