Simulation Study of Luffa Fiber Reinforced Composite Under Various Geometrical Parameters

Abstract

Composite is used in many structural applications such as naval, marine, and aerospace because of their advantages over conventional materials such as high strength, high stiffness, low thermal expansion coefficients, and high heat resistance. Generally, glass, carbon, graphite, and aramid fibers are used in composite, but due to their disadvantages, the use of natural fiber reinforced composite increase from last decade. Increasing environmental awareness also leads to change the mind-sets of researchers to find an alternative of these synthetic fibers. Before using these synthetic fibers as reinforcement in structural composites analysis of these structures/structural components should be done through mathematical, experimental and/or simulation based model for accurate design and subsequent manufacturing. Natural fibers are hydrophilic in nature, as a result of that these fibers are highly susceptible towards moisture content present in environment, hence before using natural fibers these should be chemically treated. The first mode of vibration/fundamental frequency is always accompanying with high amplitude and it causes large tension and/or compression which leads to fatigue of the structural component. Therefore, the vibration analysis of structures made-up of composite and/or hybrid materials becomes significant. A mathematical model for composite laminate based on first order shear deformation theory is developed to analyse the frequency response of composite plate. A composite plate reinforced with luffa fiber is prepared with varying weight fraction and mechanical properties of luffa cylindrica is studied A computer program is developed using finite element package ANSYS based on developed mathematical model. The convergence test is performed for the presently developed model and validated by comparing the responses with the results available in the published literature. The effect of different1parameters like aspect ratio, thickness1ratio, and support condition and convergence study are analyzed using presently developed model for both free and discussed in detail.