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An experimental and numerical

investigation of low-velocity impact on
moisture-induced bio-based composite
laminates.

Narendra Jalli(ME20B1051)
Guide:Dr.N Rino Nelson

Introduction
• The developing technology is driving the need for advanced materials to fulfill the requirement with the
changing specifications. People are looking into using technology and appliances to make their lives easier.
• Current environmental climate change is compelling scientists to study the behavior of materials derived from
renewable resources[1].
• Sustainability has become an important consideration when choosing a material because it reduces the adverse
effects on the environment.
• Natural fiber composites are becoming popular because of their biodegradability, low weight, low cost and
permissible properties[2].

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Introduction
• Mechanical properties of banana fiber reinforced epoxy composites will be enhanced by hybridizing
with sisal fibers[3,4].
• Hydrophilicity nature of natural fibers permits the moisture absorption in the natural fiber reinforced
polymer composites.
• Natural fiber composites can be used in automotive sector as a door panels, dashboards and floor
panels.
• Impact load plays vital role in the damage of the composites for consumer applications[5].
• In this study, we investigated the damage associated with the moisture induced banana/sisal fiber
epoxy composites under impact load.

Workflow Of Project

ICSMEA 4

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Micromechanical Analysis

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Banana Fibers Sisal Short fibers Representative Volume Element(RVE)

Epoxy Matrix
Banana/Sisal reinforced epoxy composite

Material Properties Banana fiber Sisal Short fibers Epoxy

Density(kg/m^3) 1350 1450 1200

Modulus of elasticity[Gpa] {29,5.5,5.5} {11.8,5.535,5.535} 3.4
Shear Modulus[Gpa] {5,3,5} {2.478,2.361,2.478} 1.308
Poission’s Ratio {0.3,0.1,0.3} {0.366, 0.1719, 0.366} 0.33
Diffusion coefficient(m^2/s) 2.0 x 10^-12 1.77 x 10^-10 4E-13
Thermal conductivity(W/m.k) 0.03 0.04 0.2
Fig:Fabricated composite

Moisture Modelling
• Natural fiber composites are having tendency to absorb moisture from atmosphere due its
hydrophilicity
• Driving forces for moisture transfer: Concentration difference, Temperature Gradient
• Diffusion coefficient and moisture equilibrium are functions of relative humidity.
3D Heat diffusion Equation(heat transfer) Boundary Conditions:
Ambient Properties :Dublin,Ireland,Europe data from metrological
data(ASHRAE 2017)
Moisture flux boundary condition,
3D Moisture diffusion Equation(moisture transfer)

Heat flux boundary condition,

Coupling Equation

Moisture and thermal insulation conditions,

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Moisture Modelling
5g sisal/48g banana fiber 10g sisal/48g banana fiber 15g sisal/48g banana fiber

Moisture Absorption Experimentation

• Moisture absorption test has been carried out as per ASTM D5299 method to find the moisture
equilibrium.
• Samples are sliced from the plate then immersed in the water until it reaches saturation.
Saturation moisture percentage,

Diffusion coefficient of the

composite,

Composite Diffusion
Coefficient(m^2/s)
5g sisal fiber 3.5e-14
10g sisal fiber 8e-13
15g sisal fiber 1.86e-12

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Impact Test Modelling

• Impactor is raised to certain height using the motor attached to the electromagnet and then released. Proximity
sensors are placed in the side bar detects the position of the impactor.
• Maximum height is 1.5 metres.Load cell placed in the impactor to determine the parameters like force w.r.t to time
and, energy absorbed, displacement.

It is similar to freely falling body.

Velocity of the impactor,
V=sqrt(2*g*h)
V=sqrt(2*10*0.2)=1.98m/s
Impactor: 20mm diameter ,1 kg weight

200 mm
Kinetic energy of the impactor,
K.E=1/2*m*v^2=0.5*1*3.9204
K.E or Impact Energy=1.96J

Composite :130 x 130 x 4 mm, 3 layers

Results & Discussion

Fig: 5g sisal fiber composite(dry)-front Fig: 5g sisal fiber composite(dry)-back

Fig: 15 g sisal fiber composite(dry)
Composition of Energy Absorbed(J)
composite
5g sisal fibers(dry) 0.62
5g sisal fibers (wet) 0.427
10g sisal fibers(dry) 0.635
10g sisal fibers(wet) 0.43
15g sisal fibers(dry) 0.642
Fig: 5g sisal fiber composite(wet)- Fig: 5 g sisal fiber composite(wet)-
front back 15g sisal fibers(wet) 0.437

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Conclusions
• Percentage of moisture absorption is increasing with the fiber content present in the composite. It indicates that
cellulose content present in the composite can enhance the moisture absorption.
• Both relative humidity and temperature of surroundings are effecting the moisture absorption.
• Debonding,delamination and fiber breakage are the major failures in the impact loads.
• Dry specimens are distributing the load due to high strength compared to wet specimens.

Future Works
• It is observed that peak force at the time of failure is almost equal for all three compositions due to less variation
of sisal short fibers composition in the composite.Further,will repeat the experimentation for different
compositions of sisal short fibers.
• It is observed that impact strength of the samples with three layers of woven banana fiber is not satisfactory.
Further study will done by increasing the number of plies in the composite.
• Further modifications in numerical simulations will be done as it is observed significant difference between the
numerical simulations and experimental study.

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References
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hybrid composites",2nd International Conference on Mining, Material and Metallurgical Engineering.
[2]P.Shashi Shankar, Dr.K.Thirupathi Reddy and V.Chandra Sekhar,"Mechanical Performance and Analysis of Banana Fiber Reinforced Epoxy
Composites",International Journal of Recent Trends in Mechanical Engineering,Vol. 1, Issue. 4,2013.
[3]N. Venkateshwaran, A. ElayaPerumal, A. Alavudeen, and M. Thiruchitrambalam, “Mechanical and water absorption behaviour of banana/sisal reinforced
hybrid composites,” Materials & Design, vol. 32, no. 7, pp. 4017–4021, 2011.
[4] Anandakumar Paramasivam,Venkata Timmaraju Mallina,Velmurugan Ramachandran,Vattikuti Vinay Kumar,"Effect of interface temperature on low-
velocity impact response of injection over-molded short/continuous fiber reinforced polypropylene composites",Polymer Composites. 2023;1–13. Society of
Plastics Engineers.
[5] V. O. Startsev, S. V. Panin, and O. V. Startsev,” Sorption and diffusion of moisture in polymer composite materials with drop-weight impact damage”,
Mechanics of Composite Materials, Vol. 51, No. 6, January, 2016 (Russian Original Vol. 51, No. 6, November-December, 2015).
[6]Akash, Girisha K G, N S Venkatesha Gupta, K V Sreenivas Rao"A study on flammability and moisture absorption behavior of sisal/coir fiber reinforced
hybrid composites",2nd International Conference on Mining, Material and Metallurgical Engineering .
[7] Raghavendra Subramanya, D. N. Subba Reddy and Prabhakara Shimoga Sathyanarayana ,”, Tensile, impact and fracture toughness properties of banana
fibre-reinforced polymer composites, Advances in materials and processing technologies 2020, VOL. 6, NO. 4, 661–668
[8] Amuthakkannan Pandian, Manikandan Vairavan, Winowlin Jappes Jebbas Thangaiah,and Marimuthu Uthayakumar,” Effect of Moisture
Absorption Behavior on Mechanical Properties of Basalt Fibre Reinforced Polymer Matrix Composites”, Journal of Composites, Volume 2014.
[9] R.Girimurugan, K.G.Saravanan, P.Manickavasagam , G.Gurunathan , M.Vairavel,” Experimental Studies on Water Absorption Behaviour of
Treated and Untreated Hybrid Bio-Composites”, Materials Science and Engineering, 1059 (2021) 012017 .

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