Mechanical Characterization of FRP using Glass Fiber & its Application for Corrugated Sheet

Abstract

In this paper, an experimental study was undertaken to characterise the Von-Misses stress and translational displacement behaviour of FRP corrugated sheet. In this work, corrugated sheet of glass fiber reinforced epoxy composites were fabricated. Epoxy resin was used as polymer matrix material and glass fiber was used as reinforcing material. The matrix of FRP composite is epoxy resin and the reinforcement is E-glass. Reinforcement type is surface veil and Triaxial cell fabric. The main focus of this work was to fabricate composite corrugated sheet by the cheapest and easiest way. For this, hand layup method was used to fabricate corrugated sheet glass fiber reinforced epoxy resin composites. The corrugated FRP sheet is manufactured with dimensions 2 mm thickness, 600 mm width and 600 mm length. Moreover, a finite element (FEA) analysis was carried to simulate the Von-Misses stress and translational displacement behaviours of corrugated sheet. The maximum values of both Von-Misses stress and translational displacement were found. They were 9 MPa and 0.2 mm. Based on maximum stress criterion and maximum deflection for static structure, the model is safe.

Introduction

The paper discusses the hand layup process used in manufacturing Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites, which combine polymer resin matrices with reinforcing fibers (commonly glass, carbon, or aramid). FRP composites are valued for their high strength, low weight, and versatile applications including construction and water transport.

Key Points:

• FRP Manufacturing Methods:

  • Two main methods: pultrusion and hand layup (an open mold process).

  • Hand layup is simple, low-cost, and suitable for a wide range of part sizes.

  • Used for producing FRP corrugated roofing sheets, often compared with roofing sheets made from steel, plastic, or cement-fiber composites.

• Cement-Fiber Sheets vs. FRP Sheets:

  • Cement-fiber sheets use cement to bind fibers, while FRP sheets use resin. Both belong to composite materials but differ in composition and manufacturing methods.

• Manufacturing of Cement-Fiber Sheets:

  • Common methods include the Hatschek process, extrusion, vacuum forming, and others.

  • Hatschek process is a traditional method dating back to the 1890s.

Experimental Work:

• Materials:

  • Epoxy resin and hardener, with triaxial glass fiber fabric.

• Fabrication:

  • Hand layup technique applied on plywood mold for flat samples and metal corrugated molds for corrugated sheets.

  • Layers of fiber mats were impregnated with resin-hardener mix, compressed to remove air, cured for 48 hours, then cut to size.

• Testing:

  • Tensile tests performed on specimens according to ASTM standards.

  • Maximum tensile stress recorded was approximately 229 MPa, with an elastic modulus of 30,000 MPa.

  • Specimens showed elastic behavior up to failure loads between 69-74 kN.

Finite Element Analysis (FEA):

• A 3D model of the corrugated sheet was simulated under a 100 kg uniformly distributed load.

• Results showed a maximum Von-Mises stress of 9 MPa, much lower than the failure stress, indicating a safe design.

• Maximum displacement was 0.2 mm, which is within acceptable deflection limits.

Conclusion

In this mechanical characterization, tests were carried out on a glass fiber reinforced epoxy resin composites as well FRP corrugated sheet were fabricated using hand layup method. Mechanical properties were investigated. Moreover, an FE analysis was performed to simulate the Von-Misses stress and translational displacement behaviour. The maximum values of both Von Misses stress and translational displacement were found for the uniformly distributed load on corrugated sheet. They were 9 MPa and 0.2 mm (for 100 kg load). The model is safe when simulated uniformly distributed load based on both maximum stress criterion and maximum deflection.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 A.P. Thorave, V.P. Pawar, A.P. Taware, Y. D. Jadhav, Prof. S.P. Kamble, Dr. M. D. Jagtap. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.