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In this work, twin-screw extruder and compression moulding techniques were utilized to fabricate polymer blends: polypropylene (PP), polybutadiene (PB), and composites using glass fibre (GF) and flax fibre (FF). During fabrication, the polymer ratios maintained between PP and PB were 90:10, 80:20, and 70:30. Likewise, the composites were fabricated by varying the ratios between the PP, PB, and GF, which were 90PP:10PB:10GF, 80PP:20PB:10GF, and 70PP:30PB:10GF. Additionally, a hybrid composite was fabricated by adding 20% FF to the 90PP/10PB/10GF blend. The mechanical characterization revealed that the tensile strength and modulus increased by approximately 24% and 23%, respectively, for the hybrid combination (90PP/10PB/10GF/20FF) compared to pure PP (from 21.47 MPa and 1123 MPa to 26.54 MPa and 1382 MPa). Similarly, flexural strength and impact resistance showed significant improvements in hybrid samples, with flexural strength increasing by approximately 15%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was also carried out for impact-tested samples to understand the fibre-to-matrix adhesion behaviour. Regarding the DSC results, PP exhibited a melting peak between 160 °C and 170 °C. When incorporating PP into PB, a reduction in crystallinity was observed. Further, by adding GF to polymer blends, the crystallinity was increased. HDT and Vicat softening temperature results reported that the hybrid samples showed higher values of 79.3 °C and 88.2 °C, respectively, resulting in improvements of approximately 3.9% and 2.9% over standard PP. Findings from this study suggest that the novel combinations offer a promising synergy of flexibility, strength, and thermal resistance, making them suitable for medium engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Civil engineering structures are subject to both static and dynamic loadings. This applies especially to buildings in seismic areas as well as bridges, viaducts, and road and railway structures loaded with road or rail traffic. One of the solutions used to repair and strengthen such structures in the event of emergency damage are fibre-reinforced polyurethanes (FRPUs). The article proposes a laboratory method for determining the dynamic complex modulus of FRPU composite tape. The theoretical basis for determining the complex modulus for the tested material is presented. Laboratory tests were carried out using the tensile method for four cyclic loading frequencies and a cyclic load ratio equal to 0.5. Under the assumed test conditions, the material showed a viscoelastic performance with a dominant elastic part (storage modulus). For a frequency of 0.1 Hz, the viscous part (loss modulus) was about 8% of the storage modulus value, while for a frequency of 10 Hz, this value was about 5%. For a loading frequency of 0.1 Hz, the elastic part of the complex modulus was about 1160 MPa, while for a frequency of 10 Hz, it was about 1790 MPa. With the increase in loading frequency, the absolute value of the complex modulus increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Impact of various types of fibres on the Mechanical propertes of Lightweght Concrete. This research aims to study the effect of adding fibers on the fresh, and hard propertes of light concrete. To achieving this goal, 13 mixtures were examined, containing different types and proportions of fiber, where the precipitation was examined, as well as the compressive strength, the splitting strength, the fracture modulus, in addition to the workability. The basic variables for this research. The type of fibre, where four types of fibre (steel hooked end, crimped steel, glass, and polypropylene,) were used, and the second variable is the percentage of fibre, as the ratios were as follows (0.3, 0.5, 0.6, 0.8, 1, and 1.3), As for the third variable, it was to combine the types of fibers with each other to obtain the hybrid fibre and study its effect on lightweghit concrete. The results showed that the mixing of steel fiber by 0.5 with the class by 0.5% with 0.3 polypropylene led to decrease the workability of mix, on other hand, Compressive strength and splitting tensile strength, in addition to other properties of concrete were improved, where the percentage of increase in the compressive and splitting strength was 52.17 and 45.36 %, respectively. Furthermore, the hooked end steel showed a better performance than crimped steel in improving proprieties of lightweight concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glass fibre reinforcements form the backbone of the composites industry. Today, glass fibre products account for more than 95% of the fibre reinforcements used in the composites industry. Since the first commercialisation of glass fibres for composite reinforcement in the 1930s, the cross-sectional shape of glass fibres has remained exclusively circular. However, many of the other types of fibre reinforcement have a non-circular cross section (NCCS). This paper reviews the available knowledge on the production of NCCS glass fibres and some of the possibilities that such fibres offer to enhance the performance of glass reinforced polymer composites. The three parts of the review focus on early research work on different shapes of glass fibre, the developments leading to industrial-level production of NCCS glass fibres, and the more recent data available on the influence of the available commercially produced NCCS flat glass fibres on composite performance. It Is concluded that the continued development of NCCS glass fibres may offer interesting potential to generate composites with increased performance and may also enable further tailoring of composite performance to enable new applications to be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of the incorporation of dolomite based geopolymer on the tensile and flexural properties of glass fibre reinforced epoxy composite were investigated. Composites containing different weight percentages of fillers (2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 wt.%) were fabricated using hand lay-up and vacuum bagging techniques. The experimental results showed that the dolomite based geopolymer contributed to the detrimental effect on tensile strength of the composite with 2.5 wt.% incorporation of the filler contributed to the least detrimental effect. 2.5 wt.% incorporation of dolomite based geopolymer meanwhile improved flexural strength by 13.04%.

The effect of the incorporation of dolomite based geopolymer on the tensile and flexural properties of glass fibre reinforced epoxy composite were investigated. Composites containing different weight percentages of fillers (2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 wt.%) were fabricated using hand lay-up and vacuum bagging techniques. The experimental results showed that the dolomite based geopolymer contributed to the detrimental effect on tensile strength of the composite with 2.5 wt.% incorporation of the filler contributed to the least detrimental effect. 2.5 wt.% incorporation of dolomite based geopolymer meanwhile improved flexural strength by 13.04%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the process of using injection moulding to join two different materials to manufacture bi-component moulded products with improved performance characteristics. The two-component process, which combines the advantages of two different technologies—the high efficiency of the injection moulding process and the excellent mechanical properties of long glass fibre composites produced by resin transfer moulding (RTM) technology—offers a particular advantage and improved applicability of the prepared lightweight products in both the automotive and aerospace sectors. The composite studied here consists of Elium® thermoplastic resin (30%) reinforced with unwoven glass fibre fabric (70%) using the RTM process. The Elium® composite sample is consequently used as an insert overmoulded with polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) homopolymer reinforced with 20% w/w of short glass fibre through injection moulding. The influence of different mould temperatures and surface treatments on the adhesion between the materials used is investigated by evaluating the mechanical performance using tensile shear strength tests. It was found that while an increase in mould temperature from 40 °C to 120 °C resulted in a doubling of the initial average bond strength between untreated Elium® RTM inserts and overmoulded PBT parts (0.9 MPa), sandblasting the inserts ensured a further tripling of the bond strength of the composites to a value of 5.4 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vinyl esters are increasingly being used as the matrix polymer in fibre-reinforced composites for demanding large applications which experience long-term exposure to moist and wet conditions. This paper presents the results of a study of ageing due to moisture absorption in vinyl ester polymer and glass fibre–vinyl ester laminates. The moisture uptake kinetics of the two neat VE polymers, cured at different conditions, and their glass-reinforced composites has been characterised by gravimetric methods. These studies have been carried out using submersion in water at 23 °C and 50 °C and exposure to high relative humidity moisture conditions at room temperature. A dynamic mechanical analysis characterisation of the glass transition temperatures of both the aged matrix and the composite is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raised access floors are nowadays widely used in buildings. A novel raised access flooring product is developed by this research, with a set of sustainable features, including less environmental impact and high strength. Its floor panels are made of polyurethane (PU) reinforced with glass fibre, which is light-weight and fire-resistant, replacing the traditional floor panel materials, and the panels are supported by simplified steel stringers to reinforce the strength of the flooring product. Instead of the conventional sandwich design consisting of a core material encapsulated by outer layers, the new floor panel design adopts the reinforced PU as its sole material, which not only simplifies the structure but also reduces floor weight and costs. The sustainable advantage is further approved by the environmental life cycle assessments of the new raised flooring product in comparison to traditional ones made of cement and woodchips, with results showing that the new floor product's total environmental impact is 52% less than cement floor and 47% less than woodchip board floor. Further, the finite element analysis (FEA) was carried out, and the experimental test was conducted to verify the FEA results, indicating that the new product's strength is higher than the requirements of the raised access flooring product standards. There is no raised access flooring product made of PU reinforced with glass fibre available in the market, and, hence, the new product developed by this research is a novel contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of pultruded glass fibre-reinforced polymer composites (PGFRPC) as a replacement material for conventional wooden cross-arm in high transmission towers is relatively new. Although there are several studies on enhancement of the cross-arm structure, there is still a lack of study on the elastic properties of a full-scale PGFRPC cross-arm enhanced with honeycomb sandwich structure. To full-fill the gap, this paper describes an experimental methodology used to obtain the elastic properties of the cross-arm using a three-point bending (3-PB) flexural test by following ASTM D790 standard for deflection behaviour and flexural creep response. The investigation involved several cross-arm members subjected to loading across different span lengths by propose two methods in order to measure the effective cross-arm member section flexural modulus (Ec) and shear modulus (Gc). The creep behaviour of the panels was successfully modeled using Findley's power law, confirming the ability of this empirical approach to simulate the viscoelastic response of the cross-arm. Next predictions were made for up to 50 years of service and the results shows the elastic modulus reduction for the enhanced cross-arm with the honeycomb sandwich structure was approximately reduce to 70 % compare with existing cross-arm which reduce almost 75 % at 50 years of application. The enhanced cross-arm exhibited lower deflection and better creep resistance and increased the bending strength of the cross-arm as well as extended its potential lifespan. Predictions indicated that the enhanced cross-arm maintained better mechanical properties over time compared to the existing one.

Glass fibre reinforcements form the backbone of the composites industry. Today, glass fibre products account for more than 95% of the fibre reinforcements used in the composites industry. Since the first commercialisation of glass fibres for composite reinforcement in the 1930s, the cross-sectional shape of glass fibres has remained exclusively circular. However, many of the other types of fibre reinforcement have a non-circular cross section (NCCS). This paper reviews the available knowledge on the production of NCCS glass fibres and some of the possibilities that such fibres offer to enhance the performance of glass reinforced polymer composites. The three parts of the review focus on early research work on different shapes of glass fibre, the developments leading to industrial-level production of NCCS glass fibres, and the more recent data available on the influence of the available commercially produced NCCS flat glass fibres on composite performance. It Is concluded that the continued development of NCCS glass fibres may offer interesting potential to generate composites with increased performance and may also enable further tailoring of composite performance to enable new applications to be developed.

Geopolymer concrete (GPC) is a new green building material with low pollution, low energy consumption and high strength; however, it has the disadvantage of being brittle and prone to cracking. Studies have shown that the incorporation of inorganic fibres in GPC can enhance the toughness of GPC and inhibit the development of cracks. There is no clear uniformity in the existing literature on the effect of inorganic fibres to enhance GPC. In this paper, the research reports on the effect of inorganic fibres on the mechanical properties of GPC in recent years, and the prospects of their future research are discussed.

The utilization of pultruded glass fibre-reinforced polymer composites (PGFRPC) to replace traditional wooden cross-arms in high transmission towers is a relatively recent development. While there have been numerous investigations into enhancing cross-arm structures, there remains a notable absence of research focused on the elastic characteristics of a full-scale PGFRPC cross-arm, particularly one enhanced with a honeycomb sandwich structure. To full-fill the gap, this paper presents an experimental and numerical study through cantilever beam flexural tests on assembled cross-arm condition to examine deflection behavior and the flexural creep response. For deflection behavior, the load was applied up to actual working load. For creep behavior, the hanging load was applied for 1000 h in open area condition followed ASTM D2990 standards. By using Findley's power law, confirming the ability of this empirical approach to simulate the viscoelastic response of the cross-arm. The results obtained prove that the addition of a honeycomb sandwich structure reduced deflection and improved resilience against bending forces, enhancing specific points' elastic modulus slightly. Long-term creep tests revealed Point Y3 had the highest strain, but the enhanced cross-arm displayed superior resistance and a shorter viscoelastic transition period, indicating increased stability. Besides that, the Findley's Power Law Model effectively represented creep behavior for both cross-arm types, with low errors. Over 50 years, both versions showed a significant reduction in average elastic modulus, with the enhanced variant 20 % stronger due to the honeycomb structure. In conclusion, this study validates the superior creep properties of the enhanced PGFRPC cross-arm and demonstrates the honeycomb sandwich structure's substantial role in increasing strength and extending the cross-arm's lifespan, making it a valuable enhancement for such applications.

This laboratory experiment was conducted with the objective of augmenting the mechanical properties of glass ionomer cement (GIC) via altering the composition of GIC luting powder through the introduction of micron-sized silanized glass fibres (GFs). Experimental GICs were prepared through the addition of two concentrations of GFs (0.5% and 1.0% by weight) to the powder of commercially available GIC luting materials. The effect of GF in set GIC was internally evaluated using micro-CT while the mechanical attributes such as nano hardness (nH), elastic modulus (EM), compressive strength (CS), and diametral tensile strength (DTS) were gauged. Additionally, the physical properties such as water solubility and sorption, contact angle (CA), and film thickness were evaluated. Reinforced Ketac Cem Radiopaque (KCR) GIC with 0.5 wt.% GF achieved improved nH, EM, CS, and DTS without affecting the film thickness, CA or internal porosity of the set GIC cement. In contrast, both GF-GIC formulations of Medicem (MC) GIC showed the detrimental effect of the GF incorporation. Reinforcing KCR GIC with 0.5 wt.% silanized GFs could improve the physical and mechanical attributes of luting material. Silanized GF, with optimal concentration within the GIC powder, can be used as a functional additive in KCR GIC with promising results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, glass fibres with red mud, as the main raw material, were prepared. The effect of the iron oxide content on the structure and alkali resistance of the glass fibres was studied by XPS, FT-IR, DSC, SEM-EDS, while the tensile strength and mass loss rate in alkali corrosion were also analysed. The results showed iron existed mainly in the form of Fe3+. The network polymerisation degree of the glasses decreased as the SiO₂/Fe₂O₃ mass ratio (Si/Fe) decreased, which caused a significant reduction in the Tg and the thermal stability parameter ΔT (ΔT=Tc-Tg). The fibre tensile strength deteriorated when the Si/Fe ratio decreased, while the alkali resistance of the fibres strengthened. After 72 h of alkali corrosion, the average tensile strength of fibres decreased significantly, which were all below 500 MPa. The SEM combined with EDS analysis revealed the shell formed on the fibre surface was mainly oxides and hydroxides of insoluble metals (Fe, Ca), preventing further corrosion by OH-.

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Owing to the high potential application need in the aerospace and structural industry for honeycomb sandwich composite, the study on the flexural behaviour of sandwich composite structure has attracted attention in recent decades. The excellent bending behaviour of sandwich composite structures is based on their facesheet (FS) and core materials. This research studied the effect of woven glass-fibre prepreg orientation on the honeycomb sandwich panel. A three-point bending flexural test was done as per ASTM C393 standard by applying a 5 kN load on different orientation angles of woven glass-fibre prepreg honeycomb sandwich panel: α = 0°, 45° and 90°. The results show that most of the sandwich panel has almost the same failure mode during the three-point bending test. Additionally, the α = 0° orientation angle shows a higher maximum load prior to the first failure occurrence compared to others due to higher flexibility but lower stiffness. In addition, the woven glass-fibre prepreg orientation angle, α = 0°, has the maximum stress and flexural modulus, which directly depend upon the maximum load value obtained during the flexural test. In addition, the experimental results and analytical prediction for honeycomb sandwich deflection show good agreement. According to the result obtained, it is revealed that woven glass-fibre honeycomb sandwich panels with an α = 0° orientation is a good alternative compared to 45° and 90°, especially when better bending application is the main purpose. The final result of this research can be applied to enhance the properties of glass-fibre-reinforced polymer composite (GFRPC) cross-arm and enhance the existing cross-arm used in high transmission towers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concrete is a worldwide construction material, but it has inherent faults, such as a low tensile strength, when not reinforced with steel or other forms of reinforcement. Various innovative materials are being incorporated into concrete to minimise its drawbacks while concurrently improving its dependability and sustainability. This study addresses the research gap by exploring and enhancing the utilisation of glass fibre (GF) concerning its mechanical properties and reduction of embodied carbon. The most significant advantage of incorporating GF into concrete is its capacity to reduce the obstruction ratio, forming clusters, and subsequent material solidification. The study involved experiments wherein GF was incorporated into concrete in varying proportions of 0%, 0.5%, 0.75%, 1%, 1.25%, 1.50%, 1.75%, and 2% by weight. Mechanical tests and tests for durability were conducted, and Embodied carbon (EC) with eco-strength efficiency was also evaluated to assess the material's sustainability. The investigation found that the optimal percentage of GF to be used in concrete is 1.25% by weight, which gives the optimum results for concrete's mechanical strength and UPV. Adding 1.25% GF to the material results in increases of 11.76%, 17.63%, 17.73%, 5.72%, and 62.5% in C.S, STS, F.S, MoE, and impact energy, respectively. Concrete blended with 1.25% of GF has the optimum value of UPV. The carbon footprint associated with concrete positively correlates with the proportion of GF in its composition. The optimisation of GF in concrete is carried out by utilising the response surface methodology (RSM); equations generated through RSM enable the computation of the effects of incorporating GF in concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural fibre reinforced composites of any group are essential to satisfy the current demand and to keep the environment-friendly approach. In the present work, an attempt has been made to replace glass fibres partially by cotton fabric so as to reduce weight and cost of the resultant composite Here, cotton fabric 0.4 mm thick (125 GSM) and fibreglass woven roving 0.15 mm thick (180 GSM) were used with epoxy resin in different weight fractions to prepare hybrid composites. The composites were prepared using hand lay-up method. The Tensile strength, flexural strength, impact strength and hardness tests were performed as per ASTM standards and results are reported for each sample. The specimens were characterised using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The mechanical properties of composites with 80% glass fibre and 20% cotton fabric are found to be closer to glass/epoxy composites. Hence it is concluded that 20% glass fibres can be replaced by cotton fabric in the existing glass/epoxy products in which mechanical properties are important.

The effects of expansive agents (EAs) and glass fibres (GFs) on the splitting strength and fracture performance of seawater and sea-sand concrete (SSC) were investigated. It was found that adding sole EAs or GFs improved the splitting strength, flexural strength, fracture energy, and initial and unstable fracture toughness of SSC. The combination usage of EAs and GFs maximumly increased the aforementioned indexes by 65%, 75%, 155%, 101%, and 82%, respectively. The optimal EA content was 3%–6% and increased with the increase of GF contents. The constitutive model of SSC reinforced with EAs and GFs under tension proposed in this study agreed well with the experimental results.

The use of scrap tyres in construction materials has been promoted to curb the environmental exploitation caused by the open disposal of non-biodegradable waste rubber. Tyre grinds as aggregates in geopolymer concrete (GPC) would increase its sustainability value by reducing the consumption of natural aggregates. Although there is limited literature addressing the damage to GPC characteristics caused by rubber aggregates, this investigation was designed to determine the extent of possible side effects of using crumb rubber (CR) in GPC. Additionally, this investigation aims to address any resulting reduction in strength and durability using additives such as cement and fibres. Geopolymer specimens with CR replacement of fine aggregates by volume (0, 5, 10 and 15%) showed a compressive strength reduction of up to 17% when tested according to ASTM standards. Substituting the total binder by weight with Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) improved the microstructural integrity of the rubberised geopolymer mix with the highest percentage of OPC. Despite producing new and additional binding products (CSH and CASH gels), the GPC surface readily disintegrated under acid exposure. Optimum glass fibres (GF) reinforcement (0.30%) effectively disrupted the GPC pore network, consequently reducing the acid permeability of the matrix. Further addition of steel fibres (SF) enhanced the GPC specimen's compressive and flexural strength. To analyse the cumulative effect of these additives on GPC microstructure, supporting tests such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were carried out. Although these additives enhanced the overall performance of rubberised geopolymer, it might somewhat reduce its green aspect.

The sudden occurrence of an earthquake induces a liquefaction effect on foundation soil, which causes a substantial increase in the uplift pressure acting on piles and causes structural damage to superstructures. This forms the basis of the necessity of experimenting with the behaviour of piles subjected to uplift loads and predicting their load-carrying capacity or resistance. Fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) wraps are widely used for strengthening and retrofitting piles subjected to damage. The current study is aimed at determining the uplift load-carrying capacity or resistance of piles wrapped with basalt fibre-reinforced polymer (BFRP) and glass fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) sheets by experiment. Preliminary tests were conducted to identify the influence of BFRP and GFRP wraps on the mechanical strength properties of concrete. The mechanical strength of the specimen with the double wrapping of basalt and glass fibres in the perpendicular direction outperformed all other specimens. Moreover, the piles were wrapped with laminates and experimented on for their uplift capacity in dry and submerged conditions. The results indicate a considerable improvement in the uplift resistance of the piles compared with the unconfined piles. The BFRP and GFRP wraps improved the uplift resistance of the piles by 35.56% and 15.56%, respectively, higher than the unconfined pile for dry conditions. The angle of the interfacial friction in dry and submerged states was observed to be the maximum for the perpendicular direction for both of the FRP wraps, and the failure modes were compared. The simulated model showed a significant correctness for determining the uplift resistance of FRP-wrapped piles in dry and submerged states. The degree of agreement in the dry condition for the experimental results and finite element method was more than 94% for all fibre wraps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of glass fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites in load-carrying constructions has significantly increased over the last few decades. Such GFRP composite structures may undergo significant changes in performance as a consequence of long-term environmental exposure. Vinyl ester (VE) resins are a class of thermosetting polymers increasingly being used in such structural composites. This increasing use of VE-based GFRPs in such applications has led to an increasing need to better understand the consequences of long-term environmental exposure on their performance. The reliable validation of the environmental durability of new VE-based GFRPs can be a time- and resource-consuming process involving costly testing programs. Accelerated hydrothermal ageing is often used in these investigations. This paper reviews the relevant literature on the hydrothermal ageing of vinyl ester-based GFRP with special attention to the fundamental background of moisture-induced ageing of GFRP, the important role of voids, and the fibre-matrix interface, on composite mechanical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation was conducted on the low-speed impact response of quasi-isotropic [±45/0/90°]xs hybrid composite through laboratory level experimental tests. The purpose was to understand the behaviour that the different stacking sequences of hybrid glass/carbon fibre composites has on the ability of the material to sustain loads during low-speed impact events without developing critical structural failure in the material and improving the impact energy absorption properties, which is a relevant matter in aerospace and automotive industries. Drop-weight impact tests were carried out on two different laminates, with different stacking sequences, each of which were 16 symmetric inter-ply hybrid laminates named GC [+45G/−45C/0G/90C]4s and, respectively, G-C [+45G/−45G/0G/90G/+45C/−45C/0C/90C]2s, where G stands for glass fibre and C for carbon fibre. Both were comprised of epoxy matrix reinforced carbon/E-glass fibre woven fabric composites. The outcome of changing the hybrid stacking sequence, on the impact performances, was discussed. The damage morphologies and local failure mechanisms were analysed using visual inspection and a high-resolution laser scanner. Under 33 J impact energy, both tested hybrid composites exhibited approximately 10 kN peak load. Nevertheless, one key parameter, the time to peak load, significantly changed; the damage initiation threshold for GC samples occurred immediately before 6 kN, whereas for G-C samples this threshold appeared much earlier. This type of behaviour was partly connected to the delay in the propagation of delamination and fibre breakage, which was influenced by the high elastic energy absorption of the carbon fibres when compared with the glass fibres. The absorbed energy was higher for GC configuration, whereas a higher DI was observed for samples G-C indicating that a high percentage of the total energy was dissipated through the propagation of in-plane and out-of-plane fibre/matrix cracks. No perforation was observed on either configuration; nevertheless, the damage area significantly changed both in size and appearance from one configuration to another. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this work has to study the thermal properties of concrete by adding Expanded Polystyrene Beads (EPS) in the normal concrete. EPS and granite dust have replaced for fine aggregate by 25% and cement by 10% by weight. Glass fibres have also added at 0%, 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.15%, 0.2%, 0.25%, 0.3% and 0.6% by the weight of cement. The effect of EPS, granite dust and fibres on mechanical properties, durability and thermal conductivity have studied. The results have showed that on adding EPS, reduced the thermal conductivity, weight, water absorption and strength of the concrete than the normal concrete. The reduction in strength of nominal concrete by the addition of EPS was15%, which have compensated by adding 0.15 % of glass fibre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical anisotropy greatly influences the applications of materials printed by additive manufacturing techniques such as Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) and selective laser sintering. However, the mechanical anisotropy of MJF-printed fibre–reinforced polymer composites has not been well understood. In this work, the effect of the fibre length on the mechanical performance of MJF-printed glass fibre–reinforced polyamide 12 (GF/PA12) composites is systematically investigated. Both experimental and simulation results confirm that longer fibres are in favour of fibre alignment in the powder spreading direction. The composite parts with longer fibres exhibit higher porosity. When GFs with an average length of 226 μm are added, the ultimate tensile strength and tensile modulus of the composites measured in the powder bed spreading direction are remarkably improved by 51% and 326%, respectively, as compared with those of neat PA12 specimens. This work provides guidance for the printing of other high-strength fibre–reinforced polymer composites.

Herein, the effects of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the mechanical and dielectric performance of hybrid carbon nanotube-woven glass fiber (GF) reinforced epoxy laminated composited are investigated. CNTs are deposited on woven GF surface using an electrospray deposition method which is rarely reported in the past. The woven GF deposited with CNT and without deposited with CNT are used to produce epoxy laminated composites using a vacuum assisted resin transfer moulding. The tensile, flexural, dielectric constant and dielectric loss properties of the epoxy laminated composites were then characterized. The results confirm that the mechanical and dielectric properties of the woven glass fiber reinforced epoxy laminated composited increases with the addition of CNTs. Field emission scanning electron microscope is used to examine the post damage analysis for all tested specimens. Based on this finding, it can be prominently identified some new and significant information of interest to researchers and industrialists working on GF based products.

The introduction of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) onto glass fibre (GF) to create a hierarchical structure of epoxy laminated composites has attracted considerable interest due to their merits in improving performance and multifunctionality. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) was used to analyze the woven hybrid GF-CNT. The results demonstrated that CNT was successfully deposited on the woven GF surface. Woven hybrid GF-CNT epoxy laminated composites were then prepared and compared with woven GF epoxy laminated composites in terms of their tensile properties. The results indicated that the tensile strength and tensile modulus of the woven hybrid GF-CNT epoxy laminated composites were improved by up to 9% and 8%, respectively compared to the woven hybrid GF epoxy laminated composites.

Gypsum based composite (GBC) Wall panels are being used in precast concrete industry as the panels are low cost, energy consumption, good habitability, and good fire resistance. This paper presents the studies related to gypsum based composite panels incorporated with glass and sisal fibers. The main objective of the research is to investigate the capacity of gypsum based composite wall panel subjected to axial compression with and without eccentricity. The panels were loaded in axial compression with and without eccentricity. Gypsum, white cement, fibres (glass fibers or sisal fibers) are used to prepare composite panels of size 1000 (length) × 500 (width) × 125 (thickness) mm. Total four panels (two with glass fibers and two with sisal fibers) were tested under axial compression (two panels without eccentricity and two panels with eccentricity) were tested under load control. From the tests, it was observed that the eccentric load application on the panels is very significant compared to normal load application. Significant decrease in the ultimate load is observed for the case of panels subjected to eccentric loading. Nonlinear finite element analysis for the fibre incorporated (E-glass and sisal) gypsum based composite panels under axial compression has been carried out by using the general purpose finite element software.

Various peel-off experiments can be used to determine the adhesion strength of various fibres. Among them was the ‘T’ type peel-off test, which measures the adhesions between fibres. The use of organic and inorganic fillers in flake or powder form will alter the adhesive properties of the binders as well as the adhesive strength between the fibres. In this study, the adhesion strength between three different varieties of glass fibres (C-Glass, E-Glass, and S-Glass fibres) with a PLA core has been investigated. As a binder, an epoxy resin was used, and the resin was modified with inorganic additives such as alumina, bentonite, and silicon carbide. Peel-off testing was used to examine the effect of additives on the bonding strength between a thermoplastic core and a synthetic fibre. The addition of inorganic compounds was found to reduce the adhesion strength between the fibres and the core. In order to evaluate the initial adhesion between the filaments and the core, nine specimens were fabricated without the addition of any additives and their strengths were determined. Maximum adhesion strength of 71.8 MPa was recorded for the neat resin. The adhesive strength after inclusion of additives was observed to decrease by 18.14%, and recorded maximum peel-off strength of 58.2 MPa. Also, the inclusion percentages of the additives were found to be the most influential factor in determining the composites’ adhesive properties. Validation tests were also conducted with the optimized results which demonstrated that the predicted and experimental results were in excellent agreement. Macro and micro approaches were employed to analyze the deformation mechanisms in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of how the additives affected the adhesion strength.

This laboratory experiment was conducted with the objective of augmenting the mechanical properties of glass ionomer cement (GIC) via altering the composition of GIC luting powder through the introduction of micron-sized silanized glass fibres (GFs). Experimental GICs were prepared through the addition of two concentrations of GFs (0.5% and 1.0% by weight) to the powder of commercially available GIC luting materials. The effect of GF in set GIC was internally evaluated using micro-CT while the mechanical attributes such as nano hardness (nH), elastic modulus (EM), compressive strength (CS), and diametral tensile strength (DTS) were gauged. Additionally, the physical properties such as water solubility and sorption, contact angle (CA), and film thickness were evaluated. Reinforced Ketac Cem Radiopaque (KCR) GIC with 0.5 wt.% GF achieved improved nH, EM, CS, and DTS without affecting the film thickness, CA or internal porosity of the set GIC cement. In contrast, both GF-GIC formulations of Medicem (MC) GIC showed the detrimental effect of the GF incorporation. Reinforcing KCR GIC with 0.5 wt.% silanized GFs could improve the physical and mechanical attributes of luting material. Silanized GF, with optimal concentration within the GIC powder, can be used as a functional additive in KCR GIC with promising results.

In this paper, glass fiber fabric reinforced polyphenylene sulfide composites were prepared by hot pressing. The effects of glass fibre modification and hot pressing temperature on the properties of the composites were investigated using a scanning electron microscope, infrared spectrometer, universal testing machine, and DIGEYE digital imaging colour measurement system. The results show that after the treatment with a silane coupling agent, the silane coupling agent was more uniformly distributed on the surface of the glass fibres, and the bonding effect between the glass fibre fabric and polyphenylene sulphide was significantly improved. The strength of the composites increased and then decreased with the increase of hot pressing temperature, and the surface colour of the composites became darker and darker. When the hot-pressing temperature is 310 °C, the mechanical properties of glass fabric-reinforced polyphenylene sulfide composites are at their best, the tensile strength reaches 51.9 MPa, and the bending strength reaches 78 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analysed the bonding mechanisms and strength between wood and non-wood implants in producing laminated oak-wood beams. The suitability of different types of adhesives, namely for load-bearing and general purpose, was also analysed. Three different types of non-wood implants—carbon fibres, glass fibres, and aluminium were glued with epoxy resin (ER), thermoplastic 1-k polyurethane adhesives (PUR), structural polyurethane adhesives (PUR 2 and PUR 3), and polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) adhesives and bonds were tested for shear strength (SS) according to ISO 6238:2018. Results of the bond quality expressed as the ultimate load to failure and displacement were recorded using the universal mechanical testing machine in combination with the digital image correlation (DIC) method. Before the shear test, all the samples were conditioned in dry and wet climatic conditions. Test results indicated that the application of PUR adhesives for bonding carbon and glass fibres with oak wood could sufficiently replace two-component ER, which is generally recommended for such purposes but is very challenging to utilise in industrial conditions. PVAc adhesives proved efficient only for combination with AL implants and in dry conditions. Aluminium sheets were shown to require surface pre-treatment, such as sanding and degreasing or a different type of adhesive to achieve sufficient adhesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a review of waste disposal methods for fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) materials. The methods range from waste minimisation, repurposing, reusing, recycling, incineration, and co-processing in a cement plant to dumping in a landfill. Their strength, limitations, and key points of attention are discussed. Both glass and carbon fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP and CFRP) waste management strategies are critically reviewed. The energy demand and cost of FRP waste disposal routes are also discussed. Landfill and co-incineration are the most common and cheapest techniques to discard FRP scrap. Three main recycling pathways, including mechanical, thermal, and chemical recycling, are reviewed. Chemical recycling is the most energy-intensive and costly route. Mechanical recycling is only suitable for GFRP waste, and it has actually been used at an industrial scale by GFRP manufacturers. Chemical and thermal recycling routes are more appropriate for reclaiming carbon fibres from CFRP, where the value of reclaimed fibres is more than the cost of the recycling process. Discarding FRP waste in a sustainable manner presents a major challenge in a circular economy. With strict legislation on landfill and other environmental limits, recycling, reusing, and repurposing FRP composites will be at the forefront of sustainable waste-management strategies in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glass fibre-reinforced polyphenylene sulphide composites were prepared by hot-pressing glass fibre fabrics and polyphenylene sulphide resins. The effects of different polyphenylene sulphide resin forms on the properties of the composites were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, dynamic mechanical analyser, pendulum impact tester and universal testing machine. The results showed that different polyphenylene sulphide resin forms had nearly no effect on the glass transition temperature of the composites, which are all located at about 100 °C. Compared with other polyphenylene sulphide composites, the bending strength of polyphenylene sulphide film composites was the highest, reaching 314.58 MPa, and the impact strength of polyphenylene sulphide particle composites was the highest, reaching 245.4 KJ/m2. The bending strength and impact strength were calculated using a standard fraction, and the highest standard fraction was obtained when the ratio of polyphenylene sulphide film to particle was 1:2. The impact strength and bending strength could be obtained. The impact strength reached 229.8 KJ/m2, and the bending strength reached 284.16 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roof garden arrangements, which have emerged in recent years based on environmentally friendly approaches, not only increase urban aesthetics but are also a design approach that contributes to the solution of problems caused by climate change. In this study, the filtration performance of different geotextile materials was investigated based on the extensive roof garden model. The studies related to the research were carried out as an open field pot experiment in Ege University Bayindir Vocational School. Crassula ovata from succulent group plants was used as plant material. 3 filtration materials were tested as filter layers, namely glass fibre, raw cotton, and polypropylene fabric. Various statistical analyses were applied to determine the effectiveness of the filtration materials in extensive roof garden applications. According to statistical significance levels it can be said that the use of polypropylene fabric as filtration material would be more advantageous compared to alternative geotextile materials.

In this study, Date Seed Granulated Powder (DSGP) was used as a reinforcement material for Glass Fibre Reinforced Epoxy resin (GFRE) composite. Specifically, the DSGP was prepared and added to Glass fibre reinforced Epoxy composite using the hand lay-up method. The DSGP reinforced GFRE was produced in different weight ratios of 0 %, 10 %, 20 %, 30 %, 40 % and 50 % wt. The mechanical properties of the developed specimens of the DSGP reinforced GFRE composite were investigated using the universal INSTRON tensile machine, flexural testing equipment, Izod impact testing machine (ASTM D256 standard) and Rockwell Hardness testing machine for hardness test. Results of the tests showed maximum values of tensile strength, flexural strength and Hardness Number as 271 MPa, 241 MPa and 97 HRB for the 50, 40, 30, 20 and 10 % wt. GDS samples respectively. Energy absorption capacity (U in Joules) of the samples were also determined. From the results obtained, the best variation of the reinforcement of Glass Fibre Reinforced Epoxy with Date seed granules is the GFR-40 % wt. GDS composition. This study therefore proves that Glass fibre –Date seed reinforced composites are good alternatives to Glass fibre composites, since they gave higher mechanical properties at lower cost.

As the exploitation of oil and gas field becomes more difficulty nowadays, severe casing deformation may occur if anti-extrusion strength of casing decreases to a certain degree and this brings large economic loss and severe safety problems. As an annular sheath between casing and formation, creep of oil well cement paste is one of the most important factors in deciding abnormal casing deformation and wellbore integrity. To figure out the mechanism on how to reduce the creep value of oil well cement paste, effect of different additives, e.g., retarder, glass fibre reinforcement and CSA expansive agent on the creep value of oil well cement are investigated in this study. It can be found out that retarder plays a negative role in reducing the creep deformation and creep value of cement with 1, 2, 3% retarder is 2.39%, 7.85%, and 15.02% higher than that without retarder at 12 h. Results from heat flow indicates that retarder may play an important role in prolonging the early induction period of hydration and reducing the hydration rate in the middle and later stages. On the contrary, Glass fibre shows a positive effect in reducing the creep value of oil well cement paste and creep value reaches with 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%, and 0.8% is 1.27%, 6.61%, 9.82%, and 12.60% lower than that without fibre addition at 72 h. This is because high porosity between and around fibers based on a microstructure observation may lead to a more continuous and uniform stress field between cement paste, and consequently reduce the creep value of cement paste. It can also be found out that CSA cement is considerably effective in limiting creep deformation of oil well cement paste at early ages. There is also an acceleration effect on the heat flow of oil well cement in both induction and acceleration periods and the corresponding maximum heat flow is 7.3%, 9.0%, and 11.2% higher than the reference cement with no CSA addition. The results obtained in this study are aimed to provide theoretical basis for the wellbore integrity and improvement of oil and gas recovery.

In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for engineering materials that possess good mechanical and thermal properties and are cheap an d environmentally friendly. From an industrial and academic point of view, there is a need to study the heat conductivity of newly developed polymer composites and the influence of porosity on the insulation performance of polymer composites. Experimental and theoretical studies were conducted on mainly sisal/glass fibre gypsum composites with different fibre volumes (0, 20, 25, 30, and 35 wt.%). The outcomes from the theoretical model in ANSYS have shown that there is a high possibility to simulate the experimental work and high accuracy for reflecting the experimental findings. Moreover, the results show that natural fibre polymer composites with a high-volume fraction of natural fibres have higher insulation performance than synthetic polymer composites with the same volume fraction of synthetic fibres. Furthermore, the results suggest and support that the improved performance of natural fibre-based composites was due at least in part to the internal porosity of the fibres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roof garden arrangements, which have emerged in recent years based on environmentally friendly approaches, not only increase urban aesthetics but are also a design approach that contributes to the solution of problems caused by climate change. In this study, the filtration performance of different geotextile materials was investigated based on the extensive roof garden model. The studies related to the research were carried out as an open field pot experiment in Ege University Bayindir Vocational School. Crassula ovata from succulent group plants was used as plant material. 3 filtration materials were tested as filter layers, namely glass fibre, raw cotton, and polypropylene fabric. Various statistical analyses were applied to determine the effectiveness of the filtration materials in extensive roof garden applications. According to statistical significance levels it can be said that the use of polypropylene fabric as filtration material would be more advantageous compared to alternative geotextile materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibre-reinforced composites are significant materials for the construction of high-end aircraft; however, their complex manufactural process and high cost hinder their large-scale applications. Herein, a newly phenolic-based composite reinforced by nanocarbon-coated glass fibre (NCGF) prepared by pyrolysis of polyethylene was proposed to meet this challenge. The results show that the tensile strength and electrical conductivity of the composites increase with the increase of NCGF content, approaching 40.06 MPa and 1.63 × 10–6 S cm–1 with the NCGF usage of 20 wt%. The electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) of the as-prepared composite is up to 21.82 dB at 20 wt% X-band (8.2–12.4 GHz). The relationship between total EMI SE (SET), surface reflection (SER) and absorption of electromagnetic wave (SEA) of the as-prepared composite is systematically analysed. It is found that SEA is the main factor for EMI shielding. In addition, the increase of the imaginary part of the permittivity and the dielectric loss of the composite can also make the composite obtain a better electromagnetic shielding effect. In summary, our work introduced a facile paradigm for the production of low-cost fibre-reinforced composites as EMI shielding materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current global trends demand the replacement of synthetic fibres with natural fibres in polymeric composites. The present work makes use of Prosopis juliflora, a plant that is a threat to the environment as a partial replacement in a hybrid composite. Individual Prosopis juliflora fibres are added to matrices at ratios of 12, 6, 9 and 8 wt % and glass fibres are added discretely at ratios of 28, 24, 21 and 32 wt % into matrices as well. The composites are prepared with four different combinations and tested in terms of the mechanical benefits and water absorption performance. This work exploits the mechanical advantage of impact energy in addition to producing Prosopis juliflora particles, fibre glass mats, and resin appropriate for structural uses. Water absorption tests are conducted for four different compositions. Among the four samples, sample 3 (9 wt % Prosopis juliflora fibres and 21 wt % glass fibres) has a higher rate of water absorption than the others, although sample 2 (6 wt % Prosopis juliflora fibres and 24 wt % glass fibres) has a lower rate. The difference in the quantity of water absorption between the hybrid composites can be attributed to the weight percentage of fibres. On the other hand, sample 1 (12 wt % Prosopis juliflora fibres and 28 wt % glass fibres) is reported to have absorbed 2.6 J of energy in the impact strength test. The increase in impact strength is attributed to the increase in the weight percentage of glass fibres. A scanning electron microscope is employed to study the fractured surfaces of the composites. This study shows that the developed hybrid composite could be employed in structural and automotive applications because of its improved impact strength and water resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibre-reinforced polymeric composite materials are becoming substantial and convenient materials in the repair and replacement of traditional metallic materials due to their high stiffness. The composites undergo different types of fatigue loads during their service life. The drive to enhance the design methodologies and predictive models of fibre-reinforced polymeric composite materials subjected to fatigue stresses is reliant on more precise and reliable techniques for assessing their fatigue life. The influences of fibre volume fraction and stress level on the fatigue performance of glass fibre-reinforced polyester (GFRP) composite materials have been studied in the tension–tension fatigue scenario. The fibre volume fractions for this investigation were set to: 20%, 35%, and 50%. The tensile testing of specimens was performed using a universal testing machine and the Young's modulus was validated with four different prediction models. In order to identify the modes of failure as well as the fatigue life of composites, polyester-based GFRP specimens were evaluated at five stress levels which were 75%, 65%, 50%, 40%, and 25% of the maximum tensile stress until either a fracture occurred or five million fatigue cycles was reached. The experimental results showed that glass fibre-reinforced polyester samples had a pure tension failure at high applied stress levels, while at low stress levels the failure mode was governed by stress levels. Finally, the experimental results of GFRP composite samples with different volume fractions were utilized for model validation and comparison, which showed that the proposed framework yields acceptable correlations of predicted fatigue lives in tension–tension fatigue regimes with experimental ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of this research work is to study the effect of hybrid fillers of bamboo fiber and commercial glass fiber on high density polyethylene (HDPE) matrix without interfacial coupling agent. The hybrid composite was formed through melt blending method using two-roll mixing mill at temperature of 160 oC and was shaped using compression molding machine. The highest value of Tensile Modulus at break and Hardness were obtained at hybrid ratio of 70 % of HDPE/15 % bamboo/15 % glass particles (H/B15/G15). However, the inclusion of the hybrid fillers did not show any significant difference in Impact strength from the molded blank HDPE samples (H/B0/G0) while the percentage water absorbed by the samples predominantly decreased as the content of the commercial glass filler was increase in the HDPE matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expansive soils have typical expansion and contraction properties. Under the action of dry-wet cycles, the mechanical properties and cracking behaviour of expansive soil change significantly due to repeated expansion and contraction, which results in engineering problems in expansive soil areas. The resource utilization of solid waste in civil engineering is in line with environmental protection policies and is an important solution to engineering problems. In this study, two types of fibres that can be recycled from solid waste are selected: glass fibre (GF) and polypropylene fibre (PF). Through indoor shear strength and dry-wet cracking tests, the influence of fibre content on the shear strength parameters of expansive soil is quantitatively analysed, the enhancement effect of fibres on the crack resistance of expansive soil is evaluated, and the crack characteristics of fibre-reinforced expansive soil as a function of different drying times, numbers of dry-wet cycles and soil layer thicknesses are explored. The results show that both fibre types significantly enhance the shear properties of expansive soils, and types of fibre-reinforced soil exhibit a peak in shear strength parameters at a certain fibre content. Fibre reinforcement inhabits expansive soil cracking to some extent, and both fibre types exhibit the best crack inhibition effect at a fibre content of 0.5%. The fundamental factor controlling the performance of fibre-improved expansive soil is the adhesion of the expansive soil particles to the fibres, and the PF surfaces are much rougher than the GF surfaces, which can further facilitate the interactions between the fibres and soil grains. In general, the improvement effect of PF is better than that of GF.

The focus of this research work is to study the effect of hybrid fillers of bamboo fiber and commercial glass fiber on high density polyethylene (HDPE) matrix without interfacial coupling agent. The hybrid composite was formed through melt blending method using two-roll mixing mill at temperature of 160 oC and was shaped using compression molding machine. The highest value of Tensile Modulus at break and Hardness were obtained at hybrid ratio of 70 % of HDPE/ 15 % bamboo/ 15 % glass particles (H/B15/G15). However, the inclusion of the hybrid fillers did not show any significant difference in Impact strength from the molded blank HDPE samples (H/B0/G0) while the percentage water absorbed by the samples predominantly decreased as the content of the commercial glass filler was increase in the HDPE matrix.

This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation of the behaviour and strength of hybrid kenaf/glass fibre-reinforced epoxy tubes subjected to axial intermediate-velocity impact loading. The specimens under axial intermediate-velocity impact involve three filament winding orientation parameters of ±30°, ±45° and ±70° of hybrid kenaf/glass fibre-reinforced epoxy and glass fibre reinforced-epoxy. All materials and sampling were prepared at SIRIM STV Malaysia laboratory by using automated filament winding machine to obtain a proper intraply hybrid kenaf/glass composite tube fabricating procedure. Results from the study showed that the concept in fabricating intraply hybrid filament winding technique of natural/synthetic materials has performed similar physical crashworthiness of synthetic composite tube with various progressive crushing behaviours. It was also observed that the winding orientation parameter at θ = 30°, 45° and 70° of the hybrid composite tube have increased the energy absorber properties with 33%, 34% and 56% respectively, compared to the GFRP.