Experimental, Theoretical, and Numerical Analysis of Laminated Composite Prosthetic Socket Reinforced with Flax and Cotton Fibers

Abstract

A lot of work has been done to enhance the mechanical properties of natural fiber composites to increase their strength and applicability. This research aims to investigate the utilization of natural fibers for below-knee prosthesis socket manufacture using the vacuum bagging technique experimentally, theoretically, and numerically. Lamination groups of different layering arrangements were evaluated by tensile tests. The finite element methodology (FEM) was utilized by noting the dispersion of safety factors, equivalent Von-Mises stress, and total deformation, while the theoretical part estimated Poisson's ratio, volume fraction, failure index, and theoretical safety factor. The study found that the number and type of fibers affected mechanical properties, in addition, that combining natural and artificial reinforcements permits the creation of high-performance bio-composites. FEM results coincided with both the theoretical and experimental results, with lamination 9 having the highest modulus of elasticity (5.6 GPa) and tensile strength (423 MPa). This work uncovered the properties of the proposed hybrid fiber-reinforced composites that haven't been exasperated up to the present and showed that sockets can be assembled from sustainable, low-risk materials without sacrificing the composite materials' strength. The study found that bio-composites with better performance could be created by combining synthetic with natural reinforcements.