Abstract
Composite materials have recently been of particular interest to the automotive industry due to their high strength-to-weight ratio and versatility. Among the different composite materials used in mass-produced vehicles are sheet moulded compound (SMC) composites, which consist of random fibres, making them inexpensive candidates for non-structural applications in future vehicles. In this work, SMC composite materials were prepared with varying fibre orientations and volume fractions (25% and 45%) and subjected to a series of uniaxial tensile and flexural bending tests at a strain rate of 3 × 10−3 s−1. Tensile strength as well as failure strain increased with the increasing fibre volume fraction for the uniaxial tests. Flexural strength was found to also increase with increasing fibre percentage; however, failure displacement was found to decrease. The two material directions studied—longitudinal and transverse—showed superior strength and failure strain/displacement in the transverse direction. The experimental results were then used to create a finite element model to describe the deformation behaviour of SMC composites. Tensile results were first used to create and calibrate the model; then, the model was validated with flexural experimental results. The finite element model closely predicted both SMC volume fraction samples, predicting the failure force and displacement with less than 3.5% error in the lower volume fraction tests, and 6.6% error in the higher volume fraction tests.
Highlights
In recent years, the technology to manufacture composites has significantly improved, and in turn, composite materials are becoming popular in applications such as panel componentry in automotive and aerospace industries
A micromechanics model as developed earlier for long fibre-reinforced composites by Sabiston et al [43,45] based on the random characteristics of the sheet moulded compound (SMC) composites can help to capture these errors mainly for the longitudinal and transverse 45% volume fraction samples. Multiple series of both uniaxial tensile and flexural bending tests were performed on SMC composite specimens from an SMC car hood to quantify the mechanical characteristics of the material
The study produced a collection of results for the 25% and 45% volume fraction samples for both the longitudinal and transverse directions, where both the tensile and flexural tests were performed at a strain rate of 3 × 10−3 s−1
Summary
The technology to manufacture composites has significantly improved, and in turn, composite materials are becoming popular in applications such as panel componentry in automotive and aerospace industries. Fibrous composites are of utmost interest because they can provide favourable mechanical properties and incredible weight savings, far exceeding common materials such as metals and polymers. Composite materials combine the lightweight characteristics of polymers and the high strength characteristics of fibres for reinforcement (generally glass, carbon, or natural fibres). The ability to be formed into virtually any desired shape is another attraction for both the automotive and aerospace industries. Other benefits of these materials are their lightweight capabilities, corrosion resistance, chemical stability, high stiffness, and high strength-to-weight ratio [1,2]
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