Fracture toughness analysis of a woven sisal-glass fiber hybrid composite

Abstract

This experimental work’s goal was to investigate the mode-I fracture toughness behavior of a hybrid composite material made of woven sisal and glass fibers under mode-I loading circumstances to gauge the material’s resistance to fracture behavior. The sisal plant was painstakingly stripped of its fibers. For the sisal fiber surface treatment, 5% NaOH was utilized. Next, treated fibers were weaved by hand to create the woven sisal fiber. Using the hand lay-up technique and the ASTM D5045-99 standard, compact tension specimens were created. The findings indicated that, under mode I loading circumstances, the mode I fracture toughness value of a specimen with a thickness of 5 mm has a (KIC) of 18.34 MPa. m. By determining a material’s resistance to fracture under mode I stress conditions—a condition that is employed in a variety of engineering applications—it is a valuable parameter for developing and establishing preconditions for engineering applications. The manufactured hybrid specimens’ performance and applications for various engineering materials for construction (such as tables, ceilings, and partitions), lightweight vehicle parts (like boards), and replacing synthetic materials with natural fibers in engineering applications were demonstrated by the results of the fracture toughness test.