Influence of Stacking Sequence on Mechanical Properties and Vibration Characteristics of Glass/Carbon Hybrid Plates with Different Fabric Areal Densities

Abstract

In the present study, the stacking sequence effects of woven fabric Glass/Carbon hybrid composite laminates on mechanical behaviour and free vibration characteristics were investigated. For understanding and analysing the influence of stacking sequence, the laminates were made with different fabric areal densities. Four layered Glass/Carbon hybrid laminates with two different fundamental stacking sequences were fabricated. In the first-type laminate (GCCG), two glass fabrics were placed in the outer layers and two carbon fabrics were kept as inner layers. For the second-type laminate (CGGC), two carbon fabrics were preferred as outer layers. Three different fabric areal densities such as 200, 400 and 600 g/m2 were considered in the fabrication of laminates for understanding the effect of fabric areal densities. All the laminates were fabricated at prescribed fibre volume fraction using compression moulding machine. The composite samples were tested for the mechanical properties namely tensile, compression and flexural properties. Vibration characteristics such as modal frequency and material damping of hybrid composite plates were measured by impulse hammer excitation method in free–free end condition. Appreciable variation in flexural modulus is noticed by controlling the stacking sequence of hybrid laminate and only a limited influence was noticed over the tensile and compressive behaviour. Free vibration of hybrid plates exhibited fundamentally modified characteristics in accordance with the layering sequence and areal densities. This variation in flexural modulus and modal response is observed to be considerable for all the fabric areal densities and stacking sequences of hybrid laminates fabricated and tested.