Investigation on Vibration Behaviour of Cantilever Type Glass/Carbon Hybrid Composite Beams at Higher Frequency Range Using Finite Element Method

Abstract

Woven fabric composites are now being increasingly used in aircraft and automobile structures due to balanced properties in the fabric plane. In the present work, woven fabric glass beam is modified and strengthened by interplying high modulus carbon fabric plies for improving the strength to weight ratio and thereby to achieve better performance in various dynamic conditions. The objective of the present work is to investigate the vibration behavior of cantilever type glass/carbon hybrid composite beams subjected to higher frequency of operation using finite element method. Unit plied woven fabric glass, carbon and hybrid of glass/carbon laminates were fabricated using hand layup technique. Experimental modal analysis of unit plied composite beams was carried out by impulse excitation technique under fixed free boundary condition. Theoretical modal analysis was done by finite element method using elastic constants derived from rule of mixture equations. The experimental and theoretical frequency results were compared and analyzed for finding the degree of deviation using regression analysis. The coefficients of regression analysis were used to find effective elastic constants of composite laminates. Further these effective elastic constants were applied for modal analysis of hybrid composite beams under higher frequency range. The results of mode shape, modal frequency of hybrid beams were reported and discussed. The effect of stacking sequence and effect of beam size on vibration characteristics at higher frequency range was also discussed.