Multi-objective optimal design for carbon and basalt fibre-reinforced hybrid composites under flexural loading

Abstract

This paper presents a study on the optimal design of hybrid composites reinforced by woven carbon and basalt fibre fabrics. The investigation focuses on evaluating the flexural properties of these hybrid composites through finite element analysis (FEA)-based simulations. To determine potential optimal stacking sequences, design rules are employed. For each stacking sequence, a regression model is developed to establish the correlation between the flexural strength and the fibre volume fractions. Using these regression models, solutions meeting the minimum required flexural strength are found for each stacking sequence. With the objectives of minimising both cost and weight, the optimal solutions are found from these solutions. It is shown that for most optimal solutions, basalt/epoxy and carbon/epoxy plies should be placed on the compressive and tensile sides, respectively. When the minimum required flexural strength is high (800 MPa or 900 MPa), sandwich type stacking sequences with carbon/epoxy plies on both the compressive and tensile sides can also be the optimal solutions. Key findings from this study include.1. Stacking sequences [C]8, [B2C6], [B2C2BC3], [B2C2]2, [B2C2B3C], [B2CB4C], and [B7C] are optimal solutions for all minimum flexural strengths.2. Stacking sequences [B3C]2 and [B]8 are optimal solutions when the minimum flexural strength is up to 800 MPa.3. Stacking sequence [BC7] can be one of the optimal solutions when the minimum flexural strength is 600 MPa or 700 MPa.4. Stacking sequence [C4B2C2] is one of the optimal solutions when the minimum flexural strength is 800 MPa or 900 MPa, and stacking sequence [C3B3C2] is one of the optimal solutions when the minimum flexural strength is 900 MPa.