Quasi-static axial crushing investigation of filament-wound eco-friendly energy-absorbing glass fiber and jute fiber composite structures

Abstract

This study conducts a comparative analysis of glass fiber (GF) and jute fiber (JF) as energy-absorbing filament wound eco-friendly structures under quasi-static axial crushing with varying wall thickness, starting with a 2-layer configuration and progressing to 4 and 6 layers. Three primary failure modes, fiber-matrix fracturing, local buckling, and delamination were observed. Both JF and GF 2-layer configurations showed less progressive failure due to their lightweight nature, with crush force efficiency (CFE) of 0.44–0.46 and specific energy absorption (SEA) of 4.4–5.1 J/g, raising considerations for crash scenarios involving human safety. The 4-layer JF configuration demonstrated a significant increase in IPF to 3496 N, effectively restricting buckling and brittle fracture and leading to a higher SEA of 12.61 J/g. In comparison, the GF 4-layer configuration exhibits lower initial peak force (IPF) and SEA values but a higher CFE value of 0.64 at a lower weight of 58 g. The 6-layer JF configuration attains increased stability in load-bearing capacity with a CFE of 0.84 but at the cost of a high weight of 128 g. On the other hand, the 6-layer GF configuration showcases a higher SEA of 10.5 J/g with a moderate CFE of 0.75 and slightly lower weight, suggesting a delicate balance between performance and weight. Visual examination revealed dominant failure modes as local buckling in GF and brittle fracturing in JF configurations. Overall, the 4-layer configurations of JF and the 6-layer configuration of GF composite tubes demonstrate exceptional energy absorption efficiency, suggesting the potential for exploring hybrid configurations to achieve a balanced crashworthiness performance.