Random modeling of hemp fibers mechanical properties

Abstract

The growing interest in vegetal fiber-based composite materials for reinforcing structural elements is prompting researchers to consider the inherent randomness, arising from various factors which are complex to model. For this reason a general probabilistic approach seems more appropriate to model all uncertainties regardless where they come from. In this paper, factory produced hemp ropes, and their components, are tested to obtain their tensile mechanical properties. In particular, 120 fibers with four different lengths, 55 yarns, 33 strands and 64 ropes are used to obtain a first statistical characterization of tensile strength, strain and Young modulus. These results are used to calibrate two commonly used random models such as Gaussian and three-parameters Weibull distributions and to give both qualitative and quantitative complete random characterization of the tensile properties of each hemp rope components. The obtained results are crucial to estimate vegetal fiber-based composite materials structural response.