Tensile Properties of Woven Plastic Straw Waste Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites

Abstract

The choice of ASTM D638 versus ASTM D3039 test specimen shape is usually based on the perceived susceptibility of ASTM D638 test specimens to failure within the fillet radius. For test results to be accepted, specimens should fall inside the narrow length (i.e., ASTM D638) or outside of the grips (i.e., ASTM D3039), according to ASTM polymer and plastic tensile test standards. The choice of ASTM test specimen shape has received little published research, particularly for plastic FRP materials. Through a comparison of the mechanical performance and failure acceptance rates of test specimen geometries manufactured using plastic straw waste FRP, ASTM D3039, and ASTM D638 test specimens, this study offers evidence-based guidance to offer recommendations for using current ASTM polymer testing standards for plastic FRP. According to the results, using ASTM D3039 instead of specimens from ASTM D638 has inherent advantages. Due to the rectangular shape of the test specimen, ASTM D3039 test specimens consistently fall within the gauge length of the test specimen. According to the results, there will be variations in the tensile test results depending on the different cross-sectional areas of the test specimen geometries, just like with traditionally manufactured polymer composites.