Computational Analysis of Mechanical Properties in Polymeric Sandwich Composite Materials
Robert Kohar1, Jaroslav Miskolci1, Lukas Pompas1
1Department of Design and Machine Elements, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Žilina, Univerzitna 8215/1, 02401 Žilina, Slovakia.
Polymers
|March 13, 2024
Summary
Computational analysis reveals that polypropylene, polyester, and glass fiber composites offer superior stiffness for automotive components compared to cotton fiber alternatives. This simulation-driven approach accelerates automotive part design.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Computational Mechanics
- Automotive Engineering
Background:
- Automotive components utilize composite materials with varying fiber compositions (polypropylene, polyester, glass, cotton).
- Manufacturing processes can induce anisotropy in initially isotropic materials.
- Accurate material characterization is crucial for reliable finite element analysis (FEA) in product design.
Purpose of the Study:
- To computationally analyze sandwich composite materials for automotive applications.
- To obtain material characteristic input values for FEA.
- To compare experimental results with FEA-based material models using Digimat software.
Main Methods:
- Modeling of two-phase and multiphase composite materials.
- Finite Element Analysis (FEA) based on the PR375 standard for luggage compartment loading.
- Creation and validation of FEA material models using Digimat 2023.1 software.
Main Results:
- FEA-based material models were developed and compared with experimental data.
- Polypropylene/polyester/glass fiber composites exhibited a significantly higher modulus of elasticity than cotton fiber composites.
- The simulation methodology allows for direct application in early-stage product design.
Conclusions:
- FEA provides a viable alternative to expensive prototype testing in automotive component development.
- Computational simulations enable rapid optimization cycles.
- Glass fibers are recommended for composite materials requiring high strength and stiffness in automotive applications.
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