Comparative Study on the Fatigue Behavior of Jute-Wool Felt/Epoxy Hybrid and Glass Fiber/Epoxy Composite

Abstract

Currently, there is a growing tendency to incorporate natural fibers in composites due to their affordability, lightweight nature, and eco-friendliness. Researchers are continuously exploring new materials that offer improved mechanical properties for a broader range of applications. In this work, an experimental investigation on tensile and fatigue behavior of jute-wool felt-reinforced epoxy hybrid laminate is carried, in addition to an E-glass fiber-reinforced epoxy laminate that helps in comparison. Constant amplitude tensile fatigue test is conducted for 80%, 70%, and 60% of the ultimate load of respective composites at a stress ratio of 0.1 and frequency of 7 Hz for both laminates. The jute-wool felt composite showed good fatigue resistance. Though glass fiber composite showed higher tensile strength, jute-wool felt composite exhibits higher fatigue performance than glass fiber composites at higher stress levels. However, at lower stress levels, glass fiber composite shows better fatigue resistance than jute-wool felt composite. A prediction model that uses a few set of experimental results of fatigue test was able to validate the fatigue behavior of composites. The optical microscope images of failed samples were analyzed to detect the damage in composites.