This study evaluates the mechanical performance of laminated composites with distinct weave architectures. Carbon, Glass and Carbon/glass intra-ply hybrid reinforcements were characterised. The selected weave pattern was plain, twill, hybrid, and unidirectional (UD). The novelty lies in selecting a particular weave architecture along with the reinforcement material for a targeted design. Mechanical characterisation included tensile, flexural, and short beam shear tests as per ASTM standards. Fibre volume fraction was measured using burn-off tests. All the test results were normalised with respect to the specimen thickness. The tensile strength of carbon/glass hybrid weave composites increased by 56 % and 45 % than twill carbon and plain carbon weave composites. Its flexural strength was 1.85 and 2.68 times than plain carbon and twill carbon weave composites. The flexural modulus of it was 1.31 and 2.35 times than plain carbon and twill carbon weave composites. Fractography analysis was carried out on the fractured specimens. In tensile and flexural specimens, failures included interfacial debonding, fibre pull-out, and fibre fracture. Hybrid carbon/glass laminates were found to improve flexural strength and modulus, with enhanced ductility due to the presence of glass fibres. This study is expected to provide a design guide for application-specific FRP laminate selection.
ErolOPowersBMKeefeM. Effects of weave architecture and mesoscale material properties on the macroscale mechanical response of advanced woven fabrics. Compos Part A Appl Sci Manuf2017; 101: 554–566.
2.
ChenX. Interwoven fabrics and their applications. Woodhead Publishing Limited, 2011.
3.
HoushyarSShanksRAHodzicA. Influence of different woven geometry in poly(propylene) woven composites. Macromol Mater Eng2005; 290: 45–52.
4.
ChowdhuryIRSummerscalesJ. Woven fabrics for composite reinforcement: a review. J Compos Sci2024; 8: 280.
5.
LiaoMYangYHamadaH. Mechanical performance of glass woven fabric composite: effect of different surface treatment agents. Compos B Eng2016; 86: 17–26.
6.
ShakerKAbbasANawabY, et al.Impact of weave architecture on the mechanical performance of carbon-aramid/PVB hybrid composites. J Eng Fiber Fabr2024; 19: 15589250241230767.
7.
Sahbaz KaradumanN. Experimental investigation of the effect of weave type on the mechanical properties of woven hemp fabric/epoxy composites. J Compos Mater2022; 56: 1255–1265.
8.
KanaginahalGMHebbarHSKulkarniSM. Influence of weave pattern and composite thickness on mechanical properties of bamboo/epoxy composites. Mater Res Express2019; 6: 125334.
9.
PothanLAMaiYWThomasS, et al.Tensile and flexural behavior of sisal fabric/polyester textile composites prepared by resin transfer molding technique. J Reinforc Plast Compos2008; 27: 1847–1866.
10.
AzimAYMAAlimuzzamanSSarkerF. Optimizing the fabric architecture and effect of γ-Radiation on the mechanical properties of jute fiber reinforced polyester composites. ACS Omega2022; 7: 10127–10136.
11.
CaiHQianZLiL, et al.Tensile behaviors of nanoporous phenolic composites reinforced by 3D needle-punched preforms with different weave patterns. Compos Commun2023; 43: 101700.
12.
PrustyRKRathoreDKSinghBP, et al.Experimental optimization of flexural behaviour through inter-ply fibre hybridization in FRP composite. Constr Build Mater2016; 118: 327–336.
13.
SelmyAIAbd El-bakyMAHegazyDA. Mechanical properties of inter-ply hybrid composites reinforced with glass and polyamide fibers. J Thermoplast Compos Mater2019; 32: 267–293.
14.
JayabalSNatarajanUSathiyamurthyS. Effect of glass hybridization and staking sequence on mechanical behaviour of interply coir-glass hybrid laminate. Bull Mater Sci2011; 34: 293–298.
15.
GuledFDChittappaHC. Effect of inter-ply hybridization on flexural and dynamic mechanical properties of carbon-kevlar/epoxy hybrid composites. AIP Conf Proc. 2020; 2274: 030023-1-030023-9.
16.
ZhangFTangJSongL, et al.Dispersed layups for improving the mechanical properties of pseudo-ductile carbon/glass interlayer hybrid composites. Compos Commun2025; 54: 102269.
17.
Astm D3039/D3039M. Standard test method for tensile properties of polymer matrix composite materials, 2014, pp. 1–13.
18.
Astm D7264/D7264M. Standard test method for flexural properties of polymer matrix composite materials, 2012, pp. 1–11.
19.
Astm D2344/D2344M. Standard test method for short-beam strength of polymer matrix composite materials. Annu Book ASTM (Am Soc Test Mater) Stand2011; 00: 1–8.
20.
Astm D3171-99. Standard test methods for constituent content of composite materials 1, 2013, vol 76, pp. 1–11.
21.
RathoreDKPrustyRKKumarDS, et al.Mechanical performance of CNT-filled glass fiber/epoxy composite in in-situ elevated temperature environments emphasizing the role of CNT content. Compos Part A Appl Sci Manuf2016; 84: 364–376.
22.
McDonoughWDunkersJFlynnK, et al.A test method to determine the fiber and void contents of carbon/glass hybrid composites. J ASTM Int (JAI)2004; 1: 1–15.
23.
Ganesh GuptaKBNVSHiremathMMRayBC, et al. Improved mechanical responses of GFRP composites with epoxy-vinyl ester interpenetrating polymer network. Polym Test. 2021; 93: 107008-1-107008-13.
24.
Astm D792-20. Standard test methods for density and specific gravity (relative density) of plastics. Changes1998; 14: 1–6.
25.
NandaBPSatapathyA. Processing and characterization of epoxy composites reinforced with short human hair. IOP Conf Ser Mater Sci Eng2017; 178: 012012.
26.
WeiZ. Mechanical and microstructural characteristics of the fiber-reinforced composite materials. Scientific Research An Academic publisher, 2016.
27.
BhaskarVVSrinivasKRaoDSB. Investigation on physical and mechanical properties of banana and palmyra fiber reinforced epoxy composites. J Mech Eng2020; 70: 167–180.
28.
AmjadAAnjangAAbidinMSZ. Effect of nanofiller concentration on the density and void content of natural fiber-reinforced epoxy composites. Biomass Convers Biorefin2024; 14: 8661–8670.
29.
Astm D2734-94. Standard test methods for void content of reinforced plastics, 2003, vol 08, pp. 3–5.
30.
ElkolaliMNogueiraLPRønningPO, et al.Void content determination of carbon fiber reinforced polymers: a comparison between destructive and Non- destructive methods. Polymers2022; 14: 1212.
31.
BüchelerDKaiserAHenningF. Using thermogravimetric analysis to determine carbon fiber weight percentage of fiber-reinforced plastics. Compos B Eng2016; 106: 218–223.
32.
KimYHChoiCKumarSKS, et al.Thermo-gravimetric analysis method to determine the fiber volume fraction for PAN-based CFRP considering oxidation of carbon fiber and matrix. Compos Part A Appl Sci Manuf2017; 102: 40–47.
33.
GrundDOrlishausenMTahaI. Determination of fiber volume fraction of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer using thermogravimetric methods. Polym Test2019; 75: 358–366.
34.
MoonCRBangBRChoiWJ, et al.A technique for determining fiber content in FRP by thermogravimetric analyzer. Polym Test2005; 24: 376–380.
35.
LiuWLuoLXuS, et al.Effect of fiber volume fraction on crack propagation rate of ultra-high toughness cementitious composites. Eng Fract Mech2014; 124-125: 52–63.
36.
MengSJiaoCOuyangX, et al.Effect of steel fiber-volume fraction and distribution on flexural behavior of ultra-high performance fiber reinforced concrete by digital image correlation technique. Constr Build Mater2022; 320: 126281.
37.
BowenCRDentACEStevensR, et al. Determination of critical and minimum volume fraction for composite sensors and actuators. 4M2005 - first international conference on multi-material micro manufacturing. 1st Edition. Elsevier, December 7, 2005, pp. 483–487.
38.
LotfiALiHDaoDV, et al.Natural fiber–reinforced composites: a review on material, manufacturing, and machinability. J Thermoplast Compos Mater2021; 34: 238–284.
39.
ZhuHWuBLiD, et al.Influence of voids on the tensile performance of carbon/epoxy fabric laminates. J Mater Sci Technol2011; 27: 69–73.
40.
HagstrandPOBonjourFMånsonJAE. The influence of void content on the structural flexural performance of unidirectional glass fibre reinforced polypropylene composites. Compos Part A Appl Sci Manuf2005; 36: 705–714.
41.
BerePKrolczykJB. Determination of mechanical properties of carbon/epoxy plates by tensile stress test. E3S Web Conf2017; 19: 03018.
42.
KarahanMKarahanN. Influence of weaving structure and hybridization on the tensile properties of woven carbon-epoxy composites. J Reinforc Plast Compos2014; 33: 212–222.
43.
SagarSXiaohongQINYuqiuY. Effect of plain and twill weave structures on the static mechanical performance of hot-press molded aramid / epoxy laminated composites. Sino-Africa International Symposium on Textile and Apparel (SAISTA) at: Eldoret, Kenya 2023.
44.
YuhazriMYAmirhafizanMHAbdullahA, et al.The effect of various weave designs on mechanical behavior of lamina intraply composite made from Kenaf fiber yarn. IOP Conf Ser Mater Sci Eng2016; 160: 012021.
45.
RajpurohitAJoannèsSSingeryV, et al.Hybrid effect in in- plane loading of carbon/glass fibre based inter-and intraply hybrid composites. Journal of Composites Science2020; 4: 1–20.
46.
RajeshMSinghSPPitchaimaniJ. Mechanical behavior of woven natural fiber fabric composites: effect of weaving architecture, intra-ply hybridization and stacking sequence of fabrics. J Ind Textil2018; 47: 938–959.
47.
YilmazEYavuzS. A simple way for estimating mechanical properties from Stress- strain diagram using MATLAB and mathematica. 3rd international symposium on multidisciplinary studies and innovative technologies, ISMSIT 2019 - proceedings. IEEE, 2019.
48.
KayaGY. Bending strength of intra-ply/inter-ply hybrid thermoplastic composites. Industria Textila2019; 70: 65–75.
49.
ChenDSunXXiaoS, et al.Investigation on flexural properties of intra-layer hybrid composite laminates reinforced with carbon and glass fibers. Fibers Polym2023; 24: 1119–1130.
50.
CavallaroPV. Effects of weave styles and crimp gradients in woven Kevlar/Epoxy composites. Exp Mech2016; 56: 617–635.
51.
ObasiHCEnweremUEOnuegbuGC, et al.Influence of weave structure on mechanical properties of cotton fabrics reinforced with unsaturated polyster. IJFTR2024; 49: 344–351.
52.
GreenhalghES. Failure analysis and fractography of polymer composites. Woodhead Publishing Limited, 2009.
53.
RathoreDKPrustyRKMohantySC, et al.In-situ elevated temperature flexural and creep response of inter-ply glass/carbon hybrid FRP composites. Mech Mater2017; 105: 99–111.
