Effects of asna fibre reinforced with epoxy resin with and without steel wire mesh and simulation of car bumper

Abstract

Abstract The utilization of natural fiber composites has been increased in replacing various parts in the automobile sector made up of synthetic fiber due to its degradability nature and environment friendliness. In this work, the naturally available Asna fiber was processed and the composites were prepared without and with steel wire mesh in various volume fractions (vf) of the fiber. In the present experimental investigation, the influence of different composite on the thermal, mechanical, and water absorption characteristics. Various properties such as tensile, flexural and impact strength were tested for the multiple composites. Subsequently, a simulation model of a car front bumper was prepared using ANSYS to test it while defining the determined properties of the composites. The test results showed that when vf was increased from 0.4 to 0.5%, the tensile and flexural were decreased by 0.72% and 59%, respectively, whereas impact strength was increased by 5.9% for the composite without wire mesh. The tensile and flexural strengths were decreased by 18.2%, whereas impact strength was increased by 1.6% for 0.5 vf of the composite when steel wire mesh was added to the composite. The investigation of composite’s thermal behavior showed that when the temperature range comes within 330 °C–370 °C, the composites started decomposing. Various images were captured using Scanning Electron Microscope to investigate the fibers’ dispersion in epoxy polymers and its interfacial bonding. The simulation results showed that the bumper made up of the composite with wire mesh provides a better impact strength as compared to other composites and steel.