Post-Buckling Analysis of E-Glass Fiber Reinforced Thin-Walled Cylindrical Composite

Abstract

Post buckling analysis of E-glass fiber reinforced cylindrical composite under axial compression using both experimental and numerical method is presented. Using the Eigen value buckling analysis, the studies employ a mixture ratio of E-glass fiber composite of chopped strand mat. Five molds of each E-glass fiber mixture were reinforced with polyester resin to produce cylindrical shells of equal dimensions. Various cylindrical specimens’ predicted critical buckling load were tested and recorded using a compressive loading machine. Comparisons were made to ascertain the cylindrical shells buckling and post buckling behavior at certain load levels between the experimental and analytical results. A one-way Anova was used to compare the outcome of the theoretical, experimental and numerical methods of analysis and the result showed that there is no evidence to suggest difference between the three methods applied in the buckling load analysis. The post buckled shapes of the samples were obtained and recorded as bulge diamond shape of a buckled cylindrical structure. The effective mechanical properties of the chopped strand mat (CSM) reinforced composite cylinder were recorded from the experiment which has modulus of Elasticity 197.707 N/mm2, Poisson’s ratio of 0.22 and density of 1250 Kg/m3.