Analyzing the Fatigue Behaviour of E-Glass Fiber Reinforced Interpenetrating Polymer Networks (EP/VP/EV) Leaf Spring

Abstract

Conventional steel springs have gradually been replaced with composite materials due to their inherit properties like high strength-to-weight ratio, relatively inexpensive ratio, and resistance against corrosion. Also, fiberglass reinforced plastic usages and its implementation is subjected in variety of fields such as vehicle and locomotive bogies, heavy commercial vehicles like vans and trucks. The current study looks at a composite material that can be used in the composite leaf spring suspension system. In this particular research, several blends of interpenetrating polymer networks (IPNs) have been used as the matrix material with the reinforcement of E-Glass fiber. The implemented combination blends are epoxy with polyurethane (EP), vinyl ester with polyurethane (VP) and epoxy and vinyl ester (EV). However, this research work also examines the characterisation and physical properties of the composite material leaf spring (CMLS) in narrow manner. Consecutively, tests were carried out for three types of composites by varying the various blend ratios of IPNs with the standard reinforcement of E-Glass fiber. Besides, to evaluate and compare their individual uniqueness, their physical characteristics tests like compression test, hardness test, tension and cyclic load parameters are found and their corresponding results were compared with each other.