IMPACT BEHAVIOUR OF COIR FIBER/EPOXY COMPOSITE LAMINATES UNDER LOW-VELOCITY LOADING: A STUDY ON IMPACT BEHAVIOUR AND DAMAGE TOLERANCE
Natural fibers, such as coir, have gained significant attention as reinforcements in composite materials due to their sustainability and cost-effectiveness. This study numerically investigates the mechanical behavior of coir fiber/epoxy composite laminates subjected to low velocity loading using finite element analysis (FEA) with the explicit dynamic solver in ABAQUS. Also, cohesive zone model (CZM) is employed to capture delamination initiation and propagation at ply interfaces, while the 3D Hashin-Rotem failure criterion is used to predict matrix cracking. Various ply configurations were examined to assess their impact resistance, focusing on energy absorption, delamination, and matrix cracking under impact loading. Results show that ply orientation significantly affects energy dissipation, with certain configurations demonstrating improved impact resistance due to better stress distribution and reduced delamination. The findings provide insight into the design of natural fiber composites for applications requiring robust impact resistance.
Coir Fiber Composites, Low-Velocity Impact, 3D Hashin-Rotem Failure Criterion, Energy Absorption, Ply Orientation.