Investigation of the Fracture Behavior of Alfa/Polyester Composite Using Experimental and Finite Element Methods

The importance of creating and using green items made of natural fibers and natural fiber composites rather than conventional goods has increased as awareness of sustainability has grown. Stipa tenacissima L., often known as alfa grass, is a tussock grass that is endemic to North Africa and southern Europe. In this work, alfa fiber is used as reinforcement. This study investigated the effects of atmospheric aging through three months on the mechanical properties of alfa fibers composites. Short fibers/polyester composites have been synthesized and characterized successfully with various reinforced ratios of natural fibers (i.e., 0, 10, 20 and 30 wt.%). Using experimental and finite element approaches, this work aims to investigate the fracture analysis of composite materials. The critical stress intensity factor (K_IC) and J-integral have been evaluated. The results showed that the alfa coarse fibers with 30 wt.% were capable to enhance the mechanical properties of the polyester/alfa composite. This investigation also revealed that the mechanical properties of composite were notably deteriorated regarding the relative atmospheric aging.