Composite Panels from the Combination of Rice Husk and Wood Chips with a Natural Resin Based on Tannins Reinforced with Sugar Cane Molasses Intended for Building Insulation: Physico-Mechanical and Thermal Properties

The objective of this work is to develop new biosourced insulating composites from rice husks and wood chips that can be used in the building sector. It appears from the properties of the precursors that rice chips and husks are materials which can have good thermal conductivity and therefore the combination of these precursors could make it possible to obtain panels with good insulating properties. With regard to environmental and climatic constraints, the composite panels formulated at various rates were tested and the physico-mechanical and thermal properties showed that it was essential to add a crosslinker in order to increase certain solicitation. an incorporation rate of 12% to 30% made it possible to obtain panels with low thermal conductivity, a low surface water absorption capacity and which gives the composite good thermal insulation and will find many applications in the construction and real estate sector. Finally, new solutions to improve the fire reaction of the insulation panels are tested which allows to identify suitable solutions for the developed composites. In view of the flame tests, the panels obtained are good and can effectively combat fire safety in public buildings.

Development of Composite Cellular Cores for Sandwich Panels Based on Folded Polar Quadra-Structures

An idea to develop a family of cellular cores for sandwich panels using a technology of prepreg folding is presented. Polar folded quadra structures are regarded as a geometric basis for these cores whose standard frag ment has lhe fourlh degree of axial symmelry. The classification of the polar strucluresaredeseribedanda method of various quadra slrueture synthesis is developed. A possibilily to provide high strength of lhe structure due m preservation of faces reinforcement pattern is presented. Arrangemen! of the plane core on a bi curvature surface is also introduced. Besides, provision of isotropyof the core in two or three directions are described. Finally, exam ples of cellular folded cores manufaclured from basalt reinforced plaslic are demonslrated.

A STUDY OF THE POSTBUCKLING PATH OF CYLINDRICALLY CURVED PANELS OF LAMINATED COMPOSITE MATERIALS DURING LOADING AND UNLOADING

In this paper, Dynamic Relaxation Method is applied to study the postbuckling path of cylindrically curved panels of laminated composite materials during loading and unloading. The phenomenon that loading paths do not coincide with unloading paths has been found. Numerical results are given for cylindrically curved cross-ply panels subjected to uniform uniaxial compression under two types of boundary conditions. The influence of the number of layers, the panels curvature and the initial imperfection on the postbuckling paths is discussed.

Low frequency noise reduction using stiff light composite panels

The experiment presented in this paper is to investigate and analyze the noise reduction at low frequency using stiff light composite panels. Since these composite panels are made of lightweight and stiff materials, this actuation strategy will enable the creation of composite panels for duct noise control without using traditional heavy structural mass. The results suggest that the mass-spring resonance absorption in the case of a comparatively stiff thick panel with a thin flexible plate is more efficient with minimum weight, when subjected to low-frequency (<500 Hz). The efficiency of the panel absorber depends on the mass of the thin flexible plate and the stiffness of the panel.

Power transmission through double-walled laminated composite panels considering porous layer-air gap insulation

The acoustic behavior of double-walled laminated composite panels consisting of two porous and air gap middle layers is studied within the classical laminated plate theory （CLPT）. Thus, viscous and inertia coupling in a dynamic equation, as well as stress transfer, thermal and elastic coupling of porous material ave based on the Biot theory. In addition, the wave equations are extracted according to the vibration equation of composite layers. The transmission loss （TL） of the structure is then calculated by solving these equations simultaneously. Statistical energy analysis （SEA） is developed to divide the structure into specific subsystems, and power transmission is extracted with balancing power flow equations of the subsystems. Comparison between the present work and the results reported elsewhere shows excellent agreement. The results also indicate that, although favorable enhancement is seen in noise control particularly at high frequencies, the corresponding parameters associated with fluid phase and solid phase of the porous layer are important on TL according to the boundary condition interfaces. Finally, the influence of composite material and stacking sequence on power transmission is discussed.

Potentials of <i>Bambusa vulgaris</i>Grown in Southeast Nigeria for the Manufacture of Wood-Cement Composite Panels

In this work, the potentials of Bambusa vulgaris grown in southeast Nigeria for the manufacture of wood-cement composite panels were studied. Representative culms of Bambusa vulgaris were collected from a 4-year-old stand at lower Anambra river basin, southeast, Nigeria. Fiber morphological properties and proximate chemical analysis were determined in accordance with the provisions of the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industries (TAPPI, 1998). Fiber slenderness ratio was 160.95:1, component solubility of 3.09, 5.60, and 19.8 percent for cold water soak for 24 hrs;hot water soak at 80°C for 1 hr, and 1% NaOH soak for 24 hrs respectively. Composite panels were made at 1200 kg/m3 and 800 kg/m3 density levels with flakes of different soak treatments (untreated/control;cold water soak for 24 hrs;water at 80°C soak for 1 hr and 1% NaOH soak for 24 hrs) at variable cement/B. vulgaris mix ratios (1:1, 1.5:1, 2:1, 2.5:1 and 3:1 wt/wt) with 3% CaCl2 as accelerator applied to the wood furnish before cement mixing. Prepared furnish was subjected to initial pre-pressing of 0.5 N/mm2 and final consolidation of 1.4 N/mm2 retained for 24 hrs. Panels were sampled and tested after 28 days for Modulus of Rupture (MOR) and Modulus of Elasticity (MOE) in bending and for water absorption (WA) and thickness swelling (TS) due to a 24-hr water soak. Test was in accordance with provisions of American Standard for Testing of Materials (ASTM-1998). Properties ranged from a low of 25.00 to 75.45 N/mm2 for MOR;4128 to 15,065 N/mm2 for MOE;15.01 to 36.11 percent for WA and 3.04 to 12.72 percent for TA. Effect of production mix on properties was determined using factorial analysis. Except for composite density whose effect was not significant at 0.05% level, all production mix was found significant at 0.01% level at the second order level of interactions. All panels met minimum property requirements of American National Standard Institute 208-2-1994 and 208-1-1993, British Standard (BS 5669, 1979) and Malaysian Standard (MS 934, 1984).

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON DAMAGE TOLERANCE BEHAVIOUR OF COMPOSITE PANELS WITH SOFTENING STRIPS

In this paper an experimental study on damage tolerance behaviour of composite panels with softening strips is carried out. A prediction method of residual strength of panels with softening strips is proposed. The comparison between estimated and experimental results shows that the prediction method can be applied to design. In this paper the failure mechanisms are described.

Manufacturing cost optimization and estimation combined computer of composite-stiffened panels

The primary goal of this study is to fully grasp the production flow of the new processing technologies for manufacturing composite stiffened panels incorporating cost as one of the design variables early in the design process. An approach is presented to determine the optimum process for cost as objective function. A cost estimation model is established based on the integrally molding process. In the model,the cost drivers which are related to the manufacture processes in terms of material,labor,tool and equipment costs are taken into account. At the same time,estimation software combined computer is developed to aid optimization design. A case of manufacturing composite stiffened panels with T-shaped stiffeners is examined. Excellent agreement shows the optimum process for cost is obtained for the composite stiffened panel with cocuring. It is also revealed that the estimation software combined computer is efficient. The estimation methodology is valid to guide design of the manufacturing process for the composite-stiffened panel.

Numerical-experimental method for elastic parameters identification of a composite panel

A hybrid numerical-experimental approach to identify elastic modulus of a textile composite panel using vibration test data is proposed and investi- gated. Homogenization method is adopted to predict the initial values of elastic parameters of the composite, and parameter identification is transformed to an optimization problem in which the objective function is the minimization of the discrepancies between the experimental and numerical modal data. Case study is conducted employing a woven fabric reinforced composite panel. Three parameters （Ell, E22, G12） with higher sensitivities are selected to be identified. It is shown that the elastic parameters can be accurately identified from experimental modal data.

Experimental investigation of engineered geopolymer composite for structural strengthening against blast loads

The recent increase in blast/bombing incidents all over the world has pushed the development of effective strengthening approaches to enhance the blast resistance of existing civil infrastructures.Engineered geopolymer composite(EGC)is a promising material featured by eco-friendly,fast-setting and strain-hardening characteristics for emergent strengthening and construction.However,the fiber optimization for preparing EGC and its protective effect on structural elements under blast scenarios are uncertain.In this study,laboratory tests were firstly conducted to evaluate the effects of fiber types on the properties of EGC in terms of workability,dry shrinkage,and mechanical properties in compression,tension and flexure.The experimental results showed that EGC containing PE fiber exhibited suitable workability,acceptable dry shrinkage and superior mechanical properties compared with other types of fibers.After that,a series of field tests were carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of EGC retrofitting layer on the enhancement of blast performance of typical elements.The tests include autoclaved aerated concrete(AAC)masonry walls subjected to vented gas explosion,reinforced AAC panels subjected to TNT explosion and plain concrete slabs subjected to contact explosion.It was found that EGC could effectively enhance the blast resistance of structural elements in different scenarios.For AAC masonry walls and panels,with the existence of EGC,the integrity of specimens could be maintained,and their deflections and damage were significantly reduced.For plain concrete slabs,the EGC overlay could reduce the diameter and depth of the crater and spallation of specimens.

Stress and buckling analysis of a thick-walled micro sandwich panel with a flexible foam core and carbon nanotube reinforced composite (CNTRC) face sheets

In this paper,the stresses and buckling behaviors of a thick-walled mi-cro sandwich panel with a flexible foam core and carbon nanotube reinforced composite(CNTRC)face sheets are considered based on the high-order shear deformation theory(HSDT)and the modified couple stress theory(MCST).The governing equations of equi-librium are obtained based on the total potential energy principle.The effects of various parameters such as the aspect ratio,elastic foundation,temperature changes,and volume fraction of the canbon nanotubes(CNTs)on the critical buckling loads,normal stress,shear stress,and deflection of the thick-walled micro cylindrical sandwich panel consider-ing different distributions of CNTs are examined.The results are compared and validated with other studies,and showing an excellent compatibility.CNTs have become very use-ful and common candidates in sandwich structures,and they have been extensively used in many applications including nanotechnology,aerospace,and micro-structures.This paper also extends further applications of reinforced sandwich panels by providing the modified equations and formulae.

Numerical and Experimental Study on Stiffened Composite Panel Repaired by Bolted Joints under Compressive Load

Numerical and experimental study was conducted to investigate the failure mode and strength performance of stiffened composite panel repaired by bolted joints under compressive load, and the results were then compared with those from virgin stiffened composite panel without any damage. A finite element analysis model was established for repaired and virgin stiffened composite panels under compressive load, the 3D Hashin criteria was applied to identify the composite structure failure, and the secondary stress criteria was adopted to identify the adhesive failure between the base laminate and the stiffener. The failure modes of repaired stiffened composite panels were stiffened composite panels breaking off along the bolt joints. The experimental results were consistent with the finite element analysis results, indicating the reliability of the finite element analysis model.

Significance Analysis of Flexural Behaviour of Hybrid Sandwich Panels

This paper presents the significance analysis of a new type of hybrid composite sandwich wall panel which can be manufactured as modular panelised system. Two different types of natural fibers reinforced plastics (NFRP) laminate were incorporated into the new sandwich panel as an intermediate layer. The significance analysis in this research has been carried out using analysis of variance (ANOVA). As the aim of the analysis is to select the most appropriate natural fiber composites for the intermediate layer, the experiments were arranged as a single factor experiment in which 3 levels of a factor have been examined. The factor refers to the type of intermediate layer used in the sandwich panel. The result of this study shows that the incorporation of intermediate layer has significantly enhanced the load carrying capacity of the sandwich panels.

Acoustic Properties of Micro-Perforated Panels Made from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch Fiber Reinforced Polylactic Acid

This paper presents the development and performance of micro-perforated panels(MPP)from natural fiber reinforced composites.The MPP is made of Polylactic Acid(PLA)reinforced with Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch Fiber(OPEFBF).The investigation was made by varying the fiber density,air gap,and perforation ratio to observe the effect on the Sound Absorption Coefficient(SAC)through the experiment in an impedance tube.It is found that the peak level of SAC is not affected,but the peak frequency shifts to lower frequency when the fiber density is increased.This phenomenon might be due to the presence of porosity in the inner wall of the holes.Increasing or decreasing the air gap and perforation ratio shifts the peaks of acoustic absorption either way.

Evaluation of the Thermal Performance in External Vertical Enclosures Constituted of Metal Panels

Brazil has a great climatic diversity,with different demands for the adequate thermal performance of buildings,where the variables that impact it have different influences depending on the location and the type of wrapping used.When a prior study of the thermal performance of a building is not done in the design phase,the unpleasant effects for the user appear after the building is ready,and bring with them problems such as internal temperatures that are too high in the summer or too low in the winter.Therefore,the objective of this study is to provide recommendations for the application of ACM(aluminum composite material)composite panels and thermoacoustic(sandwich)tiles for external enclosure in the single-family residential sector.A high standard two-story residence with approximately 162 m^(2)per floor is used as a model and through computer simulations,utilizing the Energyplus program and observing the requirements of the NBR 15.575 performance standard,the thermal performance is evaluated.The factorial experiment was applied encompassing thermal performance variables such as absorptance,natural ventilation and thermophysical properties of the wrapping for three different climatic conditions:extreme winter climate,average climate and extreme summer climate.The results obtained show that the thermoacoustic roof tile keeps the internal temperature more stable independent of external oscillations,while the ACM panels follow the external oscillations,not meeting the expectations of thermal performance and needing passive treatments.

Experimental and numerical studies on buckling and post-buckling behavior of T-stiffened variable stiffness panels

Currently,experimental research on variable stiffness design mainly focuses on laminates.To ensure adaptability in practical application,it is imperative to conduct a systematic study on stiffened variable stiffness structures,including design,manufacture,experiment,and simulation.Based on the minimum curvature radius and process schemes,two types of T-stiffened panels were designed and manufactured.Uniaxial compression tests have been carried out and the results indicate that the buckling load of variable stiffness specimens is increased by 26.0%,while the failure load is decreased by 19.6%.The influence mechanism of variable stiffness design on the buckling and failure behavior of T-stiffened panels was explicated by numerical analysis.The primary reason for the reduced strength is the significantly increased load bearing ratio of stiffeners.As experimental investigations of stiffened variable stiffness structures are very rare,this study can be considered a reference for future work.

Three-dimensional Cure Simulation of Stiffened Thermosetting Composite Panels

Stiffened thermosetting composite panels were fabricated with co-curing processing.In the co-curing processing,the temperature distribution in the composite panels was nonuniform.An investigation into the threedimensional cure simulation of T-shape stiffened thermosetting composite panels was presented.Flexible tools and locating tools were considered in the cure simulation.Temperature distribution in the composites was predicted as a function of the autoclave temperature history.A nonlinear transient heat transfer finite element model was developed to simulate the curing process of stiffened thermosetting composite panels.And a simulation example was presented to demonstrate the use of the present finite element procedure for analyzing composite curing process.The glass/polyester structure was investigated to provide insight into the nonuniform cure process and the effect of flexible tools and locating tools on temperature distribution.Temperature gradient in the intersection between the skin and the flange was shown to be strongly dependent on the structure of the flexible tools and the thickness of the skin.

Nonlinear flutter analysis of stiffened composite panels in super-sonic flow

The flutter instability of stiffened composite panels subjected to aerodynamic forces in the supersonic flow is investigated. Based on Hamilton's principle,the aeroelastic model of the composite panel is established by using the von Karman large deflection plate theory,piston theory aerodynamics and the quasi-steady thermal stress theory. Then,using the finite element method along with Bogner-Fox-Schmit elements and three-dimensional beam elements,the nonlinear equations of motion are derived. The effect of stiffening scheme on the flutter critical dynamic pressure is demonstrated through the numerical example,and the nonlinear flutter characteristics of stiffened composite panels are also analyzed in the time domain. This will lay the foundation for design of panel structures employed in aerospace vehicles.

An Optimization Approach for Stiffener Layout of Composite Stiffened Panels Based on Moving Morphable Components(MMCs)

An explicit topology optimization method for the stiffener layout of composite stiffened panels is proposed based on moving morphable components(MMCs).The skin and stiffeners are considered as panels with different bending stiffnesses,with the use of equivalent stiffness method.Then the location and geometric properties of composite stiffeners are determined by several MMCs to perform topology optimization,which can greatly simplify the finite element model.With the objective of maximizing structural stiffness,several typical cases with various loading and boundary conditions are selected as numerical examples to demonstrate the proposed method.The numerical examples illustrate that the proposed method can provide clear stiffener layout and explicit geometry information,which is not limited within the framework of parameter and size optimization.The mechanical properties of composite stiffened panels can be fully enhanced.

Collaborative force and shape control for large composite fuselage panels assembly

This study proposed a force and shape collaborative control method that combined method of influence coefficients(MIC)and the elitist nondominated sorting genetic algorithm(NSGA-II)to reduce the shape deviation caused by manufacturing errors,gravity deformation,and fixturing errors and improve the shape accuracy of the assembled large composite fuselage panel.This study used a multi-point flexible assembly system driven by hexapod parallel robots.The proposed method simultaneously considers the shape deviation and assembly load of the panel.First,a multi-point flexible assembly system driven by hexapod parallel robots was introduced,with the relevant variables defined in the control process.In addition,the corresponding mathematical model was constructed.Subsequently,MIC was used to establish the prediction models between the displacements of actuators and displacements of panel shape control points,deformation loads applied by the actuators.Following the modeling,the shape deviation of the panel and the assembly load were used as the optimization objectives,and the displacements of actuators were optimized using NSGA-II.Finally,a typical composite fuselage panel case study was considered to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.