Title: Natural fibre-reinforced composite parts for automotive applications

Authors: Samuel C.R. Furtado; A.L. Araújo; Arlindo Silva; Cristiano Alves; A.M.R. Ribeiro

Addresses: Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Avenida Rovisco Pais, 1049-001, Lisboa, Portugal ' IDMEC, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Avenida Rovisco Pais, 1049-001, Lisboa, Portugal ' ICEMS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Avenida Rovisco Pais, 1049-001, Lisboa, Portugal ' Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Campus Universitário – Lagoa Nova, Av. Sen. Salgado Filho, 3000, Natal/RN – CEP 59078-970, Brazil ' IDMEC, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Avenida Rovisco Pais, 1049-001, Lisboa, Portugal

Abstract: In this paper, we conduct a brief revision of the state-of-the-art on vegetable fibre-reinforced composite applications in the automotive industry. We then present some results for the dynamic characterisation of an auto part made of jute fibres and an equivalent one made of traditional glass fibres, where the increase in damping is most evident. An inverse characterisation method based on the free vibration response of composite plate specimens is also applied to estimate damped material parameters in vegetable fibre-reinforced composites. The obtained results are compared with the ones obtained with equivalent specimens made of glass fibre and future application of this technique to the study of environmental parameters on the material properties is proposed.

Keywords: natural composites; jute fibres; modal analysis; damping factor; automobile industry; nondestructive characterisation; natural fibres; fibre-reinforced composites; automotive components; auto parts; glass fibres; free vibration response; automotive composites.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAUTOC.2014.064112

International Journal of Automotive Composites, 2014 Vol.1 No.1, pp.18 - 38

Received: 20 Apr 2013
Accepted: 07 Jun 2013

Published online: 30 Aug 2014 *

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