Crashworthiness performance of HDPE-kenaf and HDPE-CNT composite structures

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ABSTRACT

The present work deals with the crashworthiness behaviour of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composite against aluminium alloy (Al5022). For the composite reinforcement purpose, 20 wt. % of kenaf or multi-walled carbon nanotube has been considered. HDPE composites have been fabricated using the microwave-assisted compression moulding process, and uniaxial tensile tests have been performed to obtain their mechanical properties. Crashworthiness analyses of HDPE composites have been investigated using ANSYS finite element software, wherein obtained mechanical properties are given as inputs. Numerical investigations are conducted for full, offset, and oblique frontal impact. Crashworthiness of the automotive body panel has been investigated based on deformation of the bumper, kinetic energy of the body panel, and the target body’s reaction force. The results showed that although the HDPE composites’ directional deformation is higher than that of aluminium alloy, these have considerably lower values of deceleration and reaction force during the impact period.

KEYWORDS:

• Crashworthiness
• HDPE composite
• ANSYS
• kenaf
• MWCNT

Nomenclature

a  Deceleration of body panel

E  Young’s modulus of the polymer composite

HD PE/kenafHigh-density polyethylene/kenaf fibre reinforced polymer composite

HD PE/MWCNTHigh-density polyethylene/multi-walled carbon nanotube-polymer composite

m  Mass of the body panel

t  Duration of impact

u  The initial velocity of the body panel

u_f  The final velocity of the body panel

v  Poisson’s ratio of the polymer composite

v_p Poisson’s ratio of polymer

v_r Poisson’s ratio of reinforcement

$\rho$ The density of polymer composite

${\rho }_p$ Density of polymer

${\rho }_r$ Density of reinforcement

$V_p$ The volume fraction of polymer

$V_r$ The volume fraction of reinforcement

$\mathrm{\Delta }k$ Change in kinetic energy of body panel

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).