A Comparative Study on Falling Weight Impact Properties of Jute/Epoxy and Hemp/Epoxy Laminates.

ABSTRACT: One of the principal reasons for limited use of plant fibre composites is their sensitivity to impact loading and the difficulty in characterising and assessing the criticality of impact damage. In this study, a comparison between two composite architectures has been carried out, namely a hemp/epoxy random mat and a jute/epoxy plain weave laminate, both with 45±2 % vol. of reinforcement fibres. Work carried out concentrated on comparing and discussing the falling weight impact performance of the two laminates with different fibre architecture, by studying their impact hysteresis cycles and investigating their respective modes of damage. This was done in view of a possible application of a hybrid of the two laminates for impact resistance purposes. The results allowed quantifying the superiority of hemp/epoxy on jute/epoxy laminates under falling impact loading: however, the latter laminates appear to show more consistent impact properties and a more predictable mode of damage, which was attributed to an improved a better fibre-matrix impregnation