Relationships between 3D geometry and tensile behaviour of plant fibres: a numerical study based on anisotropic viscoelastic model

Alessandra del Masto (1) , Frédérique Trivaudey (1) , Violaine Guicheret (1) , Vincent Placet (1) , Lamine Boubakar (1)

1 FEMTO-ST - Franche-Comté Électronique Mécanique, Thermique et Optique - Sciences et Technologies (UMR 6174)

Natural fibres derived from plants, such as hemp, flax and alfa fibres, are nowadays attractive candidates for replacing synthetic man-made fibres in reinforcing organic matrices in high performance composite applications. This use requires an accurate understanding of their mechanical behaviour and the development of robust models. Experimental observations have clearly shown that most plant fibres are characterised by an intricate structure, morphology and organisation which make their characterisation more complex than for solid circular man-made fibres. Their geometry depends on their growing, harvesting and processing conditions and might exhibit large dispersions. These fibres have generally a complex rounded polygonal outer shape which is irregular and non-uniform along length of the fibre and also varies from one fibre to another. The central cavity can be narrow, round or elliptical, with a diameter depending of the plant maturity.

Domaines: Mécanique [physics]

Alessandra del Masto, Frédérique Trivaudey, Violaine Guicheret, Vincent Placet, Lamine Boubakar. Relationships between 3D geometry and tensile behaviour of plant fibres: a numerical study based on anisotropic viscoelastic model. Euromech Colloquim, Apr 2016, Chatenay-Malabry, France. ⟨hal-03107837⟩