This document provides an overview of fiber reinforced composites (FRC). It begins with an introduction to FRCs, which are composite materials made of a polymer matrix reinforced with fibers, most commonly glass, carbon, or aramid fibers. The document then covers the classification of FRCs based on matrix type, fiber types, manufacturing processes like hand layup and filament winding, curing processes, potential defects, and mechanical properties testing including tensile, flexural, shear, fatigue, and impact properties. Finally, applications of FRCs are discussed such as use in the aerospace, automotive, marine, and construction industries.

1. INTRODUCTION TO FIBER REINFORCED
COMPOSITES
AN OVERVIEW
.
M.S.Santhosh
Junior Research Fellow
Department of mechanical engineering
Selvam College of Technology
Namakkal, Tamilnadu, India.

2. PRESENTATION OVERVIEW
❖Introduction.
❖Classification of FRC.
❖Fundamentals of FRC Manufacturing
❖Processing of PMC’s.
❖Curing Processes.
❖Defects in Fiber Reinforced Composites.
❖Tensile Properties of FRC
❖Flexural Properties.
❖Shear Properties
❖Impact Properties
❖Applications of FRP’S
❖References

3. INTRODUCTION
❖Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP), also Fiber reinforced plastic, is a
composite material made of a polymer matrix reinforced with fibers.
The fibers are usually glass, carbon, or aramid, although other fibers
such as paper or wood or asbestos have been sometimes used.
❖The polymer is usually an epoxy, vinyl ester or polyester
thermosetting plastic, and phenol formaldehyde resins are still in
use.
❖FRPs are commonly used in the aerospace, automotive, marine,
and construction industries.
.

4. CLASSIFICATION OF FIBER REINFORCED
COMPOSITES BASED ON MATRICES

5. TYPES OF POLYMERS

6. TYPES OF NATURAL FIBERS

7. FUNDAMENTALS OF FRC
MANUFACTURING
 Degree of Cure
 Viscosity
 Resin Flow
 Consolidation
 Gel-Time Test
 Shrinkage
 Voids.

8. PROCESSING OF POLYMER MATRIX
COMPOSITES
HAND LAYUP PROCESS

9. SPRAY UP PROCESS

10. RESIN TRANSFER MOLDING

11. VACUUM BAG MOLDING

12. AUTO CLAVE MOLDING

13. FILAMENT WINDING PROCESS

14. PULTRUSION PROCESS

16. THERMO PLASTIC COMPOSITE
PROCESSING
FILM STACKING PROCESS

17. THERMO PLASTIC TAPE LAYING

18. INJECTION MOLDING

19. ADVANCED CURING PROCESSES
ELECTRON BEAM OR MICROWAVE
CURING PROCESS

22. CRACKS

24. TENSILE PROPERTIES OF PMC’S
 Tensile properties, such as tensile strength, tensile
modulus, and Poisson’s ratio of flat composite
laminates, are determined by static tension tests in
accordance with ASTM D3039.

25. COMPRESSIVE PROPERTIES
CELANESE TEST

26. IITRI TEST

27. SANDWICH EDGEWISE COMPRESSION TEST

28. FLEXURAL PROPERTIES
 Flexural properties, such as flexural strength and
modulus, are determined by ASTM test method
D790.
 The flexural strength in a three-point flexural test is
given by,

29. FLEXURAL TEST ARRANGEMENTS
(a) Three-point bending and (b) Four-point bending modes.

30. SHEAR PROPERTIES
Test configuration for a 100 off-axis shear test.

31. IOSIPESCU SHEAR TEST
(a) test fixture
(b) schematic
representation,
(c) free body,
(d) shear force, and
(e) Bending moment
distribution.

32. TWO-RAIL AND THREE-RAIL SHEAR TESTS.
•
Test configuration for (a) two-rail and (b) three-rail shear tests.

33. FATIGUE PROPERTIES
 The fatigue properties of a material represent its
response to cyclic loading, which is a common
occurrence in many applications.
Stress vs. time diagram in a fatigue test.

34. IMPACT PROPERTIES
 A variety of standard impact test methods are
available for metals (ASTM E23) and unreinforced
polymers (ASTM D256).
Charpy Test

35. IZOD TEST

36. DROP- WEIGHT IMPACT TEST

37. POST IMPACT COMPRESSION TEST
Test fixture for compression test after impact

38. APPLICATIONS OF FRP’S

39. USE OF FIBER-REINFORCED POLYMER
COMPOSITES IN BOEING 777

40. COMPRESSION-MOLDED VALVE COVER
FOR A TRUCK ENGINE

41. CARBON FIBER-REINFORCED EPOXY ROOF
PANEL IN BMW M6 VEHICLE

42. CARBON FIBER-REINFORCED EPOXY
BICYCLE FRAME

43. GLASS FIBER-REINFORCED VINYL ESTER
PULTRUDED SECTIONS IN THE
BRIDGE DECK SYSTEM

44. REFERENCES
 Fiber Reinforced Composites Materials
Manufacturing and Design - P.K. Mallick
 Composite Materials and Processing –
M.Balasubramaniyan
 Fabrication And Mechanics of Fiber
Reinforced Elastomers - Larry D. Peel