FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS ON

COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF
STIFFENED GFRP PANELS

Internal Guide:
By DR.R.SANTHANAKRISHNAN
BALACHANDAR.K (14101038) Professor
MATHANKUMAR.E (15101239)
School of Aeronautical Sciences
 CONTENT
• AIM
• OBJECTIVE
• SCOPE OF THE PROJECT
• METHODOLOGY
• LITERATURE SURVEY
• MATERIAL PROPERTIES
• FABRICATION
• EXPERIMENTAL TESTING
• VALIDATION
• RESULTS & DISCUSSION
• CONCLUSION
• FUTURE ENHANCEMENT
• REFERENCES
 AIM
• To perform experimental analysis and finite
element analysis on compressive strength of
stiffened GFRP panels
 OBJECTIVE
• The use of stiffened composite panels have increased over
last few years in engineering applications due to its high
strength to weight ratio and high stiffness. Generally stiffened
plates are exposed to inlane compressive loading causing
structural failure. The present study is a finite elemental
analysis by software ANSYS -- Workbench with a view to
analysis of the compressive behaviour of stiffened composite
panels. Investigations were made on the effect of stiffener
configuration on the performance of the panel when
subjected to in plane compressive loading.
 SCOPE OF THE PROJECT
• The project is to fabricate and investigate response of glass fiber
reinforced plastic to a compressive load ,in order to determine the
compressive strength of the stiffened panel’s.

• These data’s can be used in future to research further about the gfrp
materials of certain configuration.

• These materials are designed to reduce the weight of the aircraft

simultaneously increasing the strength.

• This material is tested to replace the traditional aircraft parts i.e.,

alumium,steel,etc.
 METHODOLOGY
RESEARCH

BASE PAPER
SELECTION
MATERIAL
SELECTION

FABRICATION

CUTTING
ANSYS –
TENSILE TESTING FINITE
LOAD ELEMENT
RESULT AND ANALYSIS
ANALYSIS

CONCLUSION
 Literature survey
AUTHOR JOURNAL DETAILS

Naresh Reddy Experimental study on compressive behavior of GFRP

Kolanu Stiffened panels using DIC

Experimental and Analysis of hat-stringer-stiffened

composite curved panels under axial compression .
Yomingmo
Composite structures 123(2015) 150-160.

“Numerical Investigation of structural behavior of fiber

Abubaker Sami reinforced polymers filled stiffened “, IJIET, Volume 8, June
Dheyab 2017.
 Literature survey
AUTHOR JOURNAL DETAILS

“ Experimental determination of buckling

strength of stiffened plates” , IJMPERD,
sravanthi Volume 8, April 2018.

“Determination of Effective Width and

Effective breadth of stiffened plates by
X.Wang Finite Element Strip Analysis”, Thin
Walled Structures, Volume 26, 1996.
AUTOUR JOURNAL DETAILS
“Buckling behaviour of stiffened plate under biaxial
Josephet compression and shear “ ,procodia engineering
156(2016) 272-279.

“Linear buckling analysis and comparative study of

Ravikumar unstiffened and stiffened composite plate” , material
today, proceedings 5(2018) 6059-6071
MATERIAL PROPERTIES
PROPERTIES GLASS FIBER

DENSITY 1.2-1.3
Gms/cm^3

YOUNG’S 86.8Gpa
MODULUS

POISSON’ 0.054
RATIO
 MATERIAL PROPERTIES
GLASS FIBER :

• Is high in stiffness
• Is high in tensile strength

• Has a low weight to strength ratio

• Is high in chemical resistance

• Is temperature tolerant to excessive heat

• Has low thermal expansion

 MATERIAL PROPERTIES
E-glass Fiber (woven mat):

• Glass fibre per square meter (GSM) : 600 and 415

GSM
• Specific Density (ρ) at 250 C : 1.2 – 1.3 gms/cm3
• Modulus : 86.8 (GPa)
• Elongation : 5.4 %
• Coefficient of Thermal Expansion : 23-
27.0(107/0c)
 MATERIAL PROPERTIES
• RESIN-ARALDITE GY257 • HARDENER - ARADUR 2963
• Viscosity at 25 °C: 450-650 [mPa 1. Density at 25°C -1.0 [g/cm]
S) 2. Boiling point : 200[°C]
• Epoxy value: 5.20-5.50 Eq/Kg 3. Flash point : 108[°C]
• Epoxy Equivalent 182-192 4. Kinematic Viscosity: 30-70[mPa s]
[g/equiv]

• Density at 25°C: 1.15[g/cm]

• Appearance Colour: Clear

 MATERIALS
GLASS FIBER: ALUMINIUM SHEET :
FABRICATION- HAND LAYUP METHOD
Manufacturing of GFRP PANELS using hand layup
method:
• Hand lay-up technique is the simplest method of composite processing.

• A release gel is sprayed on the mold surface to avoid the sticking of

polymer to the surface.

• Thin plastic sheets are used at the top and bottom of the mold plate to get
good surface finish of the product.
 FABRICATION-HAND LAYUP METHOD

• Reinforcement in the form of woven mats or chopped strand

• Then thermosetting polymer in liquid form is mixed thoroughly in
suitable proportion with a
• prescribed hardner (curing agent) and poured onto the surface of
mat already placed in the mold
• mats are cut as per the mold size and placed at the surface of mold
after perspex sheet.
• The polymer is uniformly spread with the help of brush.
 FABRICATION-HAND LAYUP METHOD
• Second layer of mat is then placed on the polymer surface and a roller is
moved with a mild pressure on the mat-polymer layer to remove any air
trapped as well as the excess polymer present.

• The process is repeated for each layer of polymer and mat, till the required
layers are stacked.

• After placing the plastic sheet, release gel is sprayed on the inner surface
of the top mold plate which is then kept on the stacked layers and the
pressure is applied.
 FABRICATION-HAND LAYUP METHOD
• After curing either at room temperature or at some specific temperature,
mold is opened and the developed composite part is taken out and further
processed.
• The schematic of hand lay-up is shown in figure .
• The time of curing depends on type of polymer used for composite
processing.
• For epoxy based system, normal curing time at room temperatur is 24-48
hours.
• Generally, the materials used to develop composites through hand lay-up
method are given in table 1.
WATER JET CUTTING
FINAL MATERIAL
 EXPERIMENTAL TESTING
• Test procedure:

A universal testing machine (UTM), also known as a universal

tester, materials testing machine or materials test frame, is used
to test the tensile strength and compressive strength of materials. An
earlier name for a tensile testing machine is a tensometer. The "universal"
part of the name reflects that it can perform many standard tensile and
compression tests on materials, components, and structures (in other
words, that it is versatile).
UNIVERSAL TESTING MACHINE
 VALIDATION

• The tensile strength was calculated by using the

following equation.

• Where
• P = Maximum load in N.
• A = Average cross sectional area in mm2
• The shear test specimens were cut at 45 from the
laminate and the configuration was +/- 45 as shown in
figure

Fig : configuration of +/- 45 coupons

• It was carried according to ASTM standard D

3518/D3518 ( reapproved 2001). The test was
conducted using UTM with 2mm/min crosshead
speed.
OBSERVATION OF GFRP PANEL'S

TESTING OF MATERIAL
 RESULTS

MESHING IN ANSYS
PRE-POST ANSYS
SUMMARY OF TENSILE TEST RESULTS(WEFT DIRECTION
CUT MATERIALS)
 SUMMARY OF TENSILE RESULTS
(WARP DIRECTION CUT COUPONS)
SHEAR TEST RESULT
 Load Vs Displacement

Displacement (mm)
coupon 6
coupon 7
coupon 8
coupon 9
coupon 10

Load (KN)

Load Vs Displacement Graph (coupon 1 to 5)

 Load Vs Displacement

Displacement (mm)
coupon 1
coupon 2
coupon 3
coupon 4
coupon 5

Load (KN)

Load Vs Displacement Graph (coupon 6 to 10)

 Load Vs Displacement

Displacement (mm)

coupon11
coupon12
coupon13
coupon14
coupon15

Load (KN)

Load Vs Displacement Graph (coupon11 to 15)

 RESULT ANALYSIS

•Stiffened plate analysis was carried out for the GFRP composite
panel using ANSYS ACP Pre & Post.

•The Figure shows the final result of the GFRP stiffened plate subjected to the axial compressive
load.
 FUTURE ENHANCEMENT

• To change the configuration of the stiffener using design modeler and

repeat the process to calculate the effective configuration numerically.
• To compare the results with the experimental value
 REFERENCES
• [1]Stroud Wj, Agranoff N, “Minimum-mass design
of filamentary composite panels under combined
loads; design procedure based on simplified
equations”, TN D-8 257, NASA; 1976, 2003
• [2] Leissa AW, A review of laminated composite
panels buckling.ASME applied mechanics revision
1996; 40(5):575-91
• [3]Kim KD, Buckling behavior of composite panel
using finite element method. Composite structure
1996; 36:43.
 REFERENCE
• [4] Altenach H,Kissing W. Mechanics of composite structural
elements .Berlin: Springer;2004, 67:417-26,
• [5] Giulia Palombaa , Gabriella Epastoa ,Vincenzo Crupia ,
Eugenio Guglielminoa University of Messina, Contrada di Dio,
Sant'Agata, 98166 Messina, Italy , 2001
• [6]Kadar S. Pandya, Jayaram R. Pothnis, G. Ravikumar, N.K.
Naik Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai
400 076, India – “Gailure prediction of stringer stiffened
composite panels with impact damage under axial loading” 19
July 2012
•
 REFERENCE
• [7] ASTM Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Volume 15.03, Space
Simulation; Aerospace and Aircraft; Composite Materials, 2012
THANK YOU