Effect of fiber orientation on the tensile and flexural properties of vetiverfiber reinforced epoxy composites

Natural fibre composites find application in some areas of aerospace, automotive, marine, electrical and sports equipments. They replace traditional materials due to the advantage of bio-degradability and environmental durability. However, better understanding of the composite behavior is required to ascertain its durability in the field of applications. In this work, vetiver fibre composites are prepared and tested for tensile and flexural strength. Vetiver fibers of length 15-16cm were used as reinforcements and epoxy resin with hardener is used as the matrix. Three types of composites were prepared using three different arrangements of the Vetiver fibers. The orientation of the fibres include longitudinal, transverse and a third arrangement combining both the directions. The flexural and tensile tests of these three types of composites are carried out and the results are compared with each other and useful conclusions were drawn from them.