Comparative evaluation of the performance properties of resin-infused plain-woven jute reinforced thermoset composites for energy infrastructure: experimental analysis, finite element modelling and statistical validation.

Owen, Macaulay M.; Wong, Leong Sing; Achukwu, Emmanuel O.; Romli, Ahmad Zafir; Ametefe, Divine Senanu; Shuib, Solehuddin

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive experimental and numerical evaluation of resin-infused plain-woven jute fiber composites reinforced with thermoset epoxy and polyester matrices in 2-, 4-, and 6-ply configurations, produced via vacuum-assisted resin infusion. The aim is to assess the influence of matrix type and ply architecture on the mechanical, thermal, and microstructural behavior of sustainable composites for renewable energy infrastructure. Mechanical characterization involved tensile, flexural, impact, and hardness tests, while thermal and microstructural properties were evaluated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was used to simulate stress distribution, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) determined the statistical significance of ply count and matrix effects. The 6-ply epoxy composite exhibited the highest structural performance, achieving tensile and flexural strengths of 76.85 MPa and 90.48 MPa with improvements of 19.3 % and 31.8 % over polyester counterparts. Although polyester-based composites exhibited lower strength, they showed higher impact resistance (1.15 J, +33.9 %). Peak hardness (114.4 HRB) was recorded in 4-ply epoxy laminates, and density increased with ply count, with polyester showing slightly higher values. TGA confirmed enhanced thermal stability in epoxy systems, with onset degradation at 341.5 °C versus 304.3 °C in polyester. SEM revealed superior fiber–matrix bonding and fewer voids in epoxy composites. FEA predictions were within 5 % of experimental results, and ANOVA confirmed statistically significant effects (p ≤ 0.05) of matrix and ply count. These findings position 6-ply epoxy laminates as promising candidates for structural applications in renewable energy systems.

Citation

OWEN, M.M., WONG, L.S., ACHUKWU, E.O., ROMLI, A.Z., AMETEFE, D.S. and SHUIB, S. 2025. Comparative evaluation of the performance properties of resin-infused plain-woven jute reinforced thermoset composites for energy infrastructure: experimental analysis, finite element modelling and statistical validation. Results in engineering [online], 26, article number 105620. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2025.105620

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 2, 2025
• Online Publication Date: Jun 3, 2025
• Publication Date: Jun 30, 2025
• Deposit Date: Jun 10, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 10, 2025
• Journal: Results in engineering
• Electronic ISSN: 2590-1230
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 26
• Article Number: 105620
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2025.105620
• Keywords: Plain-woven jute; Vacuum-assisted resin infusion; Thermoset resin; Finite element analysis; Statistical analysis
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2878707