Bending behaviour of flax fabric-reinforced epoxy pipes

Flax fabric-reinforced epoxy (FFRE) was used to manufacture thirty-three pipes having varying diameters and varying numbers of flax fabric layers, with all pipes having a span-to-diameter ratio of 12:1. Four-point loading experiments were performed on FFRE pipes, with the results showing that pipe bending stiffness and maximum pipe bending moment increased with increasing pipe diameter and the number of fabric layers, with the pipe bending stiffnesses ranging from 0.15 kN.m(2) to 25.66 kN.m(2) and the maximum pipe bending moment ranging from 0.20 kN.m to 5.76 kN.m. FFRE pipes exhibited deformation capability that was greater than observed for pipes manufactured from synthetic fibre composites while demonstrating maximum bending moment that was comparable to the maximum bending moments of synthetic fibre composite pipes. Additionally, no water seepage was detected beyond pipe failure, representing a significant potential for FFRE pipes as a viable alternative to the use of pipes constructed from conventional materials.

Automated summary

The experimental results showed that increasing the diameter and number of fabric layers of FFRE pipes can enhance their bending stiffness and maximum bending moment, giving them greater deformation capabilities compared to pipes made from synthetic fiber composites while maintaining comparable maximum bending moments. The FFRE pipes also demonstrated no water seepage beyond pipe failure, indicating their significant potential as a viable alternative to conventional materials.