Modeling the compressive properties of glass fiber reinforced epoxy foam using the analysis of variance approach

The aim of this-work is to develop a (statistical) predictive model that describes the compression properties of glass-fiber-reinforced epoxy foams. An analysis of variance was applied in order to determine the behavior of the composite foams. The material variables and ranges used in the study were density (250-550 kg/m(3)), fiber weight fraction (1-5 wt%), and fiber length (6-12 mm). The responses analyzed were the compressive modulus and strength. In addition, the foam size cell distribution was studied as a function of density. The results showed that the density and the morphology of composite foams exhibit a strong influence on the responses of the model. Therefore, the utilization of a statistical model for predicting composite foam properties is an appropriate tool that affords a global perspective of the influence of different effects on material behavior. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.