UROP Project

Investigations on damage mechanisms in short fibre reinforced plastics due to dynamic-cyclic loads

Due to their high mechanical properties, low density and cost-effective processing, short fibreglass reinforced thermoplastics (SFT) are suitable for weight critical semi-structural applications like in the automotive industry. Such SFT-parts are often subjected to complex dynamic-cyclical loads and require the proof of the fatigue strength over the part lifetime, which is mostly ensured by costly and time-consuming part fatigue tests. Applicable simulation tools can accelerate the development of plastics parts. The simulation methods currently used are based on Wöhler curves, which only take oscillating loads with constant load amplitudes and frequencies into account. However, the actual load with variable load amplitudes and cycles can be depicted by load spectra. For an accurate estimation of the part lifetime, it is required to understand the general failure mechanisms in sft materials. Therefore, in this research project, a simulation model on micro-level is used to investigate th

Task

- Define a testing plan - Preparation of specimens - Run experiments on a high-frequency hydrodynamic testing machine - Build a simulation model using existing model-generation scripts - Modify the simulations and run numerical analyses - Analyse the results

Requirements

- Basic knowledge about classical mechanics (statics and mechanics of materials) - Basic computer skills - First experiences in scripting, not mandatory - Interest in practical and theoretical experiments