the impact of fiber architecture on the mechanical properties of hand lay-up reinforced polyester resin

This work aimed to improve the mechanical properties of a glass fiber-reinforced polyester resin composite material. the research evaluated the effect of glass fiber architecture on these properties by using fibrous-like and sheet-like glass fibers to reinforce polyester resins via a hand lay-up method. the prepared specimens were analyzed for various mechanical properties, including tensile, hardness, and flexural, according to astm standards. the results showed that glass fiber reinforcement in both fibrous-like and sheet-like forms enhanced the mechanical properties of polyester resin. specifically, polyester resin composites reinforced with fibrous-like glass fibers exhibited superior mechanical properties. the hardness was 28.03±3.49 hv, the tensile strength was 76.31±11.38 mpa, the tensile modulus was 2293.92±116.68 mpa, and the percent elongation at break was 5.92%, with a flexural resistance of 114.49±22.21 mpa and a flexural modulus of 5377.37±596.62 mpa. additionally, a simulation model using simcenter 3d software was utilized to assess the stress application on a large water tank fabricated by the as-prepared composites. the simulation confirmed the performance of these composites.