Microstructure and Physicomechanical Properties of Glass-Basalt Fiber Reinforced Polymer Pipes: 3D Fractal Modeling

The object of research is the microstructure of glass-basalt plastic composite pipes and the relationship between its fractal dimensionality and the physical-mechanical properties. Method. The study involves conducting physical experiments to measure and analyze the properties of glass-fiber-reinforced and glass-basalt-fiber-reinforced composite pipes. The experiments include testing for strength, modulus of elasticity, fracture, bending, and other mechanical characteristics. Results. The paper explores the potential for modeling the microstructure of glass-basalt plastic composite pipes using 3D fractal analysis. The material composition of the pipes by mass was 70% roving and 30% binder. An evaluation of the fractal dimensionality of the microstructure was carried out at a scale representation of 300 µm, focusing on the boundary interfaces between the structural elements (fiber matrix and epoxy component of the pipes). A one-to-one correspondence was established between the fractal dimensionality of glass-basalt fibers in 3D space, the interfacial boundaries in 2D space, and the tensile strength, compressive strength, and Young’s modulus. An increase in the physical-mechanical properties of the pipes was observed with the rise in the fractal dimensionality of the glass-basalt fibers from 2.055 to 2.245 and the interfacial boundaries from 1.228 to 1.415. The increase in the length and fractal dimensionality of the interfacial boundaries indicates higher energy expenditure during pipe fracture, thus leading to improved strength properties. The calculated mathematical models allow for the prediction of the physical-mechanical properties of glass-basalt plastic composite pipes with satisfactory practical accuracy based on the fractal analysis of the microstructure.
 

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