Strength characterization of fibers and fibrous materials: Experimental-reliability based novel approach

• Development of reliability base code for statistical study.
• Determination of reliability based strength for fibers and composite materials.
• Development of procedure for preparing unidirectional tensile test coupon.

Fibers and fibrous materials are not isotropic and, therefore, posseses diverse mechanical properties in different directions, there is no specific strength, value to represent their mechanical properties. It is important to define the fibers and fibrous materials with its reliability based mechanical properties for the design of parts. In present work the simulation program is developed using Two Parameter Weibull Distribution and method of Maximum Likelihood Estimation (TPWDUMLE) to find the Weibull parameters for strength characterization in fiber and fibrous materials using experimental-reliability based novel approach. The fracture strength of glass fiber, banana fiber and glass–polyester composite are experimentally (ASTM: D3039/3039M-08) determined and statistically analyzed by the TPWDUMLE. The reliability in terms of its fracture strength presented as reliability plot and it is observed that Weibull distribution allows to describe the fracture strength of a fiber/composite material in terms of a reliability function. It also provides composite material manufacturers with a tool that will enable them to present the necessary mechanical properties with certain confidence to end users.