Measurement of Fiber Orientation in Injection-Molded Short-Fiber GFRP Plate Using X-ray CT and Prediction of its Mechanical Properties

Abstract

Tensile tests were conducted on injection-molded short-glass-fiber reinforced plastics (SGFRP) plates, with specimens cut from the center and near the edge of the plate. The results showed that both Young's modulus and tensile strength were higher in the edge specimens than in the center specimens. Fiber orientation was measured using X-ray CT, and it was found that the ratio of fibers oriented in the injection direction increased towards the edge. In this study, the elastic constants were estimated through micromechanics, utilizing the fiber orientation measurement results obtained from X-ray CT, and the tensile strength of SGFRP was predicted based on the matrix stress.