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ABSTRACT Glass fiber reinforced polypropylene pipes were fabricated from 6-10 layers of “Plytron” GN638T 25mm wide glass fiber pre-impregnated polypropylene tapes using filament winding/tape laying process, in-situ consolidation on a 1000mm long mandrel. Infrared heater and heat gun were used in heating the incoming tapes and the substrate at the nip point. The effects of process pressure and temperature on the mechanical properties were investigated by testing samples of test laminates and fabricated pipes for their mechanical properties. Results indicated that the mechanical properties of the test samples and pipes were affected by changes in process temperature and pressure, with an optimum process pressure and temperature being 16.8KPa and 2800C respectively. The cost analysis of the fabricated pipes indicated that the materials and method of production employed in this research could be utilized to an economic advantage when compared with the prices of the same type of pipes in SA market.

A previous study, looking at the creep-rupture behaviour of mixed reinforcement GRP when immersed in water, had discovered that low loads, behaviour became temperature sensitive. Since the recorded time to failure of a sample was reduced at elevated temperatures, from that predicted by a linear extrapolation of the short term creep-rupture results, this deviation caused problems in the accurate prediction of long-term design stresses. In order to improve the accuracy of long term design predictions, it was decided to study the mechanisms of creep in GRP that initiates time dependent failure. From this, it was hoped that accurate design criteria suitable for predicting GRP response over a 30 year design life from short term creep tests, could be developed. This thesis reports the results obtained from such a study. A series of creep tests were performed on mixed reinforcement GRP samples at several stress levels, both in air, and in room temperature distilled water, using a microcomputer based data collection system. In conjunction with this work, damage development in samples, due to combinations of water uptake and creep loading, was followed, using both scanning electron, and optical, microscopy. Moisture uptake measurements were undertaken under a series of load/temperature regimes, and fibre/matrix debonding followed using photographic techniques. In this way, water absorption, both in terms of uptake rate, and location within a sample, could be characterised. Tensile tests were also performed to determine the standard mechanical properties of the mixed reinforcement GRP used. It was found that a critical damage state was created at loads in excess of 50% of ultimate, but not below. This took the form of between 2 and 8 neighbouring filament breaks in the longitudinal woven rovings at weave crossover points, producing microcracks in the reinforcement. The creation of this multifilament fracture damage during primary creep, was considered to be necessary for time dependent failure to occur in air. Secondary greep strain was found to increase in discrete steps, both in air and water. This was attributed to the formation of transverse grasks in the longitudinal woven rovings, propogating from the above critical damage. In water, diffusion was found to be non-Fickian. Moisture uptake increased with increases in applied load and temperature. Water was seen to accumulate at weave cross-over points when immersed under load. This led to stress-enhanced fibre corrosion in these regions, weakening the reinforcement, and reducing the failure time from that expected at the same load level in air. The localised nature of moisture degradation was thought to result in the formation of critical fibre damage at loads below 50% of ultimate, when immersed in water. Two design criteria based on the observed creep mechanisms, have been developed for GRP that predict response when loaded in either air, or water. Both predict the existence of creep-rupture limits at low loads.

Photocatalytic membranes have been designed using two types of fine-scale alumina fibres, namely Nano Alumina Fibre (NAF) from Metallurg Engineering, Estonia and commercially available Saffil® Alumina Fibre (SAF) produced by Saffil Limited, UK. NAF fibres have an average diameter of about 15 nm and SAF about 4 μm. Membranes were produced in various ways. The fibre network architecture within the membranes, along with their porosity, specific surface area and mechanical properties, have been examined. These NAF-SAF membranes were impregnated with titania-based sol-gel coatings, to produce photocatalytic membranes. Their mechanical properties, specific surface area and flow properties were assessed and photocatalytic potential was measured by studying rates of degradation of aqueous dye solution. Membranes with photo-active top layers were designed by sedimentation of a fibrous layer of NAF-SAF, containing titania nanoparticles on a pre-sedimented support layer. Two types of photocatalyst were used, one a commercially available anatase nanopowder and the other silver-coated anatase. The latter was produced via modification of the first. Optimisation of the nanoparticle loadings was performed via assessing their photocatalytic efficiency. Specific permeability values were obtained experimentally and by prediction from the pore architecture. A novel form of photo-active membrane was designed by direct casting of milled SAF and titania-based sol-gel into circular moulds. Effects of fibre milling time and fibre to sol-gel ratio on their performance were studied, besides mechanical properties, porosity and specific surface area. Their flow properties and photocatalytic efficiency were also examined. Due to the availability of these fibres, especially the high production rates (kg/h range) and low cost of NAF, these membranes offer potential for large scale application.

This thesis examined the feasibility of fibre composite reinforcement in the furniture industry. The development of post war furniture design was reviewed, with particular emphasis on the main design movements and the use of new materials and technologies. The use of fibre composite materials in contemporary furniture was discussed in terms of technical development, environmental effects and psychological acceptance. Fibre reinforcements and adhesives were compared, as were fabrication techniques applicable to the existing British furniture industry. Particular emphasis has been placed on the fibre reinforcement of laminated timber sections as a method of overcoming many of the manufacturing problems of composites. Methods of analysing the behaviour under load of fibre reinforced laminated wood were reviewed. Resistance among the furniture buying public to modem, non-traditional furniture design was discussed, along with ways of making composite materials more aesthetically acceptable. Experimentation to determine the mechanical properties of fibre composite reinforced wood against wood control samples was undertaken, along with methods used to analyse the results for flat and curved samples. Modulus of elasticity, modulus of rupture and impact strength were measured, as was the level of distortion of the samples before and after testing. A full size chair form was produced to demonstrate the behaviour of the material on a larger scale. The development of the design was discussed in terms of ergonomic requirements, aesthetics, practicality and environmental concerns. The problem of predicting the behaviour of complex shapes was discussed and a finite element analysis of the form is carried out to gain an accurate picture of the composite's performance. Production of fibre reinforced materials was discussed, along with the furniture industry's reluctance to invest in new materials and technologies. The feasibility of adapting traditional furniture making skills and equipment to the production of fibre composite reinforced wood has been assessed.

Thèse de doctorat : ? : Bordeaux 1 : 2009. Thèse de doctorat : ? : University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida : 2009. / Titre provenant de l'écran-titre.

SIFCON was first reported in 1984 and showed excellent potential as a structural material. Applications, however, have been slow to emerge. The aim of this investigation was to simplify the production of SIFCON and to identify practical applications. A direct infiltration test was developedt o assessth e effect of materials and admixtures on the infiltration properties of cement based slurries. A slurry was designed which could infiltrate fibre beds containing up to 16 percent by volume of fibres without the aid of vibration. To achieve this, novel use was made of viscosity modifying admixtures in conjunction with superplasticisers. The mechanical properties of the SIFCON produced using the new slurry were investigated in terms of compression and flexure. It was found that, while the outstanding parameters, in terms of strength and ductility, associated with SIFCON were apparent, the resulting material was strongly anisotropic. The compressive modulus of elasticity was found to be significantly lower than would be expected for conventional concrete of similar strength. Pull-out tests showed that the bond performance was ductile for ribbed reinforcing bars embedded in SIFCON, however, the dependenceo n fibre orientation was highlighted. SIFCON sections were successfully incorporated into reinforced concrete beams and the production of these beams demonstrated the benefits of the self compacting technique. The results of third point loading tests highlighted problems relating to the modulus of rupture of SIFCON, and the difficulties faced when introducing it into reinforced concrete structures. It was also found that the use of SIFCON in horizontally cast beams was inefficient in the compression zone. It is expected that the advances made in the development of the production process will lead to increased acceptance of SIFCON and that new applications will emerge.

The research reported in this thesis deals mainly with the use of novel nanotechnology-based testing methods in the field of cement-based composites. The existing knowledge of indentation test methods is presented and reviewed. The research presented focuses on the development and pilot usage of depth-sensing indentation (DSI) test methods. The use of DSI test methods for cement-based materials covers two distinct areas. The first area includes the testing of micromechanical properties of cement pastes/matrices. The development in DSI test methods allows direct measurements of properties, such as hardness, elastic modulus, etc., at microscale. Special attention is paid to assessment of interfacial regions in such cement-based materials. In the second area, DSI test methods are used for assessment of interfacial properties of fibre reinforced cementitious composites, with focus being directed to composites reinforced by bundles of microfilaments. A new push-out test method for individual microfilaments collated in a bundle and embedded in cementitious matrix is proposed and developed. Novel use of other nanotechnology-based techniques, such as focused ion beam (FIB) techniques, forms another part of this thesis. The focused ion beam milling technique was utilised for production of diamond probes which enabled push-out tests of individual glass microfibres to be carried out. Also, FIB cross-sectioning of indents induced by DSI test methods was performed. This novel research method showed large potential for a better interpretation of the test and an improved understanding of the microfracture processes in cement-based materials. Detailed information about FIB techniques is therefore presented in a separate chapter. The focus of this project has been to develop methods which will enable further systematic research into micromechanical properties of cementitious materials and may lead to the ultimate goal of this investigation - the development of a new generation of materials of improved macromechanical properties and durability.