Nonlinear tensile behaviour of elementary hemp fibres: a numerical investigation of the relationships between 3D geometry and tensile behaviour.Abstract Experimental observations shown that most of plant fibres are characterised by an intricate structure, morphology and organisation. This complex geometrical characteristics may affect the mechanical behaviour of this kind of natural fibres and contribute to the high variability of their mechanical properties. So, this study proposes a numerical investigation on the relationship between the cross-section shape of primary hemp bast fibres and their tensile behaviour. A 3D viscoelastic model based on finite element method is used for this study. Real and elliptical simplified cross-section shapes are considered. Results of the tensile test simulations clearly show the strong influence of the degree of ellipticity on the tensile response of the fibre, and more exactly on the shape of the non-linearity of the response. Results also show that this morphologic effect is strongly related and coupled to structural parameters and physical mechanisms, such as the cellulose microfibrils angle and the viscoelastic behaviour of the material of the fibre wall. Geometric issues could then contribute to explain the different types of tensile behaviour experimentally observed and deserve to be taken into account in plant fibre models.
Despite the great similarities in the physical and chemical properties of flax and primary hemp fibres, literature generally reports differences in their average tensile properties. This work proposes a numerical investigation of the relationships between the morphological, biochemical and cell wall features, along with their variability, and the mechanical properties of flax and hemp fibres. A previously developed 3D micromechanical model of plant fibre is used to carry out a sensitivity analysis.Results show that the difference observed in the average tensile properties of flax and hemp fibres is partly due to the differences in scattering of some their morphological and ultrastructural properties. Despite a similar mean value, the reduced variability in the flax fibre features, seems to lead to higher average tensile properties.
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