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Currently, pultruded glass fibre-reinforced polymer (pGFRP) composites have been extensively applied as cross-arm structures in latticed transmission towers. These materials were chosen for their high strength-to-weight ratio and lightweight characteristics. Nevertheless, several researchers have discovered that several existing composite cross arms can decline in performance, which leads to composite failure due to creep, torsional movement, buckling, moisture, significant temperature change, and other environmental factors. This leads to the composite structure experiencing a reduced service life. To resolve this problem, several researchers have proposed to implement composite cross arms with sleeve installation, an addition of bracing systems, and the inclusion of pGFRP composite beams with the core structure in order to have a sustainable composite structure. The aforementioned improvements in these composite structures provide superior performance under mechanical duress by having better stiffness, superiority in flexural behaviour, enhanced energy absorption, and improved load-carrying capacity. Even though there is a deficiency in the previous literature on this matter, several established works on the enhancement of composite cross-arm structures and beams have been applied. Thus, this review articles delivers on a state-of-the-art review on the design improvement and mechanical properties of composite cross-arm structures in experimental and computational simulation approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the main goal of this study was to understand the effect of carbon nanotube (CNT) additives on the elastic behaviors of textile-based composites. The materials have three phases: carbon fiber fabric, epoxy matrix, and carbon nanotubes. Different weight fractions of CNTs were used (0% as a reference, 0.3%). Mechanical tests were performed, such as tension and three-point bending beam tests. In addition, the composite material damages were examined in detail. The experimental results show that the samples with CNT carried 9% and 23% more axial tensile force and bending capacity on average than those with NEAT. Besides, it was understood that adding 0.3% by weight of MWCNT increases the tensile modulus by approximately 9%. Finally, the mechanical tensile and bending tests are supported by analytical solutions successfully applied in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article was to investigate the effect of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the buckling behavior of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites. The materials used included three layers: carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP), epoxy and CNTs. A set of mechanical tests, such as compression and buckling tests, was performed, and also analytical solutions were developed. Damage analysis was also carried out by controlling the damage initiation and crack progression on the composite samples. Experimental results revealed that using 0.3% with CNT additives enhanced the buckling performance of the composite. Finally, the average load-carrying capacity for the clamped–clamped boundary condition was 268% higher in the CNT samples and 282% higher in the NEAT samples compared to the simple–simple condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the era of globalisation, decreasing synthetic resources, especially petroleum, have encouraged global communities to apply biomass waste as a substitute material for green technology development. The development of plastic products from lignocellulosic fibre-reinforced composites has been a hot topic among material scientists and engineers due to their abundance, sustainable in nature, and less toxic towards health. For the Malaysian scenario, sugar palm is a plant found in the wild and locally planted in certain areas in Malaysia and Indonesia. Generally, sugar palm can be harvested for traditional foods, fruits, starch sugar (gula kabung), and alcohol, whereas sugar palm fibre (SPF) is used in conventional products (brushes and brooms). Various researchers are working on the characterisation of fibre and its composites for engineering and packaging products. The main drawback of SPF is its hydrophilic behaviour, which leads to high moisture uptake and inhibits a good bond between the fibre and the matrix. Thus, a solution for this problem is by implementing chemical treatments on the fibre. From the literature review, no comprehensive review paper has been published on the influence of chemical treatment on the mechanical behaviour of SPF-reinforced polymer composites. Thus, the present review examines recent studies on the mechanical properties of sugar palm lignocellulosic fibres with various chemical treatments to evaluate their potential in structural applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]