Analysis and Optimization of Textile-Reinforced Composites for Automotive Applications: Design, FEA & Validation

<p>This study focuses on the design, analysis, and optimization of textile-reinforced composite materials<br>for automotive applications, specifically targeting bumper brackets. The novelty of this work lies in the<br>integration of carbon fiber, glass fiber, and hybrid composites using the hand lay-up method, coupled<br>with advanced finite element analysis (FEA) to validate their structural performance. The methodology<br>involved redesigning the bumper bracket using CATIA V5, fabricating composite samples, and<br>conducting tensile tests to evaluate mechanical properties. FEA in ANSYS Workbench was employed to<br>analyze stress distribution and deformation under operational loads. Results demonstrated that carbon<br>fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) achieved a tensile strength of 1330 N/mm², with an 84% weight<br>reduction compared to traditional steel brackets. The study concludes that textile-reinforced<br>composites, particularly CFRP, offer significant weight optimization and high mechanical<br>performance, making them ideal for lightweight automotive applications. Hybrid composites also<br>present a cost-effective alternative for secondary structural components.</p>