Numerical Study on Tensile and Flexural Characteristics of Sisal Fiber – Reinforced Epoxy Composites

Knee pads and other safety equipment are normally made from synthetic polymers that provide strength and durability, but they are not biodegradable, which makes them bad for the environment. To address this issue, the present work explores the use of sisal fiber, an abundant and eco- friendly reinforcement, in combination with epoxy resin for developing composite specimens. Their behavior was assessed by tensile and flexural tests, supported by finite element simulations conducted in ANSYS Workbench. Results showed that the mechanical strength and stiffness improved steadily with increasing fiber volume fraction, with the maximum tensile and flexural strengths of 170.15 MPa and 28.34 MPa, respectively, at 70% fiber loading, showing that the stiffness is improved and the stress transfer is efficient between the sisal fiber and the epoxy matrix. The estimated data were in close agreement with the experiments and the available literature, confirming the validity of the approach and presenting sisal–epoxy composites as a green option for protective gear.