Identifier

etd-07052006-201255

Degree

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME)

Department

Entomology

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

Thirty-six FRP composite welds were wetted with UV curing vinyl ester resin and used to join fiberglass tubes. The effects of UV light intensity and weld thickness on performance (as measured by bursting pressure and stiffness) were evaluated to determine optimal conditions for joint construction. The joined composite pipes were cured vertically with UV lamps at three different light intensities, 80 mW/cm2, 35 mW/cm2 and 15 mW/cm2 to isolate the effect of UV light intensity. Eight-layer, five-layer and three-layer joints were prepared and cured at constant light intensity to evaluate the effect of reducing the thickness of the composite joint. Finite element analysis (FEA) models were developed to simulate the physical conditions of testing, known mechanical properties of the materials used, and the negative effects of under curing and gravity leaching of resin due to vertical curing. The mechanism for variation in performance is under curing; joint performance is increased by reducing the incidence of under curing by increasing light intensity and decreasing joint thickness.

Date

2006

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.

Committee Chair

Guoqiang Li

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_theses.1061

Included in

Entomology Commons

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