Finite Element Estimation of the Elastic Characteristics of Low-Density Polyethylene Reinforced with Rice Husk

Abstract

The need for evaluation of the elastic characteristic of biomass plastic composite (BPC) through finite element modelling is an essential approach towards accepting the adoption of BPC material in the industrial sector. The effective elastic properties of low-density polyethene reinforced with rice husk were determined through a finite element (FE) analysis conducted in COMSOL multiphysics. The study also included a comparison of the micromechanical model to evaluate the effectiveness in determining the unique properties of polymer composite comprised of rice husk fibre reinforced low-density polyethene composite. The results obtained from the FE analysis were compared to the effective properties derived from the micromechanical models. The elastic properties determined through finite element (FE) analysis align with the elastic properties calculated using various micromechanical models. There is no universal template that applies to all the elastic characteristics across different fibre volume fractions. Instead, it was unique to each specific elastic property and fibre volume fraction.