Flax fabric-reinforced epoxy pipes subjected to lateral compression

Abstract Application of flax fibre as reinforcement in polymer composites used in the construction and manufacturing industries is a step towards achieving more sustainable construction practices. Flax fabric-reinforced epoxy (FFRE) was used to manufacture forty-two pipes with a variety of internal diameters and flax fabric layers, all with a length-to-internal diameter ratio of 1.5:1. Lateral compression loading was performed on the FFRE pipes to establish the effect of internal diameter and number of fabric layers on the strength, energy absorption capability, strains, and failure mechanism. When compared to previously reported test results for pipes manufactured from different natural fibre composites, the FFRE pipes manufactured in this study and subjected to lateral compression showed higher strength, flexibility, and specific energy absorbed while demonstrating comparable strength, specific strength, and specific energy absorbed with synthetic and hybrid fibre composite pipes.