Improvement of the Bending Characteristics of Thin FRP Cylinders by Imitating Nodes of Bamboo

Abstract

Thin cylinders of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) material are used in large quantities as a kind of structural material for robot arms, airplanes and aerospace applications because of their light weight and high strength. In order to improve the mechanical properties of these cylinders, this study applied the VaRTM method to develop a biomimetic design of a thin cylinder with nodes that imitate a bamboo structure. The effects of inserted nodes on the bending properties of a thin FRP cylinder were examined by the four-point bending test. It is evident that the flexural rigidity and bending buckling load were increased; the validity of the node has also been confirmed.