Optimization of hybrid carbon–bamboo composite struc-ture based on flexural test and finite element simulation for UAV wing spar

Muhammad Nuzan Rizki; Asnawi Asnawi; Iqbal Kamar; Maulana Agil Ibrahim

doi:10.30811/jpl.v24i2.8343

Optimization of hybrid carbon–bamboo composite struc-ture based on flexural test and finite element simulation for UAV wing spar

Muhammad Nuzan Rizki, Asnawi Asnawi, Iqbal Kamar, Maulana Agil Ibrahim

Abstract

The structural performance of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) wing spars demands a balance between high strength and adequate stiffness. This study investigates the optimal configuration of bamboo–carbon fiber hybrid composites and evaluates the suitability of different spar cross-section geometries through experimental flexural testing, Taguchi-based statistical optimization, and Finite Element Method (FEM) simulation. Nine composite variations were fabricated and tested in accordance with ASTM D7264, employing three control factors: volume fraction, fiber ratio, and stacking sequence. The experimental results indicated that variation V7 (60% total fiber volume, 40:60 bamboo–carbon ratio, CBC stacking sequence) demonstrates the highest mechanical performance, achieving a flexural strength of 288.5 MPa and a flexural modulus of 31.8 GPa, which was further supported by the highest Signal-to-Noise (S/N) ratios for both responses. The optimum material configuration was subsequently applied to FEM simulations of three spar cross-sectional geometries. The results revealed that the hollow circular profile exhibited a limited safety margin (SF = 1.09), whereas the W-shaped and hollow-square profiles achieved higher safety factors of 2.15 and 2.18, respectively. Among the evaluated designs, the hollow-square spar provides the most favorable structural response, characterized by lower maximum stress, reduced deflection, and the highest safety margin.

Keywords

Hybrid composites; natural-synthetic fibers; design optimization; spar structure cross-section; UAV

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.30811/jpl.v24i2.8343