PSI - Issue 68

ScienceDirect Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2025) 000–000 Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2025) 000–000 Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Procedia Structural Integrity 68 (2025) 197–204

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European Conference on Fracture 2024 Mechanical characterization of basalt fibre reinforced composites using energy methods M. Totaro 1,* , G. Risitano, G. Di Bella, P. Corigliano, D. D’Andrea Abstract The use of basalt fibres is gaining increasing attention due to their relatively low cost, favourable mechanical properties, and reduced environmental impact. In particular, basalt fibre composites are being explored as potential substitutes for fiberglass, given the significant environmental footprint of glass fibres. However, ensuring the structural integrity and reliability of structures that incorporate basalt composites is crucial. This requires a detailed understanding of both their static and fatigue mechanical behaviour. Energy release analysis offers valuable insights into the mechanical performance of the materials. In this study, basalt vinylester specimens were mechanically characterized using both Thermographic and Static Thermographic Methods. Results indicate that energy methods are effective for the characterization of complex materials like basalt composites, with consistent findings between the two techniques. © 2025 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of ECF24 organizers Keywords: composites; basalt; fatigue; energy methods Introduction In recent years, the growing interest in materials that combine mechanical performance with sustainability has attracted the attention of engineers and researchers. In this context, Fibre-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites using natural fibres have gained prominence, particularly Basalt Fibre Reinforced Composites (BFRC). These materials are made by using fibres derived from basaltic volcanic rock, which are transformed into thin fibres through a spinning process. Basalt fibre (BF) composites represent a promising solution in the field of modern materials, with industrial applications that are varied and constantly expanding. BF are frequently used in the construction (Wu et al., 2023; Monaldo et al. , 2019) to reinforce structures or as insulation, as well as in the production of lightweight and resistant vehicles (Balaji et al., 2020), and in the naval (Borsellino et al., 2023) and aerospace sectors. Furthermore, thanks to the environmental sustainability of basalt fibres compared to glass fibres, they offer an excellent solution for producing wind turbine blades (Liu et al., 2022). Thanks to their excellent mechanical properties, BFRC have been extensively European Conference on Fracture 2024 Mechanical characterization of basalt fibre reinforced composites using energy methods M. Totaro 1,* , G. Risitano, G. Di Bella, P. Corigliano, D. D’Andrea Department of Engineering, University of Messina, Contrada di Dio, 98166 Messina, Italy Abstract The use of basalt fibres is gaining increasing attention due to their relatively low cost, favourable mechanical properties, and reduced environmental impact. In particular, basalt fibre composites are being explored as potential substitutes for fiberglass, given the significant environmental footprint of glass fibres. However, ensuring the structural integrity and reliability of structures that incorporate basalt composites is crucial. This requires a detailed understanding of both their static and fatigue mechanical behaviour. Energy release analysis offers valuable insights into the mechanical performance of the materials. In this study, basalt vinylester specimens were mechanically characterized using both Thermographic and Static Thermographic Methods. Results indicate that energy methods are effective for the characterization of complex materials like basalt composites, with consistent findings between the two techniques. © 2025 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of ECF24 organizers Keywords: composites; basalt; fatigue; energy methods 1. Introduction In recent years, the growing interest in materials that combine mechanical performance with sustainability has attracted the attention of engineers and researchers. In this context, Fibre-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites using natural fibres have gained prominence, particularly Basalt Fibre Reinforced Composites (BFRC). These materials are made by using fibres derived from basaltic volcanic rock, which are transformed into thin fibres through a spinning process. Basalt fibre (BF) composites represent a promising solution in the field of modern materials, with industrial applications that are varied and constantly expanding. BF are frequently used in the construction (Wu et al., 2023; Monaldo et al. , 2019) to reinforce structures or as insulation, as well as in the production of lightweight and resistant vehicles (Balaji et al., 2020), and in the naval (Borsellino et al., 2023) and aerospace sectors. Furthermore, thanks to the environmental sustainability of basalt fibres compared to glass fibres, they offer an excellent solution for producing wind turbine blades (Liu et al., 2022). Thanks to their excellent mechanical properties, BFRC have been extensively © 2025 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of ECF24 organizers Department of Engineering, University of Messina, Contrada di Dio, 98166 Messina, Italy 1.

1 * Corresponding author. Tel.: +393934549812. E-mail address: martina.totaro@studenti.unime.it 1 * Corresponding author. Tel.: +393934549812. E-mail address: martina.totaro@studenti.unime.it

2452-3216 © 2025 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of ECF24 organizers 10.1016/j.prostr.2025.06.042 2452-3216 © 2025 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of ECF24 organizers 2452-3216 © 2025 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Peer-review under responsibility of ECF24 organizers