Optimization on Mechanical Behavior of Coconut Shell Powder and Coir Fiber Reinforced Polyester Composites using Grey-Taguchi Method

This paper explores the optimization of the mechanical properties on the composite materials by using Grey-Taguchi method. The composite material consists of coir fiber-polyester resin with coconut shell particle. The fabrication is made up of by the hand layup method. Here coir fiber diameter, coir fiber length, coconut shell powder content and coconut shell powder mesh size are the parameters which are incorporated in different level. Mechanical tests are conducted as per ASTM standards for the fabricated laminates. The composites are optimized by using Taguchi method in the combination of Grey relational analysis. The mechanical properties such as flexural strength, tensile strength, compressive strength and impact strength are selected as quality targets. Nine experiments are performed, based on L9 (3(4)) orthogonal array of Taguchi method. An optimal parameter combination of the composites is obtained by the use of the Grey relational analysis. Confirmation test is carried out to verify the optimal result. Obtained results of the confirmation tests prove that flexural strength, tensile strength, compressive strength and impact strength of the composites samples. This is improved simultaneously through optimal combination of composites parameters obtained from the proposed method. Thus the surface morphology of composites is analyzed.