Análise de propriedades mecânicas de materiais compósito aplicados às pranchas de surfe

Abstract

In the surfboard manufacturing industry there is a constant search for new materials in the formation of composites, in order to produce boards with greater resistance and lightness, consequently, prolonging their useful life and offering better equipment for all levels of surfers. In this scenario, manufacturers (shapers) use combinations of core, resin and fiber based on knowledge of the individual characteristics of the inputs, without having concrete data on the results of their combinations. Most smaller manufacturers are interested in knowing the influence of each material on the composite, especially regarding the different cores, predominantly EPS and polyurethane. Given this context, the present study proposes a methodology to assist in the selection of materials for manufacturing surfboards based on mechanical properties. To this end, was used a quantitative research approach, of an applied nature, with an exploratory objective and experimental procedure. The results of flexural strength limit, maximum deformation and yield limit reveal that there are combinations, comparing EPS and polyurethane cores, with similar performance. However, the resilience results demonstrate the superiority of polyurethane cores compared to EPS analogues. It is important to highlight that, despite the conclusions of this study, other types of tests are interesting to be carried out, such as torsion and fatigue tests, in order to provide values of mechanical properties that would add to the comparison proposed in the present work.