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Liu, Haoyang

University of British Columbia

For structural components used in leisure industries, such as those in aquaparks, high load-bearing capacity and lightweight materials are of primary interest. For this purpose, rigid fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are currently used widely. However, they often result in large and stiff moulded parts, which lead to logistic challenges as well as added cost associated with transportation and handling. FRP materials are also difficult to recycle, raising concerns over environmental sustainability. One proposed solution may be to replace such legacy materials with flexible, durable, and recyclable alternatives, while redesigning the support structures so that the overall integrity and load-bearing capacity remain unchanged. The high flexibility of the alternative materials can enable them to be rolled or folded (i.e., reduce occupied space) during transportation. Towards the above motivation, this thesis is a preliminary investigation towards replacing glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites used in aquatic play structures with flexible, durable, and recyclable alternatives. Two thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) and one thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) were chosen as candidate materials. The physical and mechanical properties of the legacy (base) and candidate materials were characterized through a series of coupon-level experiments and imaging. Material samples were also subjected to weathering exposures, including water and chlorinated water immersion, hygrothermal aging, and accelerated weathering in xenon lamp chamber. GFRP exhibited superior tensile strength and modulus, while the TPE candidates showed higher flexibility and strain at break. TPU showed better abrasion and puncture resistance than the TPV candidate, but higher water absorption. Yellowing could be observed for TPU after weathering in xenon lamp chamber. No statistically significant changes in the tensile properties could be concluded for all materials upon weathering. Next, building on the above characterization test data, a multicriteria decision making method, namely PROMETHEE II, was implemented to evaluate and rank the legacy and candidate materials based on typical design criteria including cost, mechanical properties, weathering performance, and recyclability. Texin 285A (TPU) was ranked as the top choice. Design ideas to incorporate the flexible material into water slide flumes, including a honeycomb sandwich structure design and a diaphragm design, were also explored.

Text

2023-10-11

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/86109

Mechanical Engineering

University of British Columbia

UBCO

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/