153Bast Fibers Composites for Engineering Structural Applications
civil engineering sustainable design is, besides specic mechanical properties, their
“natural” look. Use of pigments to reduce weathering deterioration caused by UV
radiation could overshadow this effect.
It was shown that the nontwisted yarn composites underwent different frac-
ture modes that might be due to the polymeric yarn holding the bers together.
Unmodied ax NFCs were susceptible to high mechanical property degradation
when exposed to UV radiation and moist conditions.
The fracture mode of unidirectional composites had a specic angular shape,
which was explained by the fracture propagation along the points between polymeric
wrapping yarns and natural bers. This w ...