International Journal of Engineering and Advanced Technology (IJEAT)

ISSN: 2249-8958 (Online), Volume-9 Issue-3, February 2020

Stiffness and Damping of Epoxy Granite

Deepak D. Ubale, Raviraj V. Nimbalkar, Vivek R. Chavan

Abstract: The productivity and accuracy of machine tools stiffness and better damping. This review paper deals with
now became most significant as the cutting conditions changes various researches with respect to the stiffness and damping
continuously. Therefore to withstand against these cutting of developed materials for machine tool structure over last
conditions the machine tool structural material must have higher few decades. Any system which vibrates has three
stiffness and damping. This review deals with various research elements namely 1.Mass of system (m), 2. Stiffness of
works to study the stiffness and damping of epoxy granite or
polymer concrete. It is reported that the epoxy granite shows
material used for system (k) and 3. Damping (Material
improved damping and high strength to weight ratio than that of Damping) of system (ζ). Mass depends on density of material
conventional machine tool structures of steel and cast iron. used and parts geometry of system. Stiffness depends on
Young’s modulus (E), Shear modulus (G) (in some cases it
Keywords: Epoxy Granite, Stiffness, Damping factor depends on one modulus), parts geometry and nature of
loading. To withstand high dynamic forces at higher cutting
I. INTRODUCTION speeds and feeds the machine tool structure should have high
stiffness. The dynamic behavior of any vibratory system
The research in the field of alternative structural materials mostly depends upon its damping capacity. Higher the
for machine tools is increased in last few decades. The damping more is the energy dissipated from vibrating system
productivity and accuracy of machine tool became most per cycle. Thus vibrations are suppressed at faster rate.
significant due to continuously changing cutting conditions. It was found that two methods were used for
The productivity and accuracy is adversely affected by determination of damping factor (ζ).
vibrations in machine tool. These vibrations are categorized 1. Logarithmic decrement method
into two types: Forced vibrations and Self-excited vibrations.
The forced vibrations are due to unbalance rotating parts or =
intermittent engagement of work piece and cutter. Such Where, X and X are any two successive amplitudes, δ is
1 2
vibrations can cause waviness in machined surface of work logarithmic decrement.
piece. Forced vibrations are intense at resonance condition. 2. Half-Power bandwidth method
The self-excited vibrations occur when there is change in
cutting process such as increase in metal removal rate. This
type of vibrations is referred as Chatter. The chatter causes
unacceptable finish of work piece and reduces the life of Where ‘fn’ is the natural frequency, f1 and f2 are frequencies at
machine and tool which results into increased cost of half power bandwidth. Table I shows the mechanical
manufacturing. These vibrations must be suppressed to have properties of structural materials used for machine tool
productivity with high accuracy. Otherwise these vibrations structure such as steel, cast iron and epoxy granite. The
affect surface quality of work piece machined and reduce the strength to weight ratio (Young’s modulus to Density) of
life of machine and cutting tool. To control these vibrations steel is about twice than that of cast iron. The strength to
structural materials of high stiffness and better damping must weight ratio of epoxy granite is greater than cast iron. The
be used for machine tool structure. The researchers in the loss factor represents degree of material damping. The loss
field of machine tool are always in search of alternative factor of epoxy granite is 10 times higher than steel.
materials for machine tool structure which offers high
Table I Mechanical Properties of structural materials
Material Density Young’s Modulus Order of Loss factor
(Kg/m3) (MPa) (𝜂= 2ζ)
Steel 7850 210 10-3
Cast Iron 7150 100 10-2
Epoxy Granite 2100 30 10-2

Revised Manuscript Received on February 05, 2020.

* Correspondence Author
Deepak D. Ubale*, Department of Mechanical Engineering, D.I.E.T.,
Satara, India, ubaledd@gmail.com
Raviraj V. Nimbalkar, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
D.I.E.T., Satara, India, rajvickyn@gmail.com
Vivek R. Chavan, Department of Mechanical Engineering, D.I.E.T.,
Satara, India, chavanvrc@gmail.com

© The Authors. Published by Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and

Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open access article under the CC
BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

Retrieval Number: B3326129219/2020©BEIESP Published By:

DOI: 10.35940/ijeat.B3326.029320 Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering
Journal Website: www.ijeat.org 1105 & Sciences Publication
 Stiffness and Damping of Epoxy Granite

II. METHODOLOGY increases. The maximum value of damping ratio obtained

1. Material Characterization when glass fibre length was 20 mm [5].
The logarithmic decrement and half-power bandwidth
A lot of research works reported was based on method are not consistent statistically as two and three
characterization of mechanical properties of developed measurement points are considered respectively. The
materials referred as epoxy granite or polymer concrete. The complex modulus of polymer concrete developed was
epoxy granite is homogeneous mixture of a polymeric resin determined and compared with grey cast iron materials. The
and aggregates in coarse and fine forms. The polymeric polymer concrete developed had 10 mm aggregate (basalt
resins that are commonly used polyester resin, epoxy resin, and quartzite) and 10 % epoxy resin by weight. To determine
vinyl ester resin etc. Polyester resins are the most commonly damping, 2500 measured points were considered and
used resin because of their low cost, easy availability, and Nelder–Mead minimization algorithm was used for curve
good mechanical properties. The crushed stone, quartz, fitting. It was found that the developed polymer concrete has
granite and gravel are used as aggregates. a higher damping in large range of frequencies than grey cast
iron [6].

2. Structure Redesign

Some of the research studies reported was based on the

structure redesign or modification of existing machine tool
Fig. 1. Process of Epoxy Granite structure in order to improve stiffness and damping. This
technique is generally passive strategy of vibration control.
The damping tests were performed to investigate the
damping on polymer concrete samples. These samples The bed of micro lathe was fabricated in epoxy granite
comprised of 20 % polyester resin and quartz fillers (in five having same stiffness same as that of cast iron bed. The
different compositions) by weight. The observed critical dimensions of epoxy granite bed were determined by
damping ratio of polymer concrete was approximately four to analytical and finite element method. To manufacture the
seven times greater than the cast iron [1]. The composite epoxy granite bed 88% granite (in coarse, medium and fine
samples of 80% of granite and 20% of epoxy resin by weight form) and 12 % resin by weight was used. It was observed
were tested for damping behavior by the logarithmic that the damping ratio of epoxy granite bed is improved by
decrement method. It was found that damping properties 2.2 times greater than cast iron bed. The weight of the epoxy
were approximately three times greater than grey cast iron granite lathe bed in comparison with cast iron bed was
[2]. The damping behavior was examined at equal stiffness of reduced by 38.64 % for same stiffness [7].
epoxy granite, cast iron and steel. The epoxy granite The welded steel structure or steel reinforcements were
specimen of 88% of granite and 12% of epoxy resin by used with epoxy granite structure for both further
weight was prepared to perform the damping test. It was improvement of stiffness and damping. The polymer
found that the epoxy granite provides concrete bed with welded steel structure was developed for a
high damping ratio and large mass reduction in comparison high-speed gantry type milling machine. The composition of
with the steel and cast iron at equal stiffness [3]. polymer concrete used contains gravel of 60 %, sand 30 %
The cast iron particles as filler material in the and polyester 10% by weight. It was found that damping
proportions of 5%, 10%, and 15% added to the epoxy granite. factor is 2.93 %–5.69% larger than conventional structure
The dynamic analysis tests were performed on specimens to over wide range of frequency from the impact dynamic test
determine damping factors by half power method from the [8].
frequency response curves. The higher damping factor was The few studies reported was based the proposed finite
observed for specimen of 5% cast iron particles and epoxy element models of in earlier stage of redesign. The design of
content more than 20%. It was also observed that the the machine tools made of artificial granite material verified
damping factor reduces if cast iron fillers percentage is more through the Finite Element approach. Also prototype
than 5% [4]. To improve tensile strength and Young’s machine of same was fabricated for experiment to realize the
modulus, glass fibres were used in polymer concrete because feasibility of granite in the machine tool. The obtained
of its higher tensile strength. The glass fibre reinforced minimum dynamic stiffness of the granite model was 0.5–1.3
polymer concrete (GFRPC) is the mixture of glass fibre and times higher than that of casting machine [9]. The finite
polymer concrete. The damping tests were performed on element model of epoxy-granite-made vertical machining
GFRPC specimens to examine damping behavior. It was centre column with steel reinforcement was proposed to
observed that as epoxy resin increases there is increase in improve its static and dynamic characteristics. The FE model
damping ratio of GFRPC. It is because of damping ratio of of equivalent static stiffness and natural frequencies of about
epoxy resin is higher than granite. It was found that as glass 12–20% higher than cast iron structure can be used
fibre quantity increases in GFRPC its damping ratio alternative for the existing column to have higher structural
damping and equivalent or higher static stiffness [10].

Retrieval Number: B3326129219/2020©BEIESP Published By:

DOI: 10.35940/ijeat.B3326.029320 Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering
Journal Website: www.ijeat.org 1106 & Sciences Publication
 International Journal of Engineering and Advanced Technology (IJEAT)
ISSN: 2249-8958 (Online), Volume-9 Issue-3, February 2020

Table II Brief summary of literature survey

Author Resin Filler Findings
S. Orak 20 % Polyester resin Quartz fillers Damping ratio of polymer concrete
was approximately four to seven
times greater than the cast iron
Antonio Piratelli Filho 20% Epoxy resin Granite Damping properties approximately
et al. three times greater than grey cast
iron
A. Selvakumar et al. 12% Epoxy resin Granite High damping ratio and large mass
reduction
as compared to steel and cast iron
without compromise in stiffness
S. S. Balakrishna et al. More than 20 % Epoxy 5% Cast iron Higher damping factor
resin particles and
Granite
Wenfeng Bai et al. 16% Epoxy Resin Glass fibre(20 As glass fibre increases damping
mm) and Granite ratio increases
Cortes F. et al. 10 % Epoxy Resin Basalt and Higher damping in large range of
Quartzite frequencies than grey cast iron
A. Selvakumar et al. 12% Epoxy Resin Granite Damping ratio improved by 2.2
times and weight reduced by 38.64
% for same stiffness as compared
cast iron bed.
Jung Do Suh et al. 10 % Polyester Resin 60 % gravel and damping factor is 2.93 %–5.69%
30 % sand larger than conventional structure
over wide range of frequency
Tsung-Chia Chen et al. - - Dynamic stiffness of the granite
model was 0.5–1.3 times higher
than that of casting machine.
Prabhu Raja Venugopal - - Equivalent static stiffness and
et al. natural frequencies of about
12–20% higher than cast iron
structure

IV. RESULT ANALYSIS

It has been observed that the mechanical properties of

epoxy granite depend upon type and content of resin used.
The epoxy resin shows better damping than polyester resin
used for epoxy granite. It has been found that 10 to 15 % of
epoxy resin offers better damping of epoxy granite. The cost
of epoxy granite is more than polyester granite as epoxy resin
is more expensive than polyester resin. In future, the scope of
research will be the reduction in amount of epoxy resin
without any compromise in stiffness and damping. Fig. 2. Damping factor of Epoxy Granite
The mechanical properties of epoxy granite depend upon
type, proportions of aggregates used in epoxy granite. For V. CONCLUSION
same stiffness, the damping of epoxy granite is more than
steel and cast iron with 40 to 50 % mass reduction. The As the productivity and accuracy of machine tool
addition of steel reinforcements and welded steel structures became most significant, higher stiffness and damping of its
with epoxy granite structures offer higher stiffness to structural material is essential. In this review work the
structure and improved damping than epoxy granite various approaches towards improvement of stiffness and
structures. It has been found that as glass fibre content damping of epoxy granite are studied. The epoxy granite has
increases in epoxy granite increases damping ratio. As the proven that its damping and strength to weight ratio are
glass fibres are more expensive than other fillers, its superior to the conventional steel and cast iron structures.
applicability is the main constrain. The use of Nelder–Mead Therefore epoxy granite will be promoted as alternative
structural material for machine tool.
minimization algorithm for curve fitting offers more
consistent results than logarithmic decrement and half-power
bandwidth methods.

Retrieval Number: B3326129219/2020©BEIESP Published By:

DOI: 10.35940/ijeat.B3326.029320 Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering
Journal Website: www.ijeat.org 1107 & Sciences Publication
 Stiffness and Damping of Epoxy Granite

REFERENCES

1. S. Orak, 2000, ‘Investigation of vibration damping on polymer

concrete with polyester resin,’ Cement and Concrete Research, vol. 30,
no.2, pp.171–174
2. Antonio Piratelli Filho, Flaminio Levi Nito, 2010, ‘Behaviour of
granite epoxy beams subjected to mechanical vibrations’, Material
s Research, 13(4), pp. 497-503
3. A. Selvakumar, P.V. Mohanram, 2012, ‘Analysis of alternative
composite material for high speed precision machine tool structures’,
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Epoxy Composites with Cast Iron Particulates as Filler’, Indian Journal
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AUTHORS PROFILE

Mr. Deepak D. Ubale (M. Tech. in Design Engineering) is

working as assistant professor in department of
Mechanical Engineering at Dnyanshree institute of
Engineering and Technology, Satara. His areas of interest
are Vibration and Machine Design.

Mr. Raviraj V. Nimbalkar (M. Tech. in Production

Engineering) is working as assistant professor in
department of Mechanical Engineering at Dnyanshree
institute of Engineering and Technology, Satara.

Mr. Vivek R. Chavan (M. E. in Production Engineering)

is working as assistant professor in department of
Mechanical Engineering at Dnyanshree institute of
Engineering and Technology, Satara

Retrieval Number: B3326129219/2020©BEIESP Published By:

DOI: 10.35940/ijeat.B3326.029320 Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering
Journal Website: www.ijeat.org 1108 & Sciences Publication