Experimental Investigations of Mechanical and Water Absorption Behavior of Basalt/Jute Bio Composite

Abstract With the growing interest in eco-friendly composites, this study investigates the impact of stacking sequence on the mechanical properties, water absorption behavior, and fabrication quality of hybrid Basalt and Jute composites. Using the hand layup method, six stacking configurations were evaluated for tensile, flexural, impact, and hardness performance, along with water absorption under distilled water, saline water, and moist sand conditions. Results revealed significant enhancements in mechanical properties, with Basalt-Jute-Jute-Basalt (BJJB) achieving a 231% improvement in tensile strength compared to the Jute-Jute-Jute-Jute (JJJJ) baseline. The Jute-Basalt-Basalt-Jute (JBBJ) configuration exhibited the highest flexural strength of 166.6 MPa, while Basalt- Jute-Basalt-Jute (BJBJ) demonstrated superior resistance to moisture and the lowest void fraction (1.459%), indicative of high fabrication quality. SEM analysis identified fiber pullout, matrix cracking, and interfacial debonding as critical failure mechanisms. These findings highlight the potential of hybrid Basalt-Jute composites as cost-effective, high-performance materials suitable for lightweight and sustainable structural applications in automotive, marine, and construction industries.