Numerical buckling analysis of carbon-basalt composites for next-generation lightweight EV structures

This study focusses on the linear buckling analysis of laminated composite plates reinforced with carbon and basalt fibres, utilising numerical simulations conducted in ABAQUS. Four laminate configurations—carbon–carbon–carbon–carbon (CCCC), carbon–basalt–basalt–carbon (CBBC), basalt–carbon–carbon–basalt (BCCB), and basalt–basalt–basalt–basalt (BBBB) are examined. The elastic properties used in the analysis are adopted from the literature based on uniaxial tensile testing in accordance with ASTM D3039 standard. Finite element modelling is performed using the S5R8 shell element. The accuracy of the developed finite element model is validated by comparing the buckling results with existing data, showing strong agreement. A parametric investigation is carried out to study the influence of aspect ratio, laminate thickness, and fibre orientation on the non-dimensional buckling load under various boundary conditions, including cantilever, clamped-free-clamped-free, clamped-clamped-clamped-free, and fully clamped edges. The results show that CCCC laminates exhibit the highest buckling load, which increases with thickness and decreases with aspect ratio. This work provides important insights into the buckling performance of hybrid composites for lightweight structural components, particularly in electric vehicle applications.