Abstract
Dimensional control can be a major concern in the processing of composite structures. Compared to numerical models based on finite element methods, the analytical method can provide a faster prediction of process-induced residual stresses and deformations with a certain level of accuracy. It can explain the underlying mechanisms. In this paper, an improved analytical solution is proposed to consider thermo-viscoelastic effects on residual stresses and deformations of flat composite laminates during curing. First, an incremental differential equation is derived to describe the viscoelastic behavior of composite materials during curing. Afterward, the analytical solution is developed to solve the differential equation by assuming the solution at the current time, which is a linear combination of the corresponding Laplace equation solutions of all time. Moreover, the analytical solution is extended to investigate cure behavior of multilayer composite laminates during manufacturing. Good agreement between the analytical solution results and the experimental and finite element analysis (FEA) results validates the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed method. Furthermore, the mechanism generating residual stresses and deformations for unsymmetrical composite laminates is investigated based on the proposed analytical solution.
Highlights
Due to the high specific strength and stiffness, the fiber-reinforced epoxy resin composite materials have been widely applied in many fields including aerospace, automobile, civil infrastructures, and ship industries
Numerous investigations regarding the effects of these previously mentioned factors on the process-induced residual stresses and deformations have been implemented by using analytical models and numerical methods based on finite element analysis [9,10,11,12,13]
Considering that this paper focuses on the viscoelastic effects of the matrix on the process-induced residual stresses and distortions, a set of specimen strips with [04 /904 ] layup composite laminates, which has been experimentally investigated by Kim and Hahn in Reference [38] are taken as an example for simulations to further verify the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed analytical model
Summary
Due to the high specific strength and stiffness, the fiber-reinforced epoxy resin composite materials have been widely applied in many fields including aerospace, automobile, civil infrastructures, and ship industries. A simple analytical model has been proposed to regard effects of the tool-part interactions on the cure-induced residual stresses and deformation of flat composite laminates by Twigg et al [17]. Arafath A et al [19,20,21] presented a set of more accurate analytical models to predict the effects of tool-part interactions on the distribution of residual stresses and deformations for flat and curved composite laminates. An improved analytical model is proposed by taking into account the viscoelastic effects of epoxy resin for the development of residual stresses and distortions of flat composite laminate during the manufacturing process. Where Exxi and Gxyi are the unrelaxed axial and shear modulus of the ith Maxwell element, respectively
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