FEM Simulation of Single-Grit Grinding on a 2.5D Woven Composite

Abstract

Single-grit grinding of a 2.5D woven composite was investigated by the finite-element method (FEM) using a unit-cell model. According to our hypotheses, the axis of the warp yarn was a sinusoidal curve and the cross section of the weft yarn was shaped like a biconvex lens. AVUMAT subroutine was used to construct the constitutive model of the 2.5D woven composite. The grinding process of the composite was analyzed using an FEM simulation with the ABAQUS/Explicit software. A validation experiment was also carried out. The simulation results showed that a grinding crack was well simulated. Furthermore, the junctions between the warp yarn and weft yarn were found to be seriously damaged and cracks were observed to extend outward along the warp fiber during grinding, in good agreement with the experimental results. In addition, the strain of weft yarns was obviously greater than that of warp yarns when the grinding direction was perpendicular to the weft yarns and parallel to the axis of the warp yarns. These results demonstrate that the mesostructure strongly influences the grinding damage inflicted on woven composites.