Multi-scale modeling of process-induced pressure distribution inside 3D woven composites manufactured using Resin Transfer Molding

Abstract

This paper presents a novel computationally efficient multi-scale thermo-chemo-mechanical procedure combining up-scale and resolved-scale simulations to predict pressure evolution inside a 3D woven composite part during the Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) process. The developed procedure benefits from the linearity of a previously developed anisotropic temperature- and degree of cure-dependent thermo-chemo-viscoelastic constitutive law which allows for a relatively fast predictions at different length-scales. The RTM process parameters were measured during an actual 3D woven composite manufacturing, and used as a boundary conditions to the developed procedure. The predicted pressure evolution was used to compute the volume fraction of the polymer matrix where the pressure was lower than the threshold below which, as shown in previous works, the formation of porosities may occur.