Unification and parameterisation of 2D and 3D weaves and the formulation of a unit cell for composites made of such preforms

Abstract

In this paper, the method to unify the definition of woven architectures in textile composites over a wide range of variations has been established. This was achieved via parametrisation of the weaves, which was conducted employing a limited set of clearly defined parameters. Detailed description of these parameters has been given, based of which a wide range of 2D and 3D weaves can be reproduced. The intended use of the parametrisation developed is to facilitate virtual testing of composites through numerical material characterisation based on use of unit cells (UC). The process as presented in this paper delivers a fully parametrised UC in a straightforward way. After implementing the parametrisation as a computer code and combining it with the piece of software UnitCells©, it has been fully developed as a methodology. Its capability as a design tool for 3D woven composites is demonstrated via a range of case studies.