Modelling porosity in composite liquid infusion processes

• Applicants: Professor Dr.-Ing. Peter Middendorf; Privatdozent Dr. Anthony Pickett
• Subject Area: Polymeric and Biogenic Materials and Derived Composites ; Materials in Sintering Processes and Generative Manufacturing Processes
• Term: from 2019 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 432847151

• Final Report Year: 2023

Final Report Abstract

In the project “Porositätsmodellierung bei Infusionsprozessen von Faserkunststoffverbunden” generation and evolution of voids in RTM process was studied. For this, the dual scale phenomenon was investigated both experimentally and numerically for two different types of glass fiber preforms. Experimental studies involving two different types of geometry, namely a flat plate and a C- section spar, were used to understand dual scale behavior under different processing conditions. This includes pressure variations, venting conditions, race tracking and bleeding after infiltration. The use of high-definition cameras equipped with standard and macro lenses combined with transparent molds allowed investigation of flow at macroscopic and microscopic (tow level) filling. Two FEM models and an AI model were developed in this project capable of simulating dual scale flow at macro level and generation and evolution of voids at micro level. The results of the macroscopic model are used in the microscopic model to better represent flow of resin in terms of pressure evolution with time. The results of both models were compared to the experiments showing promising results and realistic trends. The results of work packages were used in four scientific publications, including three conference presentations and one peer reviewed journal paper. Another journal paper is currently under review for publication. A direct following project is currently not planned, however the results of this project will be used in future research projects at IFB.

Publications

• Modeling of anisotropic dual scale flow in RTM using the finite elements method. Composites Part B: Engineering, 214, 108735.
  Facciotto, Silvio; Simacek, Pavel; Advani, Suresh G. & Middendorf, Peter
  
• “Numerical and Experimental Study of Dual Scale Flow in RTM with Anisotropic Tow Saturation” NAFEMS World Congress 2021, NWC21-194-b, 26.10.2021
  S. Facciotto, P. Simacek, S. G. Advani, A. Pickett & P. Middendorf
  
• “Numerical permeability prediction of multiscale textile architectures with openfoam”, Multiscale Simulation Day, IVW, Kaiserslautern, Germany, 19.10.2021
  J. Dittmann
  
• Current Perspectives and New Directions in Mechanics, Modelling and Design of Structural Systems. CRC Press.
  Zingoni, Alphose