Computational Developments in Process Modeling, Simulation and Manufacturing of Composites with Complex Microstructures

This book enables and fosters an in-depth understanding of the mathematical and computational developments for numerical modeling and simulation of manufacturing and liquid infusion processing of polymer composites with complex microstructures. The authors provide the ingredients necessary for formulating an effective simulation-based design methodology using the finite element method. The presentation is well suited for practical applications to engineering scenarios of structural components encountered in the manufacturing process of complex composites. Both thin and thick composites are considered in the context of theoretical developments relevant to developing the mathematical models via volume averaging and homogenization, filling techniques and front tracking of the moving fluid for isothermal and non-isothermal situations; predictions of permeability, conductivity and stress tensors for multidisciplinary applications with case studies; isothermal applications and numerical developments and case studies, non-isothermal applications and numerical developments and case studies, stress modeling, sensitivity and uncertainty analysis and optimization, and high performance computing. USP: Explains how to develop mathematical model-governing equations for various physics associated with resin infusion process and heterogeneity; Demonstrates how to conduct numerical space discretization, time discretization and tracking of flow fronts, and how to predict permeability, conductivity and stress tensors; Illustrates implementation and prediction/validation of flow, thermal, cure, and transport behavior for isothermal and non-isothermal situations; Presents numerous case studies with verification and validation by analytic solutions and/or experiments.