Meso-FE modelling of textile composites: Road map, data flow and algorithms

Generation of 3D representative volume elements for heterogeneous materials: a review

The quality of a composite material produced using a textile reinforcement depends largely on the way the textile deforms during processing. To ensure the production of high quality parts and minimise costs in designing such parts it is necessary to develop methods to predict the deformations of textiles.

This thesis employs a multi scale modelling approach in predicting mechanical properties of textile fabrics. The three scales involved are the microscopic, mesoscopic and macroscopic. This thesis concentrates on the micro and mesoscopic scales leading to results applicable to the macroscopic scale.

At the microscopic scale fibres are modelled as individual entities and the interactions between these entities are modelled. In compaction of yarns, the contact between fibres and bending resulting from these contacts governs the force response. A numerical model is developed to simulate this behaviour and results are validated against experimental studies found in the literature. The numerical model is extended to the mesoscopic scale where the shear of a plain woven fabric consisting of low filament count yarns is modelled.

At the mesoscopic scale a large part of the work consists of characterising the geometry of textile fabrics. New and existing algorithms are combined together to form a consistent modelling approach. This work was performed in conjunction with the development of a software package named TexGen where these algorithms are implemented. The geometric models created by TexGen are then used to predict mechanical properties of textile unit cells using a finite element method which takes yarn properties as an input. Validation is performed for a series of woven fabrics subjected to compression and in-plane shear.

Guangming Zhou

Papers

Multi-chain digital element analysis in textile mechanics