Model based prediction of fold development of textile composite reinforcements

• Applicants: Professor Dr.-Ing. Thomas Gries; Dr. Julia Orlik
• Subject Area: Lightweight Construction, Textile Technology
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 504848839

Due to their outstanding density-specific mechanical properties, textile reinforced composites are predestined for high performance material applications. In the production of three-dimensional components, reinforcing textiles are formed (draped) into preforms close to the component geometry. In the drape process, the textile design and properties, the type of the roving, the fibre orientation and the component geometry are the determining factors. Also, the magnitude and direction of the applied external forces play a significant role in the folding initiation, direction, and the amplitude. Due to the sliding between rovings, some local locking places can occur during shear deformation, what leads to the local change in the structure of the fabric as well as its mechanical response. The prediction of folding mechanisms in dependency of textile structure and roving type is a desired goal for the design of textile reinforced composites. Still today’s models lack a flexibility to consider multiple factors resulting from different roving properties or different textile properties and correlate this information with a prediction of the folding mechanism. The aim of this project is a prediction of locking shear-angles of textile composite reinforcements.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants