Spring-in of composite L-shape specimens: An experimental and numerical investigation

Traiforos, Neoklis; Matveev, Mikhail; Chronopoulos, Dimitrios; Turner, Thomas

Abstract

The effect of stacking sequence, specimen thickness, tooling material and curing cycle on process induced distortions of L-shape composite structures is investigated experimentally and numerically. Sixty specimens were manufactured, and their spring-in angle was compared against simulation and analytical results. A thermo-chemo-mechanical simulation approach was developed to simulate the experiment by employing a modified Cure Hardening Instantaneously Linear Elastic (CHILE) and a linear viscoelastic material model. Freestanding, fixed and contact boundary conditions were investigated. The spring-in angle of the parts predicted by the modified CHILE material model, was found to be higher than that predicted by the viscoelastic model. The tool material significantly affects the distortion of the parts and contact boundary conditions should be employed for an accurate prediction of the part shape. Balanced, symmetric and thick laminates contribute to a reduction in part distortion, while elevated curing temperatures slightly affect the distortion level of the parts.

Citation

Traiforos, N., Matveev, M., Chronopoulos, D., & Turner, T. (2023). Spring-in of composite L-shape specimens: An experimental and numerical investigation. Composite Structures, 310, Article 116772. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2023.116772

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 3, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Feb 13, 2023
• Publication Date: Apr 15, 2023
• Deposit Date: Feb 14, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 14, 2023
• Journal: Composite Structures
• Print ISSN: 0263-8223
• Electronic ISSN: 1879-1085
• Publisher: Elsevier BV
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 310
• Article Number: 116772
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2023.116772
• Keywords: Civil and Structural Engineering; Ceramics and Composites
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/17372812
• Publisher URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0263822323001162?via%3Dihub
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: Spring-in of composite L-shape specimens: An experimental and numerical investigation; Journal Title: Composite Structures; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2023.116772; Content Type: article; Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.