Paper number 1312

COMPACTION OF THICK COMPOSITES: SIMULATION AND EXPERIMENT

Daniel D. Shin, Evan A. Kempner, and H. Thomas Hahn

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department,
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California 90095-1597, U.S.A.

Summary A one-dimensional cure simulation model was developed for thick composite laminates including the effects of bleeder plies. To validate the model, 3 cm and 5 cm thick laminates were fabricated on a hot press using AS4/3501-6 graphite/epoxy prepreg. The fiber compressibility parameters were calibrated for the 3-cm thick laminate and then used to predict the compaction behavior of the 5-cm-thick laminate. The nonsymmetrical temperature distribution resulting from the presence of bleeder plies was well predicted by the model. Some of the discrepancies in the predicted compaction behavior could be attributed to those in the predicted temperature distribution. The temperature prediction was better for the thinner laminate.
Keywords thick composites, compaction, process simulation.

Theme : Industrial Applications ; Marine Applications

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