Numerical simulation of flow and compaction during the cure of laminated composites

The finite element formulation is developed to solve the flow and compaction problems to simulate the resin flow and laminate compaction during the hot-pressing process of fiber-reinforced composite laminates. The numerical flow-compaction model is based on the effective stress formulation, the continuity equations, and Darcy's flow theory. Two methods are used to calculate the variation of the laminate thickness, the simulated results validate the relationship of fiber motion and resin flow velocity. Together with the post-processor software, the visual laminate deforming process is realized through the node moving. The comparison between the predicted and experimental data shows that the program is reliable to predict the laminate thickness and the final fiber volume fraction distribution in the thickness direction.