Predictive model for the detection of out-of-plane defects formed during textile-composite manufacture

A hybrid finite element model using a discrete mesoscopic approach was previously developed and has since demonstrated its ability to capture the tensile and shear behaviors of textile reinforcements for composites. The aim of the present research is to implement flexural properties into a non-homogenous beam/shell model such that the formation and shape of out-of-plane defects can be well predicted. A method for linking the measurement of bending rigidity to the determination of a compressive modulus is presented and simulations are used to demonstrate the ability of the modeling approach to predict the amplitude and curvature of out-of-plane waves. A comparison of the simulation results to experimental data shows the finite element model accurately captures this out-of-plane phenomenon. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.